pull-apart cheesy garlic christmas tree

this pull-apart garlic bread is so friggen good. like so good that i could eat it all by myself because garlic bread is life. each piece is stuffed with aged cheddar cheese (just a personal preference to use a flavourful cheddar over mozzarella) & brushed with homemade garlic butter. dipped in pomi USA's marinara sauce & you won't be able to stop. pomi's sauce is slow-cooked with 100% italian tomatoes, garlic & basil. it makes for a quick & delicious dip! it is also super fun & festive to assemble, making it a beautiful holiday appetizer to serve table side or to enjoy while watching your favourite christmas movie!

for the base you can use either store bought or homemade pizza dough, although i highly recommend trying to make your own as i find the shape of homemade dough holds better. another trick i learned is to chill the dough just before baking to slow down the yeast & ensure it doesn't spread to much on the pan. this will yield a perfect christmas tree everytime! for the shape itself, i think it is easiest to follow the images & build from the bottom "stem" up.

wishing you all a safe & wonderful holiday season! i'll be signing off here until the new year, but will be sharing a few more festive recipes over on instagram. merry christmas friends! xo

ingredients

• 200 g aged cheddar cheese
• 1 lbs pizza dough, store bought or homemade
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsely, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for serving
• salt & pepper, to taste
• pomi's marinara sauce, for serving

directions

• line a baking sheet with parchment paper. preheat oven to 425(f) degrees. cut cheddar cheese into 1-inch cubes & set aside.
• on a floured surface divide pizza dough into 33 evenly sized rounds. roll each piece of dough to flatten & wrap around a piece of cheese. pinch the edges to seal tightly. repeat with remaining rounds.
• place the stuffed dough seam side down on prepared baking sheet in the shape of a christmas tree.
• brush generously with egg wash & bake until golden, about 20 minutes.
• as dough bakes prepare the garlic butter. to a saucepan over low heat melt together the butter & garlic. whisk in parsely & parmesan. remove from heat.
• drizzle garlic butter over the baked christmas tree & brush into each nook. top with additional parmesan cheese & serve with marinara.

this post was created in partnership with pomi USA!

chocolate pecan pie

something about pecan pie feels super festive to me & this version takes (an already decadent) pecan pie to a whole new level! it includes dark chocolate & bourbon in the filling for the ultimate holiday vibes. honestly, it is the best pecan pie i have ever made. i think justin will agree to that. a little bourbon really goes a long way in this recipe as the flavour comes through strong, so be sure to use a good quality bourbon.

the crust is a blend of bob's red mill all-purpose flour & almond flour to add a little texture to each bite. if you are in a pinch for time, a storebought crust works too! this is the pie that makes you want to curl up by the fire & enjoy a slice while watching your favourite christmas movie. it is also a delicious ending to any holiday meal & can be made a day or two in advance! if you are thinking "i am not a fan of pecan pie", i highly suggest you try this one.

xo

ingredients

for the dough

• 3/4 cups bob’s red mill all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup bob’s red mill almond flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold & cubed
• 1/4 cup ice water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the filling

• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 cups pecans, toasted & roughly chopped
• 4 ounces quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped

directions

for the dough

• in a food processor add the flours, sugar, salt & butter. pulse until a crumbly mixture is formed.
• add the water & vanilla. pulse until crust begins to come together. transfer to a floured surface & shape into a disk. let chill for 60 minutes.
• on a floured surface roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick. transfer to a standard 9-inch pie plate. trim & crimp edges. chill until ready to bake!

for the filling

• preheat oven to 350(f) degrees.
• in a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, bourbon, vanilla & salt until well blended.
• fold in the pecans & dark chocolate.
• transfer mixture to prepared pie dough & bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the edges have set & the center has a slight jiggle. if the crust begins to brown too quickly, cover the top with foil.
• let cool to room temperature & refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. slice & serve!

this post was created in partnership with bob’s red mill!

eggnog + cranberry tart

this holiday season i am super excited to be partnering with KitchenAid Canada on the launch of the new cordless collection! i have been using the Cordless appliances in my kitchen over the last few months & i am in love. so much freedom to move around, especially if you have kitchen outlets are in awkward places. KitchenAid is continuously revolutionizing how we work in the kitchen! the Cordless Collection features a 5-cup cordless food chopper, cordless variable speed hand blender & a 7-speed cordless hand mixer.

now let's talk about this eggnog + cranberry tart! a simple holiday dessert made using the cordless hand mixer. this tart is made extra festive with a mound of sugared cranberries on top. even if eggnog isn't your favourite holiday drink, this cinnamon & nutmeg scented tart with a hint of spiced rum will change your mind! i have also made a ton if christmas cookies over the last few weeks & will be making more throughout december. the cordless hand mixer can make up to 200 cookies on a full charge & includes 7 speeds to stir, mix + whip your favourite holiday recipes. might be time to update that christmas wishlist!

ingredients

for the tart dough:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold & cubed
• 1 large egg yolk, whisked
• 2 tablespoons cream or milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the filling:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons spiced rum
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• sugared cranberries, for topping

directions

for the tart dough

• to a food processor add the flour, sugar, & salt. pulse to combine.
• add the butter & pulse until mixture is crumbly.
• whisk together the egg yolk, cream & vanilla. add to food processor & pulse until dough comes together, about 30 seconds. turn out onto a lightly floured surface & roll to a 1/4 inch thickness.
• gently transfer to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. shape crust & trim edges. chill for 60 minutes.
• line crust with foil & dried beans. blind bake crust at 350(f) degrees for 15 minutes. remove foil & press down any bubbles using the back of a spoon. set aside while you prepare filling.

for the filling

• to a saucepan add the whipping cream & milk. bring to a gentle simmer, but do not boil.
• to a mixing bowl beat together the egg yolks, brown sugar, vanilla, rum, cinnamon, nutmeg & salt until well combined.
• with the mixer on low speed, slowly add the hot cream mixture. be sure to pour slowly so the eggs do not cook.
• run mixture through a fine mesh sieve & pour into prepared tart shell.
• bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350(f) degrees, until the edges are firm but the centre has a slight jiggle.
• let cool to room temperature & refrigerate until ready to serve. just before serving, top with sugared cranberries.

this post was created in partnership with KitchenAid Canada! shop the new Cordless Collection here.