12/6/11

Easy Holiday Food and Busy Day Recipes

Food, food, food-my life seems to revolve around it, it seems, especially at this time of year.  Here are some simple recipes that make my life easier this holiday season.

If I need to bring an appetizer to a party, my feta dip is super easy and I know it will be gone in seconds.  (It is my most viewed post, no kidding.)  No oven, no bowls, no mixer, no stove top.  Here is the easy step by step recipe.

If I need to bring a dessert, I know Kitty's Brownies will be a huge hit.  I am telling you, these things are divine-and it's just brownie mix and 3 candy bars.  They are ooey and gooey and chocolately and taste like you slaved over them for hours.

Caramel corn or shortbread cookies are usually my old standbys if I want to bake a gift.


These pretzels are fun to make with kids and make a great snack.  My blog friend Sarah made them with her kids and they turned out prettier than mine ever do.  You can check them out here.

My favorite cut out cookies are from an old-fashioned recipe my mom used every Christmas when we were kids.  The recipe uses granulated brown sugar-they are sweet, but not too sweet, look like gingerbread, but not too gingery.  My kids love them. Here is the recipe for Butterscotch Rolled Cookies.
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I have talked about meal planning and how it really saves me time and money and my sanity also-more than ever this season.  Sometimes I just about hate doing it, but if I don't we will end up eating take out pizza every night.  Here is an example of my menu for the week-I just want to prove that it does NOT have to be fancy-I always think "meal planning" just sounds overwhelming. I use notebook paper and tape it up where I can see it every morning. Grilled cheese and soup one night-or pizza night on Saturday-no gourmet dinners or five course meals here.  (Lots of my recipes are here and I've been adding new ones every week.)
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25 comments:

  1. Magnolia VerandahDecember 6, 2011 at 5:06 AM

    What a great collection of goodies!

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  2. Laura LeeDecember 6, 2011 at 5:39 AM

    Well that certainly is encouragement for the weeks ahead! P.S. Nice handwriting Sarah!

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  3. {cindy}December 6, 2011 at 5:58 AM

    i just love all of these recipes Sarah. thanks for sharing them...again! :)
    I think carmel popcorn is going to be our neighbor/specials teacher gift this year!!:)
    have a happy day

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  4. Simply LKJDecember 6, 2011 at 7:02 AM

    That dip looks amazing! I might make that instead of my usual vidalia onion dip for our Christmas Bunco party. I too would not survive without my meal plan!!

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  5. KellyDecember 6, 2011 at 7:38 AM

    I love that everything doesn't need to be fancy, it just needs to "get done"! You are like Nike for the home!
    (And I have to agree, your feta dip is heavenly, and since making it for my bunco group last year I am asked for the recipe all the time. In fact I just saw an email requesting it a few minutes ago. I always send people to your blog).

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  6. MelissaDecember 6, 2011 at 8:30 AM

    That feta dip is legend. Best ever~ and everywhere I bring it, they ask for the recipe and I send them to dear Clover Lane. Never thought I would all of a sudden be wanting brownies and caramel corn in the morning...quit it!

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  7. elisabeth (bovagoods)December 6, 2011 at 8:32 AM

    LOVE that feta dip. i made it when our family was here over thanksgiving and it was a huge hit! i especially love how festive it is with the red, white and green!

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  8. DeniseDecember 6, 2011 at 8:54 AM

    I took your advice and started meal planning. I save all my meal plans so that Weeks when I find it difficult to plan, I pull out a previous week and use it. This might not always be the Fanciest meals but at least dinner is on the table and we are not ordering out.

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  9. ErinDecember 6, 2011 at 9:42 AM

    Love this Sarah! I SO need to start meal planning. It's the one area of my life that I am NOT organized in...

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  10. marloweDecember 6, 2011 at 9:56 AM

    I've used your feta dip a hundred times since last year .. though this year ... I think I'll ban it along with the egg nog :)

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  11. JasmineDecember 6, 2011 at 9:57 AM

    Thanks, one question, what do you do for teacher gifts, with a few kids in school and each having a couple teachers it gets pricy

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  12. EmilyDecember 6, 2011 at 11:14 AM

    These recipes looks awesome - printing some.

    I talked about meal planning for years, and then last summer I found a Mon/Tues/Wed etc. magnetic wipe off board at a garage sale for 50 cents. I hung it on my refrigerator and it finally got me to meal plan. It makes a world of difference in the week. (Good 50 cents I spent.)

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  13. wendyDecember 6, 2011 at 11:22 AM

    Love your tips, thank you!
    I believe that I read on a previous post that you no longer eat meat or sugar. Do you make a different meal for yourself when meat is on the menu for dinner? I am trying to cut down myself and would appreciate any suggestions.
    Thank you!

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  14. JenDecember 6, 2011 at 1:09 PM

    I have used so many of your recipes Sarah, my family sometimes asks me, "Is this one of the recipes from that blog you love?" They just know I can't come up with all this deliciousness on my own :-)

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  15. KelliDecember 6, 2011 at 1:41 PM

    My mouth is watering for the feta dip right now. Looks like you are having some yummy dinners this week!

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  16. Raising LaughterDecember 6, 2011 at 2:36 PM

    Now THAT is my kinda recipe. Love your blog. Where have you been all my life? :)

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  17. ChristineDecember 6, 2011 at 2:42 PM

    Please come and cook at my home!! I have just proclaimed from the rooftops that we will have tacos every tues just to make my life easier.

    my poor family.

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  18. SarahDecember 6, 2011 at 3:28 PM

    All of these look so good. THANK YOU for mentioning my pretzels... Now I feel famous :)

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  19. MeredithDecember 6, 2011 at 4:46 PM

    Everything you just posted looks AMAZING!!!! I will definitely be trying out those recipes especially the butterscotch cookies. You really can do it all!

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  20. bostonshumwaysDecember 6, 2011 at 11:19 PM

    thank you sarah! I needed this, especially the meal planning nudge!

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  21. Mark and AshlieDecember 7, 2011 at 6:18 AM

    Thanks for posting your shortbread cookie recipe. I tried it last year and they were so good! They are on my list to make again this year!

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  22. SarahDecember 7, 2011 at 7:56 AM

    We're having a huge Christmas party here on Christmas day and, other than making my home presentable and making sure I have enough plates and utensils, I'm not cooking!! However, after seeing your feta dip recipe, I will be making that as one of our appetizers. It looks divine!! Thank you.

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  23. HeatherDecember 7, 2011 at 9:40 AM

    I think you need to post that recipe for Cheesy Italian meatball casserole! Sounds yummy!

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  24. MirienDecember 7, 2011 at 1:03 PM

    So I'm curious about what you eat for dinner because you said you gave up meat--and I see a few meat entrees on your list. I ask because I don't eat meat either, except for occasional fish or chicken, in small quantities. Most of my kids are okay with meatless meals, but I have two teenage boys who miss it. Maybe I should be nice like you and fix it for them anyway!

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  25. JennyDecember 10, 2011 at 6:03 PM

    Oh my! Love the Feta Dip! I just whipped up a small plate so my husband and I can test it out before I take it to a little gathering tomorrow at church. Love the super easiness of it and I am sure it will be "The Dish" for all of my upcoming Christmas get togethers. Thanks for sharing it!

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