holiday round-up

Christmas is just a week away! Can you believe it?  I know everyone likes Christmas, but I really really LOVE it. My parents were military, so they spent a lot of time making our own traditions when we were kids. Every year we still repeat the same crazy traditions...  serving leg of lamb on Christmas Eve, opening new Christmas pjs, watching It's a Wonderful Life, and inhaling this amazing breakfast casserole my mom makes.

Jason and I got engaged two years ago on Christmas Eve and the next night we got 6 inches of snow. It's the only white Christmas I can remember in Chesapeake. As corny as it sounds, it was magical and wonderful and perfect. Now, I get to share in his family's traditions: an awesome midnight candlelight service, holiday martinis, and this really cute pickle and olive plate. Plus, we all go to the movies. 

What are your favorite traditions? I hope you are looking forward to Christmas Day as much as I am. Here is a round-up of simple, gluten-free recipes that might help you plan your holiday menu!

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baked blackberry french toast

Nothing is quite as cozy as Christmas morning. Crisp air, excitement, the whole family in their pjs, wrapping paper everywhere... 

This french toast is the perfect Christmas morning meal. It comes together in minutes and can be prepared the afternoon before. All you need to do is toss it in the oven and then you can focus on the important things. Presents. ;)

Plus, using GF bread makes for happy tummies. The warm smell of cinnamon, butter, and sugar melting on fluffy pieces of toast... what more are you looking for?  Besides PRESENTS! Add some fresh coffee, slippers, and maple syrup, lots of PRESENTS, and you're in business. 

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brown-butter snickerdoodles & the great fb cookie swap

I'm super excited to be a part of the 2nd Annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap. Not only do I now have a ton of cookies in my cookie jar, but I also got to participate with hundreds of other food bloggers to support Cookies for Kid's Cancer, an organization that raises money for kids that need funding by asking folks to have bake sales. I kind of love that such a simple thing, whipping up a batch of cookies, can make such a difference. 

I wanted to make something a little different than the average holiday cookie for my cookie swap. Not a sugar cookie or gingerbread man. So, when I stumbled upon a recipe for brown-butter snickerdoodles on Pinterest, I decided to make it GF. Using brown-butter instead of normal butter lends a caramel-y twist to a classic cookie.  When you cream together the brown-butter and sugars, you are essentially making a beginning stage rich, caramel sauce.  It also makes these guys super moist and chewy.  Plus, they are so cute.  Aren't they just begging to be paired with a big mug of Christmas blend? 

This past week, I was thrilled to receive boxes of (gluten-free) Chocolate Chip Cookies from Jenny, Toasted Coconut White Chocolate Chips from Desiree, and Girl Scout Tag-a-longs from Lesley. All three were to die for! I'm grateful to have a solid Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe in my repertoire and Tag-a-longs are Jason's favorite Girl Scout cookie. (How did Lesley know?)  Now, I can put them in his lunches all year long! And the Toasted Coconut White Chocolate Chips! They were amazing! I'll be making them again and again.  Be sure to check out these ladies' fabulous blogs. They certainly know how to make a batch of cookies. 

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