Living the Pantry Lifestyle - Favorite Holiday Recipes

Christmas Pretzel Candy

As I write, it looks more like Christmas than Thanksgiving outside.  The snow is gently falling on the forest but just to our north, much more is to be expected.  However, it is almost December!

Yesterday I put Christmas music on the DVD player in the kitchen and made three batches of vanilla shortbread dough for the deep freeze and five dozen of my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.  Most of them went into the freezer... formed, flash frozen, and slipped into Ziploc bags with instructions for baking.

Two dozen of those will be given to my friend, Sheila, to bake when her boys come home for Thanksgiving.  Just a little taste for them of the days we were neighbors and I kept my cookie jar full.  They actually gave me the snowman cookie jar I get out during the Holiday season.

Nine chocolate chip cookies were baked for the purpose of quality control.  ;)

On Monday, I plan to prepare three batches of lemon shortbread for the freezer and then more mid-week to actually bake for Thanksgiving guests.  Along with a couple other cookies that will be gifts.

I already made a large batch of cocoa mix, half of which is in my pantry and the other half was poured into a decorated half gallon Ball jar to become a gift.  I send my daughter-in-law's family home on Thanksgiving with edible Christmas gifts.  ;)

Everything I needed to make these ahead of time was in the pantry.  Except I didn't have lemons.  Which is why the lemon shortbread will be prepared Monday.

I also made granola last week since my husband informed me he was almost out.   I kind of knew that already since it is a glass jar we keep it in and it has been showing the granola slowly making its' way to the bottom.  I have had that recipe in Draft for awhile now (just forgot it was not published).  It makes an excellent gift for the Holidays and it is only as expensive as you add more ingredients.  If made a simple vanilla oats granola... simple and fairly inexpensive.

My Thanksgiving menu has always been set in stone so it is lovely to have Mrs. Christopher's family bring some of their favorites to our house.  I will provide the turkey and dressing and gravy (for they like the way I make them), the pumpkin pies will be baked on Wednesday for the flavors to "marry".

I may make cranberry relish.  Or may not.  I'm the only one that craves it each year so instead I may make something else with cranberries that the others will also enjoy.  Like a good hostess should.  ;)

Here are a few of my favorite Holiday recipes, now including the simple granola with variations.

Granola... here.
Jewel Cookies and others... here.  I posted this selection nine years ago and the only cookie I make from this list every year these days is the Jewel Cookie.  But all of them are good.
Christmas Jam... here.
Rachel Ray's Fudge... here.
Pumpkin Bread and Cranberry Bread... here.
Mom's Dressing Recipe and Broccoli Casserole... here.
Chicken or Turkey Dressing Casserole... here.  (Great for turkey leftovers)
Puppy Chow... here.
German Chocolate Cookies... here.
Two Homemade Cocoa Mixes... here.
Snickerdoodles... here.
Christmas Pretzel Candy... here.
Beverly Nye's Candy... here and here and here.
Pumpkin Cookies... here.

If I think of more, I will add them!