It’s almost Christmas!! As usual, I bit off more than I could chew; does anyone else have that problem or am I alone!?
But I didn’t want this week to go by without telling you how very much I appreciate every one of you! Your faithfulness, encouragement, and comments mean so much to me, and I am humbled by God’s grace in this fabulous endeavor!
I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! May God bless you as you enjoy time with family and friends around the table.
I have a few recipes posting next week, so you will continue to see content from me — but I am trying to take off starting TODAY through January 1st.
Be sure to use the Table of Contents below to discover what interests you most.
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What I’m Making’ & Bakin’ | Christmas Treats
I’ve got three brand-new recipes you are going to love! Browse them all below!
Chocolate Caramel Peanut Clusters
You can make homemade Caramel Peanut Clusters with this easy step-by-step recipe! This easy homemade candy is like peanut turtle candy with flaky sea salt, a gooey caramel center, and coated with chocolate for a salty treat.
Easy Eggnog Milkshake (Copycat McDonald’s)
Made at home and in minutes, your favorite creamy eggnog milkshake from McDonald’s!
This eggnog shake tastes better than the popular seasonal treat, using fresh ingredients, and saving you money!
Easy Oreo Peanut Butter Pie Recipe (No Bake)
The 5-ingredient Oreo Peanut Butter Pie is a no-bake dessert! It has a decadent Oreo crust layered with rich chocolate and a sweet, salty peanut butter layer, then topped with a simple chocolate ganache.
It’s perfect for peanut butter lovers and chocolate lovers alike!
Christmas breakfast inspiration
What do you make special for Christmas morning? I’d love to know – pop down to the comments and let me know! Now that our boys sleep in — forever, I have a little more time on Christmas morning.
- On-demand are usually my gooey cinnamon rolls (you can prep the night before and bake the morning of) and these breakfast sliders, along with these cranberry spritzers for the kids and these cranberry mimosas for the adults.
- But some years, we do this chocolate bread pudding with creme anglaise or this chocolate stuffed monkey bread and keep it simple with hot cocoa or white hot chocolate.
- My personal favorite is this cranberry Christmas cake drizzled with this (to-die-for) vanilla butter sauce, with this chile relleno casserole and easy hot wassail.
Favorite Candy & Fudge Recipes
- Christmas Sugar Cookie Fudge Recipe – This fudge always gets rave reviews every time I bring it to people!
- Crockpot Peanut Clusters Recipe – great for gifting, it makes a lot and they are so easy!
- Snickers Candy Bar Fudge Recipe – easy, decadent, amazing!
- Hot Chocolate Fudge Recipe (Microwave) – fun treat to make with the kids!
- Champagne Chocolate Truffles Recipe – perfect for those New Years eve celebrations!
- Christmas Reindeer Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow) + Free Gift Tags – Always a hit, plus fun Santa gift tags, free!
- I adore this easy, Buckeye bars (way easier than Buckeye balls).
Family favorite cookie recipes
I asked my family what their favorite Christmas cookies were — I was surprised by their answers! But be sure to check out all of my cookies!
- FAMILY FAVE – Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookies (throw in some season M & M’s to make them more festive!
- Kathleen’s favorite cookie(s) – I grew up with this old family recipe, and they are still one of my favorites! Pfeffernusse is a German spice cookie. Amazing with an eggnog latte or chai tea!
- Kathleen’s other favorite cookie are these tender, easy shortbread cookies (yep, more than one favorite! Shocking! After all, the website is called The Fresh “Cooky,” a play on cookies – read about my story here).
- Mr Fresh Cooky’s favorite is mom’s classic cut-out sugar cookies or these oatmeal cut-out cookies for a fun twist!
- 5-ingredient Raspberry Cheesecake Thumbprints are an easy holiday classic!
- Try these Crumbl copycats – Frosted Oreo Cookies, Biscoff Stuffed Cookies or these Salted Caramel Cheesecake cookies and use holiday sprinkles on these Crumbl Sugar cookies.
- Another favorite is my brand new Pizzelles, Italian Waffle cookies.
- Finally, these hot chocolate marshmallow cookies — but don’t stop there, I have so many, just too many to list! Check out all of my cookies here.
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Recipes using leftovers
I have some fabulous recipes for leftovers and TWO BRAND new ones! Check them all out! Be sure to check out these round-up posts for leftover ham and leftover turkey.
Easy Hawaiian Fried Rice Recipe **NEW
A one-skillet meal, ready in just 30 minutes, this Hawaiian fried rice is a game or dinner changer!
Ham and pineapple fried rice will become your new favorite way to enjoy leftover ham!
**NEW Best Beef Tenderloin Sandwiches Recipe (Leftover Tenderloin)
Transform beef tenderloin leftovers into mouthwatering sandwiches in under 30 minutes! Elevate your leftover game with this easy, flavorful, and cheesy beef tenderloin sandwich recipe.
Great for tailgating parties, game day, or just an easy weeknight meal.
Easy Turkey Cranberry Sliders Recipe (Baked)
These turkey sliders are ready in 45 minutes! With 15 minutes of prep, these leftover turkey sliders on sweet Hawaiian rolls, with cheese and cranberry sauce are great after Thanksgiving!
Easy Leftover Turkey Tacos Recipe
Transform leftover Thanksgiving turkey into these flavor-packed and juicy Leftover Turkey Tacos! These leftover turkey carnitas are perfectly seasoned with a balance of smoky, sweet, citrusy, and savory ingredients. It's the perfect way to enjoy leftover turkey!
Easy Ham Pot Pie Recipe
This Easy Ham Pot Pie Recipe uses all your best leftovers from the holidays and puts them all into one fantastic dish, resulting in a ham rich filling of tender potatoes, and veggies in a creamy sauce, topped with a buttery, flaky pie crust.
Turkey Divan Recipe (or chicken)
This best turkey divan recipe uses leftover turkey or chicken, creamy, flavorful, with bright pops of broccoli and topped with either a crispy, buttery cracker topping or leftover stuffing. Made from scratch, with no cream soups, plus easy ways to make gluten-free!
Best Baked Funeral Sandwiches (Ham and Cheese Sliders)
Use leftover or deli-sliced ham for these amazing sliders!! They will become a tradition!
What Readers Are Saying about…
Chocolate Chip Cookies (Crumbl copycat)
Huge hit! Super moist! It’s all about the quality of good butter! These cookies were a huge hit, super moist & used parchment paper to avoid spreading & sticking to cookie sheet. Here are pics of my cookies!
Melanie
Our favorite drinks & appetizers in a FREE E-book
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Our favorite holiday drinks and appetizers e-book for all of your holiday gatherings! Loaded with recipes, tips, and planners!
In the here and now | Real-life stories
A full, joy-filled week! Here is a snapshot.
Blessed evening with longtime friends at a Christmas party and gift exchange, Saturday we went to the Chris Tomlin Christmas concert — wow what a night! Sunday was filled with our dear church family and several taking gifts to families we adopted for Christmas.
Our oldest arrived home Tuesday night! A haircut and “color” I’m growing out my gray, so my stylist is doing highlights and lowlights to blend my growing out gray; plus, I took about 5 inches off in the last few months. Always nice to have a fresh cut for the holidays!
Today, I totally switch gears to preparing for Christmas! I am having a couple of girlfriends over for tea, and then it’s wrap-apalooza for me! I wrap gifts while I watch Christmas movies!! Joyful, joyful times! Tomorrow is our annual shopping as a family with the masses at the mall day, which ends with a dinner together. Always fun. So much more in store, but most important is preparing our hearts for this sacred day!
Christmas Movies We Loved
I Heard the Bells is beautiful! I highly recommend it. It is based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who penned the poem I Heard the Bells!
Weekly Inspiration | Holy Forever
This is one of my favorite songs by Chris Tomlin — it was a holy moment, not truly a Christmas song, but so moving.
That is my wish for you this holiday season! May you find unspeakable joy in the One that we celebrate this Christmas.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
Merry Christmas, friends – I’ll chat with you in the New Year. If you ever have questions – I would be honored to try and answer them! Just shoot me an email!
P.S. If you missed last week’s Fresh Fridays, recipes, sales, tips, ideas, and more!
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Debbie
I don’t know why my post is gone, but I want to wish you a Blessed Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
Because I’m not fast enough!! Haha!! Merry Christmas and a very healthy New Year!
Debbie
Since we drive down to Arvada for Christmas dinner at our son’s house, I’m not nearly as busy as I’ve been when I did everything. So today I’m making Lebkuchen bars, tomorrow is Saturday and I always make pizza, using your dough recipe, on Saturday, Then on Sunday, I’ll make my homemade rolls for Christmas dinner on Monday. I just hope we don’t get a lot of snow, otherwise we will be staying home in Fort Collins and eating whatever!
May you have a Blessed Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
Hope we get some snow but not enough to keep you home. Sounds amazing and I pray you have the most blessed of Christmas’, Debbie!!
Aline Brown
Merry Christmas Kathleen and Brad. All your recipe’s look amazing. I wish I had these earlier in my life
Merry Christmas Aline and Don! Praying for a beautiful and joyous new year!