RAQ: What are some quick and easy recipes to whip up for the holidays?

Oh I LOVE quick and easy recipes! I tell ya, they’re my favorites. 🙂
I have come across SEVERAL great recipes lately. Here are a few gems I have found!

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
IN A MIXING BOWL, COMBINE 1 PKG. DRY SPICE CAKE MIX WITH 1 (16) OZ. CAN PUMPKIN AND 1 CUP CHOCOLATE CHIPS. MIX WELL POUR INTO GREASED MINI MUFFIN PANS AND BAKE AT 350 FOR 12 TO 15 MINUTES OR UNTIL DONE. (DON’T ADD WATER OR ANY OTHER INGREDIENT TO THIS RECIPE).

Two Ingredient Peppermint Bark
Melt white candy coating (desired amount) and stir in desired amount of crushed candy canes or hard peppermint candy. Mix well. Pour onto a sprayed baking sheet and cool. When hard, break into pieces. Note: The amounts depend on how much or how little you want to make and how much candy you want to crush!

PUMPKIN ANGEL FOOD CAKE
In a mixing bowl, combine 1(18 oz.) box of DRY 1-step angel food cake mix with 1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin and 3 beaten eggs. Mix until blended. Pour into a greased 9×13-inch pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes, or until the cake is done. Cut into squares. Good with whipped cream!

I also LOVE these recipes and have made them several times in the past 10 years:

Quick Fudge or Truffles
1 tub prepared frosting
1 regular sized package of chocolate chips

Melt the ingredients in a saucepan and once chips are melted, pour into a container and cool in the fridge. Combinations I’ve tried in the past: chocolate frosting with pb/chocolate chips, mint chocolate frosting & dark chocolate chips, chocolate frosting and milk chocolate chips.
*As fudge, this is giftable in 2-4 hours (or when completely “set”). If you’d like to make truffles, scoop small bits of it out once it has set, roll into balls with your hands, and then you can roll it into toppings if you’d like… suggestions: cocoa powder, coconut, sprinkles, nuts, colored sugar.

Cracker Toffee
Saltine Crackers (or graham crackers)
2 sticks butter
2 c. brown sugar (or white sugar)
12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips (OPTIONAL – could also add nuts on top of the chocolate chips)

Lay crackers side by side in 10″x15″ jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with edge).
Bring butter and sugar to boil on the stovetop in a saucepan and continue boiling until soft ball stage. (Be careful not to burn)
Pour mixture over crackers. Bake in 400 degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Watch carefully so doesn’t burn.
If using them, sprinkle chocolate chips over toffee/crackers and return to oven for 30 seconds to melt. You can use a spatula to spread the chocolate if it isn’t completely melted on top.
Cool to set and harden. Crack into lots of bits and enjoy.
My family LOVES this! I usually make a batch with chocolate chips and a batch without… and this freezes VERY well… if you happen to have any left. haha

Other quick and easy party foods:
BBQ Smokies
Pour your favorite BBQ sauce over Lil Smokies and heat through… serve with fancy toothpicks. 🙂 This keeps very well in a crockpot.

Easy Queso
1 to 2 cans Ro-Tel tomatoes
2 lb. Velveeta cheese OR 2 cans of Cheddar cheese soup

Melt Velveeta over low heat; mix in tomatoes until warm. Enjoy as a dip for tortilla chips. If you want, you could also add in some cooked and drained ground sausage or taco meat for some heartiness. Heats and keeps well in the crockpot!

“Red Lobster” Type Cheddar Biscuits
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix (or make your own – it’s easy!)
4 tablespoons cold butter
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 cup cold whole milk
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Brush on top
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 pinch salt

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Combine baking mix and cold butter. Don’t combine too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter about the size of peas.
Add cheese, milk and 1/4 tsp garlic.
Mix by hand until combined, but don’t over mix.
Drop 9 equal portions onto greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 15-17 minutes or until tops are light brown.
Melt 2 tbsp butter in a bowl. Stir in 1/2 tsp garlic powder and parsley flakes.
Use a pastry brush to spread garlic butter over tops of biscuits.

I also love making these sausage balls and these YUMMY crescent roll pigs in a blanket from scratch (although… I’m not going to lie – I usually just use the crescent rolls from a tube. lol).

What are your favorites?