Christmas & holiday recipe roundup!

Christmas season is in full swing and we wanted to highlight a few of our favorite holiday recipes. Christmas for me is about Christ, family and friends, giving and generosity and... food! Food always seems to play a part in creating memories, traditions and comfort. So, enjoy baking and giving away yummy treats, making memories over delicious meals, celebrating with friends at a party or giving your children something to get nostalgic about when they think back about Christmases of their childhood.

Happy holidays from all of us at Boy Cheese Sandwich!!!

• For Christmas morning:

Sausage Breakfast Casserole
German Pancakes
Apple Puff Pancakes
Amish Breakfast Casserole
Chile Casserole
Kathy's Coffee Cake
French Toast Casserole

• Christmas cookies and home-baked gifts:

Nana's Caramels
Chocolate-Dipped Pretzel Rods
Hot Fudge Sauce
Mom's Sugar Cookies
Waffle Brownies
Earthquake Cookies
Mint Brownies
Meltaways
Sand Art Brownies
Peanut Butter Bars
Easy Pretzel Turtles
Thin Mint Crackers

• Non-food gift:

Christmas Potpourri

• Christmas appetizers:

Cranberry Salsa
Wassail
Artichoke Dip

• Christmas salads:

Christmas Salad
Winter Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing
Pear Salad

• Christmas desserts:

Gingerbread White Chocolate Blondies
Mom's French Pear Pie
Eggnog Cupcakes
Cranberry Bundt Cake with Warm Butter Sauce
Apple Torte with Lemon Sauce

• Meals for Christmas day, after presents -or- for Christmas Eve:)  Most are make-ahead, so you can just warm it up or bake it when family is around and hungry!

Three-Bean Christmas Chili
Classic Cheese Fondue
Chocolate Fondue (pictured below)
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Ski Country Pasta
Mom's Minestrone Soup
Cranberry Chicken
Mimi's Cafe Corn Chowder with Ham
Mom's Lasagna

Christmas Potpourri

Some sweet ladies at church today handed me a beautiful cellophane bag, tied with a festive ribbon. Inside was this fragrant concoction. When I returned home, I immediately added it to water and simmered it on my stove and within minutes, my whole house smelled like Christmas. Delicious!!! I really wish I would've taken a photo of the potpourri before I simmered it, but I was too impatient, I guess!

My Mom would often simmer some cinnamon sticks, cloves and allspice in a little water on the stove at Christmas and the spicy scent just makes me think of home. Usually, she was preparing her yummy Wassail for a party, but this potpourri would make a unique, (calorie and fat-free!) gift for friends, neighbors or kids' teachers for the holidays.

It does require 3-4 days preparation for the orange peel to dry, so plan accordingly:)

Fresh orange peel (a hand full)

3 cinnamon sticks

12 allspice berries

3 whole star anise

8 whole cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 bay leaves

1. Tear orange peel into small pieces. Cover with a paper towel and dry completely for 3-4 days. 
2. Add all other ingredients to dried orange peel in a cellophane bag and it's ready to use yourself or to give as a gift!

TO USE: Add potpourri to 2 cups water and simmer in a saucepan. May be refrigerated and re-used.

Seriously amazing bathroom cleaner!

You know when you find something that you wish you'd known all your life and you just want to share your new discovery with everyone you know and love? That's how I feel about this inexpensive and easy make-it-yourself bathroom cleaner! I wish my glass shower doors were always magically cleaned by the bathroom fairies, but this easy spray will leave your tubs, sinks and shower doors sparkling and clean, and with very little effort. It smells a bit strong, due to the vinegar, but hold your breath and you'll have a clean bathroom before you pass out! "Recipe" from Pinterest (originally from Food.com).

4 ounces (1/2 cup) white vinegar

4 ounces (1/2 cup) blue Dawn dishwashing liquid

Spray bottle

Heat vinegar in the microwave until hot and carefully pour into a spray bottle. Add the dishwashing liquid and shake gently. Spray, let sit, scrub and rinse. Enjoy those clean bathrooms! Please post a comment if you try this and let me know what you think!!!