Here Come The Holidays

Posted November 30, 2016

Here come the holidays and I just can’t wait! I have to tell you that I feel a bit guilty that Thanksgiving seems to have just flown by but I am such a sucker for twinkly holiday lights that I’m really not too mad about it!

I just got back from a quick trip to Texas, where I kicked off the holiday season! We celebrated Thanksgiving there this year and I ate my weight in Tex-Mex & queso…which is what I always do when I get back to my home state. It felt so great to be home for the holidays, surrounded by all the people that are important to me. That is what the holiday season is all about…being with the ones you love, making meaningful memories that you can keep with you even if you live miles apart.

For us it’s the simple things, like making some of the same recipes year after year or buying matching shirts for everyone to wear. This year we filled a turkey piñata with all kinds of funny toys for the little ones and had some good laughs watching them try to crack it open.

Every family has their own little quirks and funny traits that make them unique! And I LOVE that!

I was so honored to help T.J. Maxx, Marshall’s & HomeGoods send 10 people home for the holidays this year, I just can’t even tell you! I hope they are able to create meaningful holiday memories with their friends and family and really remember what the holidays are truly about.

I think about my own family, our little Ryan, and how someday she will be grown and out in the world on her own…I hope that she will come home to us on the holidays! I consider the pressures of all of our everyday lives…work, finances, family & friend obligations, etc…it just doesn’t always happen! And hey, I get it, ya’ know? I think our loved ones do too!

But to get the opportunity to give people the chance to cozy up with each other, play games, cook, laugh and all be together?? Well, that is the greatest gift of all!

And ya know what else is pretty great? My famous (well, kinda!) stuffed mushrooms for the Holidays! I think the first time I made these was for a Holiday shoot at my home and they were a huge hit! Then they made their way in to my cookbook and now they find their place front and center on our holiday table every year.

These babies are really simple to make and filled with all that delicious umami flavor!

I love this recipe because you can really add all kinds of things to this dish! A touch of heat with a pinch of red pepper, some artichoke, some veggies, even something like rotisserie chicken!

Haylie’s Holiday Stuffed Mushrooms

Total Time: 30 Mins

Prep Time 10 Mins

Cook Time: 20 Mins

1 T butter or olive oil

1/2 lb Sausage, ground

1 tbsp Garlic

12 Mushrooms, whole fresh

1/4 tsp Black pepper, ground

1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs, dried

4 oz ounce package Cream cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 egg

1 handful fresh spinach, chopped

1 t fresh thyme, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Clean mushrooms with damp cloth. pull out stems of mushrooms and set aside. In a medium skillet, warm butter or oil and sauté sausage. Transfer to large mixing bowl and let cool a bit. Chop mushroom stems, spinach, garlic and add all remaining ingredients to sausage. Combine and gently fill each mushroom. Place on a cookie baking sheet. Sprinkle a touch of the breadcrumbs across the top of each mushroom. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

So, from my home to yours…Happy Holidays! I can’t wait to share a few more of my favorite Holiday recipes with you before the end of the year! And for those lucky 10 people that T.J.Maxx, Marshall’s & HomeGoods sent home for the Holidays…I wish I could be a fly on the wall! I would love to see everyone’s face when you come waltzing in the door! I hope it is the best holiday yet and I can’t wait to hear about it!

Love, Haylie