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Fresh Fridays
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Holiday Recipes, Delivery Drivers Snacks and more | Fresh Fridays, December 2

Kathleen

by Kathleen Pope Dec 1, 2022

Hello fellow foodies! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration and are eagerly entering into the Christmas season. Congratulations to Crystal who won the Emile Henry pie dish giveaway!

Fresh Fridays Logo new 2022.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure & privacy policy.

Our boys are back at school; the last few weeks of their college semester, ugh — finals, remember those!? I sent them some of the party recipe I’m sharing below; it got a thumbs up from them both! I am considering sending them a care package from Spoonful of Comfort, a company I love — check out all of their holiday packages! Something for everyone!

Spoonful of Comfort Gift package.
  • Simple Christmas Decor and Charlie Brown Tree
  • New recipes to help you host like a pro
    • Oven Roasted Crispy Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
    • Christmas Snack Mix (with free printable gift tags)
    • Festive Christmas Margarita Recipe
  • What you missed!
  • Recipes You are Loving
  • Weekly Inspiration | One of my favorite people

The Friday after Thanksgiving went up to a ranch in the mountains and cut down our Christmas tree, it was a fun afternoon. We love Singing Springs Ranch in Evergreen, where the owner, Christina or one of her adult kids greets you with a friendly smile! If you are local, I cannot recommend them enough!

Hubs and son with Christmas tree at Singing Springs Ranch.

It was a nice quiet weekend and I put away all of our Fall decor and decorated for Christmas, more on that below.

Simple Christmas Decor and Charlie Brown Tree

We love our Charlie Brown Christmas tree! I’ve mentioned the past few years, it’s SO much easier to decorate since it can’t really hold as much decor and I love using these fairy lights all OVER our house. They have remotes so it’s easy to turn them on and off, but since they are LED, I leave many of them on all the time. Loads of settings and color choices to choose from.

Our Charlie Brown Christmas tree with fairy lights.
Meet Charlie, our Christmas tree.
Simple mantel decor lit with fairy lights.
Simple mantel decor

I am leaning much more towards minimalist when it comes to decorating and have been scaling back a bit each year. It might not look like it. but truly, I am!

The one area I didn’t skimp on this year is our front porch; from the fresh cedar garland I picked up at Costco (a steal!!) to my little porch pots (which still need a bit more filling out) and of course I cannot forget my Delivery Drivers Snack Station (check out the post for ideas)– have you printed your free Delivery Driver Printable?

Front porch all decked out for Christmas.
Front porch all decorated for Christmas
Close-up of flower box Christmas decor.
Close-up of our flower box
Delivery Drivers snack station on front porch.
Delivery Drivers Snack station
Chair decorated for Christmas and sign welcoming all who gather here.
Christmassy decorated chair and sign by front door

New recipes to help you host like a pro

I have a great variety of new recipes to show you this week. One healthy, one fun and gift-able and one super festive and a few things I didn’t send out last week!

Oven Roasted Crispy Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli

We all need a few go-to simple vegetable recipes. What I love about this one is it takes minutes to prep and tastes like a restaurant quality veggie side dish.

Roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli on tray with spatula.
Sweet Potato & Broccoli Recipe

Christmas Snack Mix (with free printable gift tags)

During the holiday season I love baking up something wonderful, putting it in pretty packaging and giving to people I respect, admire, love and appreciate. If I could smush something through the internet into your hands, I would!

When my boys were young I would make this Christmas Reindeer Chex Mix and package it up and bring it to their school Christmas parties. Who doesn’t love Muddy Buddies!?!?

Christmas Muddy Buddy Recipe in cello bags with cute free printable tags.

Print out these FREE printable Chex Mix gift tags to customize your treats!

My recipe is a little different as it has a touch of cookie butter in it along with peanut butter, but you can easily leave it out — or make it peanut free if you choose! Check it out!

Christmas Muddy Buddy Recipe

Festive Christmas Margarita Recipe

I love bright red, festive holiday cocktails! Don’t imbibe? No worries, I give easy adaptations for a cool mocktail as well! Hibiscus and Pomegranate are what flavors this festive Jingle Juice! Make it by the glass, pitcher or the punch bowl! You are welcome!

Christmas margarita in a glass with pomegranate arils and some fresh rosemary.
Christmas Margarita Recipe

What you missed!

Even though I took some much needed time off for Thanksgiving! I still had a few recipes in queue!

Completing the trifecta of Air Fryer Turkey recipes are these crispy Turkey Legs, always in season! No holiday required.

Plus I updated my Best Cookbooks for the year as well as my picks for the best Advent Books!

Air fryer turkey leg sliced into on cutting board.

Easy Crispy Air Fryer Turkey Legs

Golden brown on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside, these easy Air Fryer Turkey Legs are perfectly rubbed with a smoky seasoned butter and air fried in no time! Yielding tender, juicy and crispy skinned turkey legs.

Recipe Please
Sliced rustic bread on cutting board with words best cookbooks gift guide.

Best Cookbook Gift Ideas + Gift Pairing for 2022

30 of my favorite cookbooks and some top selling cookbooks as well. Plus gift ideas to pair with your cookbook.

Read more
Christmas Advent Books and Devotionals

Best Family Advent Devotionals & Calendars for 2022

A list of The Fresh Cooky's Best Family Advent Devotional Books for 2022, from simple daily devotionals, family friendly activities and stories and more deep, in depth studies for women and men.

Read more

Recipes You are Loving

I received so many great comments over the holiday weekend. Thank you, keep them coming! It makes my day and really helps the blog! Here is what was “flying off the proverbial shelves!”

Slice of light and fluffy creamy corn pudding casserole.

Easy Corn Casserole without Jiffy

Coming in at #1 with over 20,000 views! I’ll be honest, not everyone loves this, but those who are looking for a not too sweet, light and soft side dish will LOVE this recipe.
Reader Review “Delicious!! Just the consistency I was looking for! Very light with just a touch of sweetness! My new go-to for corn casserole. Also reheated perfectly!” Amanda

Recipe please
Silky turkey gravy poured over tender turkey breast.

Best Turkey Giblet Gravy Recipe Without Drippings

Reader Review “OMG this is the best gravy I’ve ever had in my whole life! I put giblets I bought separately in into the broth, let it hang in the refrigerator for two days and just finished it. Smooth and so flavorful ????” Deborah

Recipe please

Best Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip

This 4-ingredient Cranberry Cream Cheese dip is not only easy, is perfect for the holiday season.
Reader Review “I love the sweet and savory flavors in this dip! Totally perfect for the holidays or anytime your craving a delicious appetizer! Can’t wait to make this again, thanks so much for the recipe!” Kathryn

Recipe please
Holiday Christmas Shortbread Recipe pressed into holiday mold.

Best Traditional Shortbread Recipe

Super simple, just 4 ingredients, make traditional finger style or press into a pretty holiday mold!

Reader Review “Really good. Make twice now. And easy.” ~Diane, Pinterest

Recipe here
Whole Key Lime pie with swirls of whipped cream.

The Best Key Lime Pie | A Traditional Key Lime Pie Recipe

This is the BEST Key Lime Pie, so easy too!

Reader Review “My family loves this pie and were disappointed I didn’t make it for Thanksgiving! Thanks for sharing this great recipe!” ~Karen

Recipe please
Insanely fun holiday games.

The Best Holiday Family Games 2022

Loads of simple, inexpensive family holiday games! Get the family off the couch this holiday season and play some games!

Read more
Tray of leftover turkey sliders in pan.

Healthy Leftover Turkey Recipes

So many delicious, creative and wonderful recipes featuring leftover turkey!!

Read more
Slice of chocolate no bake pie being removed.

No Bake Chocolate Pie

It’s pie season! I have the easiest, most scrumptious no bake chocolate pie recipe for you with options for personalization.
Reader Review: “This tastes like the no bake chocolate pie my grandmother made that we’ve never been able to replicate. SO GOOD!” ~Erin

Recipe
Pan of gooey cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting.

Best Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

Tender, better than Cinnabon ooey and gooey Cinnamon Rolls dripping with brown sugary cinnamon insides and topped with this luscious cream cheese buttercream.
Reader Review: “This recipe was FANTASTIC! They turned out perfectly!” ~Shannon, Pinterest

Recipe please
Crumbl chocolate chip cookies square image with cooke broken in half with a glass of milk behind.

Chocolate Chip Cookies Copycat Crumbl

Reader Review: “Thank you for this amazing recipe! You nailed it! Absolutely delicious cookies that are even better than Crumble! I appreciate the high altitude suggestions as well. I used raw turbinado sugar instead of granulated sugar and arrowroot powder (I was out of corn starch) and they came out perfectly! My husband said they truly taste like a $5 bakery cookie – crispy on the outside & warm gooey goodness on the inside. Thank you for all your efforts in your test kitchen to get this keeper of a recipe!” ~Amy

Recipe please

Weekly Inspiration | One of my favorite people

Anna led music at the church we attended for years! She’s an amazing musician and gifted songwriter. Her first Christmas album has been released, with one of my our favorite Christmas songs! Check it out; Here He Is. The links are on Spotify, but it’s also available on iTunes and Apple Music!

And a friend sent me this song by Crowder that is the perfect start to the Christmas season! Be a “Thanks Giver” this season!

>>>It’s my goal to be generous, kind, joyful and oh so patient this holiday season. Join me!<<<

Let someone in line in front of you, smile and talk to those around you, give up your seat or your parking place and get the benefit of blessing someone as well as getting a little exercise.

Buy the Salvation Army bell ringer a coffee, surprise the person behind you in the drive-through line by paying for their order, keep gift cards to places like McDonald’s in your car to give to the person on the street.

One person can make a difference! Let’s be the difference this Christmastime!

As always, thank you for returning each week, sending encouraging notes, comments and supporting me! I am blessed beyond measure and I thank my Lord and Savior for each of you!

signature of Kathleen, The Fresh Cooky Recipe developer

P.S. I have loaded a bunch of my new favorite kitchen gadgets, tools and more into my Amazon shop — some I own, some are on our wish list!

Thanks for visiting The Fresh Cooky’s Amazon Shop

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fresh fridays

Kathleen Pope

Meet Kathleen

Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer

Hi, Iโ€™m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen.

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Kathleen Pope

Meet Kathleen

Hey there! I'm Kathleen Pope, a proud wife, mom of two awesome college boys, and recipe nerd. Welcome to my world of easy recipes with a healthy twist! Join thousands who trust The Fresh Cooky as their go-to recipe source. Let's cook up some magic!

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