Make a turkey pot pie. We usually do from-scratch cooking. But a turkey pie made with some prepared ingredients (cream of chicken soup and crust, for example) is easy and fun. You don’t have to spend time making a roux for the filling and reducing chicken stock.

Our recipe doesn’t use a bottom crust, which gets soggy under the large amount of creamy filling. Instead, you get the equivalent of a deep dish pie with a crisp top crust.

You can use the same recipe for chicken pot pie.

Head to the turkey pot pie recipe.

Do you know your turkey and chicken parts? See the diagram on the bottom of this page, along with a glossary explaining the different parts of the chicken/turkey and how to use them.

Find more of our favorite chicken and turkey recipes.

Make up a large batch of this tasty apple cider cocktail and keep it in the fridge to grab as needed. Serve it cold, or warm it in the microwave (30 seconds at a time, stirring in between) or on the stove top.

Here’s the easy recipe, per serving:

 
Optional garnishes: a slice of apple and/or a cinnamon stick. If you have apple schnapps (liqueur), you can add it to the mix (1/2 ounce per drink) or bring the bottle to the table and let guests add their own.

We purchased a half-gallon of apple cider, poured 1/3 of it into another container and replaced it with Jameson Irish Whiskey. We added rum to the second container, also in a 3:1 proportion of cider to spirits.

After Thanksgiving dinner, we served two specialty coffee recipes that were sent to us by Krups, a leader in coffee and espresso makers and other kitchen appliances.

Both recipes were hits, and we’ll continue to make them throughout the holiday season. Although guests will appreciate them, you don’t need a special occasion: Make them as a treat for yourself.

The second recipe is enhanced with liqueurs. You can also add a shot of coffee liqueur to the Gingerbread Latte.

You can serve gingerbread or gingersnaps with both.

December 15th is National Gingerbread Latte Day.

> The year’s 25+ coffee holidays

> The different types of espresso drinks.

> The different types of coffee.

> The history of coffee

> The history of espresso is below.
 
 
RECIPE #1: GINGERBREAD LATTE

Ingredients Per Cup

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the espresso coffee with gingerbread syrup in a coffee mug.

2. POUR in the steamed milk and frothed milk. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice and vanilla powder.
 
 
RECIPE #2: COFFEE HAZELNUT CREAM

Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
Preparation

1. MIX the coffee and liqueurs in a pot. Pour into individual cups.

2. SERVE with a pitcher of cream.

[2] Serve the beverages with crunchy gingerbread men or gingersnaps (photo © McCormick).

[3] One of our favorite treats, alone or in drinks and other recipes (photo © Diageo).

Creamy mint lollypops from See’s Candies are a hit! Photo courtesy Sees.com.

In years past, we’d hand out homemade cookies, but those buttery cookies got messy, requiring napkins and plastic sandwich bags.

This year we’re streamlining and giving everyone a delicious Christmas Mint Lollypop from See’s Candies.

The white lollys in green foil wrapping are not kid food: They’re truly gourmet lollipops (both lollipop and lollypop are correct spellings).

The flavor of the heavy cream base is lightly accented with mint. And, dear to our hearts, the sugar is in perfect balance—not sugary-sweet like many lollipops.

In addition to the Christmas Mint Lollypops, there are Cinnamon Lollypops; mixed-flavor Lollypops in Butterscotch, Chocolate, Coffee and Vanilla; and the same four flavors in a Hanukkah Lollypop Box.

Get a bunch for yourself, too, and extras for stocking stuffers.

See’s Candies are certified kosher by KSA.

What would you give as a mini-gift? Let us know!

Do you have a favorite use for leftover cranberry sauce? Let us know!