Lime Pear Cocktail

While cooking Christmas Eve dinner, my cousin made us these delicious cocktails that were super easy to make and I almost had a few too many. The recipe is simple and you don't need to be a fancy bartender to make one. There's still time to celebrate this weekend before all the holiday spirit is gone and don't forget New Year's Eve! Try this drink for your next gathering and you'll totally love it.

Ingredients

2 oz pear juice

2 oz ginger ale

1.5 oz Jack Daniels Whiskey

Lime slice

Christmas 2013

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! Judging by the Valentine's Day cards already on display at Target, Christmas is over. We still have New Year's people! Let's savor the holidays a little longer. I'm still going to eat Christmas cookies until they're all gone.

I had such a fun time celebrating Christmas this year. J and I went to Philly last weekend for a holiday party with friends and we also got to see the decorations all over the city. We celebrated Christmas together on Sunday because we were apart for Christmas so we went to see the train display at the local fire station which was so great, as usual. One of the gifts J gave me was this amazing succulent display he made and I'm obsessed with it. Now the test is to not kill them. On Christmas Eve, my family and I celebrated at my aunt's house in DC and then Christmas day was spent at my house where I (as usual) did all the cooking. My parents even got me a pink KitchenAid stand mixer and I'm so excited to share tons of new recipes with you all!

How did you spend the holidays? Share with me!

Asparagus & Gruyere Tart

Need an easy appetizer for the holidays? This is it. With buttery dough and cheese you can't go wrong. Gruyere cheese can definitely be a bit expensive so some good alternatives are Jarlsberg and Fontina. The holidays to me are all about celebrating family and friends and eating good food. Soon I'll share how I've been celebrating the holidays! 

Want to make a dessert for the holidays instead of an appetizer? Try these White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies. J and I have been eating them nonstop. Oops.

Ingredients
Frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 cups Gruyere cheese

1 pound asparagus spears

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degree F. 
2. Flour your work space. Roll the thawed puff pastry into a 16 by 10 inch rectangle. 
3. Place the pastry on a baking sheet and with a fork pierce the dough all over, but leave a 1 inch border. Bake for 15 minutes until golden. 
4. Sprinkle pastry with cheese and place the asparagus in a single layer on top. Brush with a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. 
5. Bake for 25 minutes until the asparagus is tender. Serve immediately.

Quinoa Stuffed Red Pepper

I know we've all been doing a lot of indulging lately and this weekend will probably be no different. Don't forget to make good choices! It's definitely hard this time of year, but we do not have to compromise health for the holidays. This recipe is delicious and packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals. It's really easy to make and I've raved about quinoa here before. If you really don't like quinoa or it's too expensive, brown rice would also work really well in this dish.

Side note: Make sure you're keeping up with your work outs! Don't put it off until the new year. You'll feel better and be able to splurge a little more on Christmas.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked according to package directions

1/2 cup sweet corn

1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup diced tomatoes

1/4 cup Mexican blend cheese (or whatever shredded cheese you have on hand)

1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Salt

Pepper

3 large red bell peppers, seeded

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, corn, beans, tomatoes, cheese, cilantro, cumin, garlic, onion, and chili powder, salt and pepper.
3. Fill each red bell pepper with the mixture. 
4. Place peppers in a cupcake tin so that they don't fall over (I'm a genius!). 
5. Bake until the peppers are tender about 25 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Today is my office holiday party! Last night I made this amazing cookies that are far better than I expected them to be. I went for a different cookie recipe this year (generally I stick to Peppermint Chocolate Sandwich cookies that are also to die for) and I'm happy I did. These are almost like a sugar cookie, but the peppermint flavor reminds me even more of the holidays. Christmas is right around the corner and these are perfect cookies to bake for any holiday festivities.

You can find the recipe here. I adapted it by using Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips instead of the candy canes and M&Ms and they came out so delicious with the same peppermint flavor!

Last Minute Gifts

This is the Target edition. If you're looking for something last minute for under $20 you can find some great gifts at Target. In addition to the gifts below, you can find low priced jewelry, candles, and other small home decor items that are perfect for hostess gifts or white elephant gift exchanges.

Find these gifts online:

1. Double Old-Fashioned Tumbler Cheers - $5
2. Beaded Infinity Scarf - $20
3. Frames & Display Boxes
4. Beaded Coffee Mug Set of 4 - $14
5. Wood "JOY" Candle Holder Set - $12
6. Noel Sequin Oblong Pillow - $20

Stove Top Applesauce

Considering that I got my wisdom teeth out on Friday - this post is appropriate. I made a big batch of homemade applesauce to help get me through the "wisdom teeth diet." At this point I'm pretty sick of soft foods and I can't wait until I can eat real food again. Sigh. Getting my wisdom teeth out is really hindering my Christmas shopping abilities and indulging before the holidays. I'm going to have to get creative with my Christmas treats.

Ingredients
3 lbs apples (I used Gala)
1/2 cup apple juice
Juice 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, for 25 minutes. 
2. Let cool a bit, add to a blender and puree until smooth. Store in the refrigerator.