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Christmas Count Down – T’was The Week Before Christmas

Ideas for Holiday salads, last minute recipe ideas and what to do with those leftovers!

Creamy Sweet and Sour Cranberry Slaw
This delicious Creamy Sweet and Sour Cole Slaw is a great slaw any time, but adding dried cranberries turns it into a perfect Holiday side dish too!
Check out this recipe
Sweet and Sour Cranberry Cole Slaw
Cream Cheese Tea Ring
This Cream Cheese Tea Ring makes a lovely breakfast or brunch pastry or a wonderful accompaniment to a cup of coffee or tea.
Check out this recipe
Slice of cream cheese filled tea ring on a Christmas plate.
Fromage Fort
Got lots of odds ‘n ends of expensive cheeses left over from your Holiday appetizer trays? Fromage Fort is your answer! … Those clever French…..
Check out this recipe
Final fromage fort in serving dish.
Pomegranate Salad
This zesty Pomegranate Salad is a totally refreshing side to otherwise heavy holiday meals.  It uses pomegranate seeds and/or mandarin orange pieces, both of which you probably have in your fridge for the holidays.
Check out this recipe
pomegranate-salad
Roasted Root Vegetable Salad with Persimmons
This Roasted Root Vegetable Salad  is a perfect salad for fall or winter. Persimmons, pomegranate, turnip, rutabaga, parsnips & carrots make it hearty but add some leftover turkey and you have a holiday worthy meal.
Check out this recipe
Persimmons and pomegranate seeds on frisee lettuce
Holiday Turkey Leftovers From Around the World
Nothing ho hum about these Holiday Turkey Leftovers From Around the World. And leftovers can make the easiest dinners with a few ingredients.
Check out this recipe
turkey-vol-au-vent
Cranberry Walnut Bread
Elevate your leftover Turkey Sandwiches with Cranberry Walnut Bread! It is a Bread machine recipe and it freezes well so you can make it ahead and freeze it.
Check out this recipe
Turkey Sandwich with Cranberry Walnut Bread
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Christmas Count Down – T’was 2 Weeks Before Christmas

Christmas berries and cones on a white table cloth with a cup of tea in the corner.

Check out these menu ideas for large or small Holiday gatherings. Take your pick so you can finalize your shopping list.

Holiday Turkey 13 Ways
Whole turkey or breast?  Brined or not? Roasted? Deep Fried? Grilled? Instant Pot? Smoked?  Easy or Expert? Food Bloggers around the world have you covered!
Check out this recipe
Riesling Brined Turkey
Chateaubriand With Mushroom Sauce
Looking for an alternative to turkey for you Holiday Meal? It doesn’t get any more elegant than Chateaubriand!
Check out this recipe
Chateaubriand tenderloin on a platter with mushroom sauce surrounded by green beans and broccoli.
Cornish Hens With Orange Apricot Glaze
If you are having a small gathering for the Holidays you may be looking for an alternative to a 20 lb turkey. These Cornish Hens with Orange Apricot Glaze are so rich and savoury! Perfect for a small gathering!
Check out this recipe
Table setting Cornish hens, stuffed with Root Vegetable casserole and baked squash.
Holiday Side Dishes
These delicious Holiday Side Dishes all complement turkey beautifully. Some are make ahead which is always a bonus when you have a large holiday meal to prepare.  Others you can do some of the steps ahead of time and finish off the day of your dinner.
Check out this recipe
root-vegetable-timbales
Christmas Brownies with Brandy Custard Sauce
These Christmas Brownies with Brandy Custard Sauce are an easy modern day take on Christmas Pudding with Hard Sauce.
Check out this recipe
Round brownie cake on a pedestal, with sifted icing sugar and sugared cranberries for garnish
Amaretto Pear Trifle
This delicious Amaretto Pear Trifle is perfect for winter and large enough to feed your holiday crowd and have leftovers! It uses Italian Panettone Fruit Cake and amaretti cookies in your base.
Check out this recipe
trifle in a glass bowl with whipped cream and cherries on top
Meringue Christmas Tree
This Meringue Christmas Tree always gets oohs and ahhs at the table. The meringue layers will keep 2 weeks in an air tight container so you can whip the cream and assemble the day you plan to serve it. Operative word is air tight…. And.. it is gluten free!
Check out this recipe
Meringue Christmas Tree
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Count Down To Christmas – T’was 3 Weeks Before Christmas

Wine glasses on a buffet table laden with appetizers and candles.

Ideas for your Christmas Cookie platter, quick appetizers and a make ahead holiday meal.

Quail Eggs and Caviar
For about $15 dollars and 15 minutes you can serve up hard boiled Quail Eggs with Caviar. Your guests will never guess how easy and economical it is.
Check out this recipe
Hard boiled quail eggs halved vertically ad ganrnish with black caviar, parsley and roasted red pepper.
Christmas Tea Sandwiches
Cookie cutters make these festive Christmas Tea Sandwiches much easier to make than they look!
Check out this recipe
Christmas tree shaped sandwich with green cream cheese icing and pomegranate decorations
Chocolate Covered Orange Peel
These are a real Christmas treat- No bake, gluten free, make ahead. What’s not to like!
Check out this recipe
Pecan shortbread and chocolate dipped candied orange peel on a Christmas cookie plate.
Caviar Hors d’Oeuvre Plate
This Caviar Hors d’Oeuvre Pate  is  a really simple, tasty appetizer dish that will wow your guests.  It starts with perfect hard boiled eggs that you can make ahead of time.  After that it takes 5 minutes to put this together. And…caviar doesn’t have to be expensive….
Check out this recipe
Christamas star plate with chopped hard boiled egg, topped with sweet onions diced finely and red caviar.
Brandied Beef Bourguignon
This fantastic Brandied Beef Bourguignon is a make-ahead dish that is easy yet elegant enough for a holiday meal. It is meant to sit overnight after you cook it to let the flavor develop. How perfect for an entertaining recipe! And it freezes and reheats beautifully.
Check out this recipe
Brandied Beef Bourguignon
Shortbread Cookies with Lime Cream Cheese Icing
A hint of lime in the dough and the cream cheese frosting  give a sweet and tart flavour to these Shortbread Cookies with Lime Cream Cheese Icing. They  are sometimes called Meltaways because the dough is so tender the cookies melt in your mouth.  
Check out this recipe
Shortbread cookies with Lime Cream cheese icing on a plate.
Pecan Shortbread
Pecan Shortbread Cookies – make, freeze, bake, store. You can make this recipe well ahead or at the last minute.
Check out this recipe
Stack of pecan shortbread cookies on a Christmas plate.