Christmas is a time for family, friends and food

The Christmas season is upon us, and nearly everyone I know is busy making plans for the season. Whether it be a family dinner, a brunch or breakfast, appetizers or afternoon snacks, there are many plans to be made.

In this column today, I've tried to include a little something for everyone. There are many recipes included here, so you will need to go online to read the complete column including all of the recipes. Enjoy this very special time of year with some very special recipes to serve.

Cranberry and Brie Puff Pastry Wreath

Golden puff pastry wreath filled with sweet cranberry sauce, oozy Brie cheese and pistachios is a fantastic addition to your holiday cheese board.

• 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
• 2 to 3 tablespoons whole berry cranberry sauce
• 8 ounces Brie cheese, sliced
• 2 tablespoons pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
• 1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll the pastry out to a round circle and cut a large circle out of the pastry. Lay the pastry on the prepared baking sheet. Mark a circle with a medium-sized bowl and with a sharp knife, cut 4 cuts into the center circle.

Spread the cranberry sauce around the center "star" then top with the Brie and pistachios.

Bring one point of the center star over the filling as well as bringing the outer edge of pastry inwards. Press the two together and continue until you have a wreath.

Brush with beaten egg then place in the oven and allow to bake for 15 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

Remove from the oven, allow to rest for 5 minutes then slice and serve.

Perfect Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

These little goodies are the perfect addition to your next holiday gathering or even the perfect appetizer to serve before a cozy dinner at home. Everyone will be dazzled by every delicious bite (they won't be able to keep their hands off of them.) You'll be the one smiling while you think of how easy they were to toss together. If you end up with leftover stuffing, it will freeze for a later use.

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons minced green onion
• 1 cup cooked crabmeat, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1-1/2 pounds fresh button mushrooms, stems removed
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 cup dry white wine

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet; cook and stir green onion until softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer green onion to a bowl. Stir in crabmeat, bread crumbs, 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, egg, lemon juice, and dill weed until well mixed.

Pour 1/2 cup melted butter in a 9x13-inch baking dish; turn mushroom caps in butter to coat. Fill mushroom caps with the crab mixture and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese. Pour white wine into baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven until cheese is melted and lightly brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Cranberry Apple Pecan Salad

This Cranberry Apple Pecan Salad might become your new holiday meal favorite! It's a delicious blend of sweet and savory flavors, and perfect for the holiday season. Loaded with sweet apples, fresh cranberries, crispy bacon, crunchy pecans, goat cheese, green onions, and a light vinaigrette, this salad makes a beautiful and delicious addition to any holiday meal.

For the salad:

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 8 ounces mixed greens
• 1 Honeycrisp apple, chopped
• 6 ounces bacon, cooked
• 1/2 cup pecan halves
• 3 1/2 ounces crumbled goat cheese
• 4 green onions, sliced

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Prepare cranberries by combining fresh cranberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Heat on medium-high heat until cranberries begin to pop. Remove from heat and cool.

Prepare dressing by combining ingredients in a small container and shaking well. Set aside.

Spread mixed greens in a large salad bowl. Top with prepared cranberries, chopped apples, crumbled bacon, pecans, goat cheese, and green onions. Add dressing and toss to coat.

Butternut Squash Salad with Roasted Brussels sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries

If you want a healthy side dish for Christmas or New Year's Eve, try this Butternut Squash Salad with Roasted Brussels sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries. It is one of the best holiday side dishes you'll ever try. This salad is full of vegetables and nuts. It's healthy, gluten free, vegetarian, and packed with fiber, not to even mention it is delicious.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts:

• 3 cups Brussels sprouts ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt to taste

Roasted Butternut Squash:

• 1-1/2 pounds butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes (Yields about 4 cups of uncooked cubed butternut squash)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Other Ingredients:

• 2 cups pecan halves
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2 to 4 tablespoons maple syrup, optional

How to roast Brussels sprouts: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Trim ends of Brussels sprouts and remove yellow leaves. Then, slice all Brussels sprouts in half.

In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine. Place onto a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened.

How to roast butternut squash: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded), 1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix.

Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until softened.

Note: You can roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time, on the same rack in the oven.

How to toast pecans: Toast pecans in the preheated oven at 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toast the pecans for about 5 minutes (maybe a bit longer) in the preheated oven at 350 degrees until they get darker in color.

Note: pecans burn really fast, so make sure to check the nuts after 5 minutes and frequently afterwards.

For the salad assembly: In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pecans, and cranberries, and mix to combine.

Optional: For more sweetness, add 2 or 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, if desired. Do not add all maple syrup at once, start with 2 tablespoons, then add more, if desired, and toss with the salad ingredients to combine.

Freezer-Friendly Everything Bagel Biscuit Bombs

• 5 eggs
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
• 1 cup fully cooked original frozen pork sausage crumbles, thawed (from 9.6-ounce bag)
• 1 can (16.3 ounce) Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Layers refrigerated Buttermilk biscuits
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1-1/2 teaspoons everything bagel seasoning blend (with sea salt, garlic and onion) (from 2.3-ounce jar)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line large cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper, or spray with cooking spray. In medium bowl, add 4 of the eggs; beat well with whisk.

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat; tilt pan to coat. Pour in beaten eggs; cook 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until eggs are firm but still moist. Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted. Add sausage crumbles, and stir mixture well; cool 5 minutes.

Separate dough into 8 biscuits; let stand 5 minutes. Gently pull biscuit apart partially, leaving bottom and lower sides intact, forming a deep pocket. Place 1/4 cup egg mixture inside, pressing inside to fit. Gently stretch dough over filling, pressing and firmly sealing around edges of biscuit. Reshape into round, and place on cookie sheet. (Biscuits will be full.) Repeat for remaining biscuits.

In small bowl, add remaining egg and the water; beat well with whisk. Brush egg wash mixture on top of each biscuit. Sprinkle tops of biscuits evenly with bagel seasoning.

Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until biscuit tops are golden brown and inside mixture is heated through. Serve immediately, or transfer to cooling rack, and refrigerate until cool, about 45 minutes; freeze for later use.

To freeze and reheat: Wrap each cooled biscuit tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Transfer to large resealable food-storage freezer bag, and place in freezer. To reheat from frozen, remove one biscuit from storage bag; unwrap completely. Wrap biscuit in paper towel; place on microwavable plate. Microwave on medium-low (30%) 1 minute; microwave on high 1 to 1-1/2 minutes or until sandwich is heated through and center is at least 165 degrees. Let stand 1 minute before serving.

Oven-Barbecued Beef Brisket

This Oven-Barbecued Beef Brisket is slightly smoky, tender, and juicy. No one will ever guess it wasn't cooked on the grill. If you need an entree idea other than ham or turkey, this brisket will work nicely for he main fare or to have on hand for a quick lunch.

For the dry rub:

• 1-1/2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the brisket:

• 1 (4 to 5 pounds) brisket roast -- if there is a thick layer of fat trim it down to 1/4 inch
• 1 pound bacon

For the sauce:

• Reserved bacon from cooked brisket
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 to 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 4 teaspoons canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced

Make the rub. Mix all ingredients well in a small bowl and set aside.

Place oven rack in upper-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Rub dry rub all over brisket and poke holes all over with a fork. Place half of bacon going crosswise in a broiler safe 9- x 13-inch pan (it's best not to use glass). Put brisket fat side down on top of bacon. Lay the rest of the bacon crosswise on top of brisket, wrapping it down around the sides, and tucking any excess under. Cover pan with foil and place in oven for 4 hours.

Take pan out of oven. Carefully flip brisket over, fat side up. Replace foil and return to oven. Turn off heat and leave brisket in oven 1 additional hour.

Pour accumulated juices from brisket into large measuring cup or a bowl. Remove bacon from brisket and chop into pieces. Cook bacon in medium saucepan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until fat has rendered. Add onion and cook until softened, 4-5 minutes. Take off heat and add vinegar and dark brown sugar. Return to heat and simmer until reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes.

Skim fat from accumulated juices and add chicken broth to make a total of 3 cups. Add to mixture in saucepan and reduce until about 3 cups in volume, 8-10 minutes. Take off heat and add ketchup. Mix well and strain if desired. (I like to strain about half the solid pieces out and leave the rest). After straining, add chipotle peppers.

Turn oven to broil. Brush brisket with 1 cup sauce and broil until top is lightly browned and fat starts to crisp. Cut brisket against the grain into 1/4-inch slices and serve with extra sauce.

Original 1959 Nuts-N-Bolts Mix

• 2 boxes slim pretzels
• 1 big box Rice Chex cereal
• 1 big box Corn Chex cereal
• 1 small box Cheerios
• 2 pounds mixed nuts

Heat the following mixture together in sauce pan until melted and bubbly:

• 1 pound butter
• 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1 very small bottle Worcestershire
• 1/2 box Accent (or 1 small box Accent - 4.5 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons celery salt
• 1 tablespoon Tabasco pepper sauce
• 2 tablespoons allspice (make sure new bottle)
• 1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper ( 1-1/2 teaspoons)

Mix dry ingredients in a large cooker or roaster. Pour liquid all over and mix well so all is coated. Mixture will be slightly "wet". Cook at 200 degrees for 4 hours turning every 15 minutes.

Quick Cake Mix Fudge Crinkle Cookies

• 1 box super moist devil's food cake mix
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for dark or nonstick cookie sheets). In large bowl, stir dry cake mix, oil, eggs and vanilla with spoon until dough forms. Refrigerate dough 15 to 30 minutes, or as needed for easier handling. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls about 2-inches apart.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store tightly covered.

Holiday Salsa

When you offer this cream-cheesy salsa of fresh cranberries, cilantro and a little jalapeño kick, everyone will hover around the serving dish until it's scraped clean.

• 1 package (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• Assorted crackers or tortilla chips

Pulse cranberries and sugar in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Stir together with onions, cilantro and jalapeño. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

To serve, place cream cheese on a serving plate. You can either serve as a block in one piece as it comes out of the foil wrapper, or you can spread it out on a plate, covering the plate to about 1-inch from the edges. Drain salsa; spoon salsa over cream cheese. Serve with crackers or chips.

Cranberry-Orange Tea Ring

This lovely and delicious tea ring combines the classic flavors of cranberry and orange to create a tender and beautiful loaf that everyone will love.

• 1/4 cup warm water, 110 degrees
• 1 (.25 ounce) package rapid-rise yeast
• 3/4 cup warm milk, 115 degrees
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

• 1-1/2 cups chopped fresh cranberries
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons water
• 6 tablespoons chopped pecans
• 1-1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon water

Glaze:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 teaspoon water, or as needed

Combine warm water and yeast in a large bowl; stir to dissolve. Add warm milk, egg, marmalade, and butter. Stir to combine.

Mix flour, oats, and salt together in a separate bowl. Add to yeast mixture and stir until moistened. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat both sides. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine cranberries, brown sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until cranberries begin to soften, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pecans, butter, and lemon juice. Let cool.

Punch dough down. Roll dough into a 10- x 20-inch rectangle on a floured surface.

Whisk egg white and water together. Brush lightly over the dough. Spread cranberry filling over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Roll up tightly, starting from a long edge. Seal edges and cut off any tapered sides with no filling.

Transfer roll to a large square baking sheet. Join ends together to form a ring. Use sharp kitchen shears to make cuts at 1-inch intervals, cutting 2/3 of the way through the dough. Twist each slice gently to expose the swirled filling. Gently shape dough into a perfect ring. Cover and let rise until doubled, 20 to 25 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Let cool completely.

Stir powdered sugar and orange juice concentrate together in a small bowl. Add enough water to reach a glaze-like consistency. Drizzle glaze over tea ring. Allow glaze to set before slicing.

Cranberry Pecan Lace Cookies

• 2-1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 cup butter, at room temp (two sticks)
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

In large mixing bowl, place butter and confectioner's sugar. Beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add in corn syrup and beat again until incorporated. Add in flour and beat until full combined, scraping down sides if needed. Fold in pecans and cranberries.

Form dough into two logs about six inches in length and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least two hours or until firm.

Remove one log at a time and unwrap before cutting into 1/4-inch slices. Place each cookie about three inches apart on an ungreased foil or parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350 for about 11-12 minutes, or until cookies are browned and lacy. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before removing from foil. Store in an airtight container.

Mincemeat Cookie Bars

This is a simple, yet delicious way to use mincemeat this Christmas season. Don't turn your nose up to mincemeat until you try it. The topping is delicious but a bit crumbly. For neatly edged bars, freeze before cutting.

• 1 teaspoon butter, for greasing pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup 2 percent milk
• 1 jar (28 ounces) prepared mincemeat
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil; grease foil with butter. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in oil and milk. Reserve 1 cup for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Spread with mincemeat. Stir pecans into reserved crumb mixture; sprinkle over top. Bake 30-35 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Hawaiian Cheese Ball

• 1 pound cream cheese
• 2 scallions and stems, chopped fine
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained well
• 1 dash seasoned salt
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 green pepper; chopped fine
• 1 squeeze teeny bit lemon juice
• 1 piece of celery chopped fine

Mix all ingredients together very well. Be sure all ingredients; especially pineapple are drained well. Vegetables patted dry.

Form into a ball and roll in chopped pecans. Chill thoroughly. Serve with Triscuit crackers or cracker of your choice.

Belle Oaks Inn Pecan Orange Bread

The Belle Oaks Inn's "signature" breakfast bread, is always a huge hit with guests, and is deceptively simple yet delicious.

• 1 can Pillsbury Grands 8 count buttermilk biscuits
• 1 can Pillsbury Grands 5 count buttermilk biscuits
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 2 small oranges
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 package cream cheese
• 1 dash orange extract

Spray a large Bundt pan liberally with non-stick spray. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pour sugar into small bowl. Zest both oranges and add to sugar. Mix to combine. Reserve oranges to juice for glaze.

Melt butter. Pour a small amount of butter into the Bundt pan and spread 1/2 the pecans in the bottom.

Open the cans of biscuits. Taking one biscuit at a time, open each biscuit and insert 1 teaspoon of cream cheese into the center. Press to seal. Dip the biscuit in butter and then dip in sugar-orange zest mixture, coating entire biscuit. Stand biscuit up in Bundt pan on its side. Repeat with remaining biscuits, creating a circle around the Bundt pan.

Pour remaining butter over the biscuits and sprinkle remaining pecans on top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until biscuits are puffed and golden.

Remove from oven and turn bread out from Bundt pan onto desired serving platter.

Mix confectioner's sugar with the juice from the oranges to create a glaze. You may add a dash of orange extract if desired to intensify the orange flavor. Use as much juice as needed to create a glaze consistency you like. Drizzle glaze over bread while still warm, but not hot.

Best when served warm, but can also be served at room temperature. Reheat in microwave for 30 seconds if desired.

Crockpot Peanut Butter Clusters

• 10 ounces unsalted peanuts
• 8 ounces salted peanuts
• 24 ounces white almond bark
• 4 squares chocolate almond bark
• 1 (12 ounce) bag of semi chocolate chips
• 1/2 of a 16.3 ounce jar crunchy peanut butter

Spray your crock pot with Pam and layer the ingredients, starting with the peanuts on the bottom and just throw everything else on top. Turn on low for 2 hours, uncover and stir up all the ingredients. Turn off and leave covered for an additional 30 minutes.

Spoon onto wax paper and let cool. Makes about 60 nice sized peanut clusters.

Creamy Seafood Chowder

For many years I served a seafood chowder of some type on Christmas eve before we would leave for church. After reading this recipe I think I might bring back that tradition and serve this chowder before we all leave for church.

• 4 slices of cooked bacon, chopped
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2-1/2 cup milk
• 1-1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 24 large shrimp, peeled and de-veined (about 1 pound)
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed

If you cooked bacon, use reserved drippings to saute green onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Or add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and saute. Sprinkle flour over onions and garlic.

Cook 1 min while stirring. Add milk, stock and bring to a boil. Stir and simmer 2 minutes.

Stir in everything else and simmer 4 minutes or until shrimp are done.

Serves 4 if you add a sandwich to dinner.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.