Hi Cooking Moms, Dads & Friends,

I want to wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas! The last several months have been filled with challenges like we’ve never experienced before. I want to thank you so much for your kindness, love and support! It’s meant the world to me and has gotten me through the rough patches. As long as you enjoy my recipes, tips and tricks I’ll keep on cooking!

This Christmas I’m only cooking for a few but I'm feeling so blessed to have the kids home and healthy. We're keeping it safe so it will be just a handful of us around the table but I’m still planning to cook up some memories!

I know your menu may be pretty well set by now but it’s always fun trying something new!

Let’s start with some of my favorite holiday appetizers. My grandmother's recipe, Mimi’s Crab Dip is always a huge hit! It’s a tradition in our house. Even though Mimi’s not here with us anymore she’s always in my heart. When I make her recipes, it makes me feel like she’s in the kitchen with me.

Speaking of a really good dip, it doesn’t get much easier than my Hot Artichoke Dip. Just 5 ingredients! Both of these dips you can make ahead! So fun!

If you really want to get creative, give my Old School Cheese Ball a try. It's super fun to shape it into a Christmas tree. Looks hard, but don’t worry. It’s actually pretty easy and so cool! Perfect for a game day spread too!

Click Appetizers for more of my favorite holiday dips and munchie recipes.

Christmas morning is my favorite! We sleep in a bit, open gifts and then it’s brunch time! My Sticky Bun Coffee Cake is all ready to bake Christmas morning. I just throw it together the day before, put it on top of the fridge overnight to rise and in the morning it’s ready to put in the oven. It’s AMAZING!

I serve it with My Absolute Favorite Brunch Bake with sausage, potatoes, eggs, and loads of cheese. There are a few secrets in the recipe too. You make it the night before, and just bake it in the morning. LOVE THAT! It’s a Family Fave. It’s so good that I caught one of my relatives eating it cold out of the fridge the next day. BUSTED! LOL. Yep, it’s that good!

Toss together a pretty fruit salad like my Winter Fruit Salad, turn on some holiday music and let the fun begin. Click Salads and Breakfast & Brunch for more festive brunch and fruit salad recipes.

My way of showing love is through cooking. I’m cooking up all my favorites this season!

Dress up that holiday ham with my best ever Brown Sugar and Mustard Ham Glaze. It will take your ham to the next level!

Still figuring out what to make for Christmas dinner? What about my Fancy Stuffed Chicken Breasts? Super easy and light on the budget too!

On the side I’ve got all sorts of make-ahead potato dishes like my Parmesan Potato Gratin.

Even simpler, pick up pre-made mashed potatoes from the store and make my Easy Loaded Mashed Potato Bake. Both go with whatever you're serving.

Instead of the usual green bean casserole try my Bacon Wrapped Green Beans. Man, are these good! A snap to make, too. I mean who doesn’t crave bacon?

Click Dinner, Slow Cooker and Sides for more of my best holiday recipes.

For dessert, really WOW the family with my Chocolate Flourless Cupcakes. These are so effortless and so good! You bake them in muffin tins. They are dense and fudgy and taste like the fancy desserts you get out at a restaurant. Fill the center with fresh whipped cream and berries and get ready to hear loads of compliments. LOVE THAT!

Click Desserts for a bunch of Christmas cookie, fudge and LOTS of holiday dessert recipes.

Give Yourself a Gift this Christmas! Join Me on a Culinary Trip!

I just announced my next culinary trip. I’ve always dreamed of traveling to Ireland. Come with me in April of 2022! From Irish cooking classes, to scone baking, whiskey tasting, a VIP tour of Guiness, and so much more. We’ll do it all. We’ll even stay in a real castle outside of Dublin! I can only take a small group so this trip is going to fill up quickly! Click Join The Cooking Mom in Ireland to read more about this trip and find out how to reserve your spot.

It sounds like it will be safe to travel again by next summer. I’ve got two other trips planned for later in 2021!

Join me for trips of a lifetime to Mackinac Island next summer and a river cruise through Germany, Austria and Switzerland next September. I’m working on two more AMAZING trips for 2022! Details still to come. Hint...pasta!

To find out more about my trips and what makes them so unique click Culinary Vacations with The Cooking Mom.

If you want to get on the list for updates and details on all my trips email me at info@thecookingmom.com!

Cookbooks Make Great Gifts!

If you like my recipes, I think you will love my cookbooks. Order one for yourself and they make great gifts too! Note it in a card, if it's too close to Christmas to arrive on time! Both cookbooks are filled with nearly 200 unique recipes. They're easily available on Amazon. Click Amy's Books on Amazon to order.

Gotta run. I’m cooking up a last minute Christmas recipe on on Fox 6 Wakeup in Milwaukee soon. Hope you’ll watch! You can always see what I'm up to on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Check out my videos on YouTube, too. Follow me!

I hope you all have a magical Christmas! Please stay safe and cook up some memories!

Take care,
Amy, The Cooking Mom

Order Amy's Cookbooks Online for Gifts!