It's The Holiday Season

Indoor Christmas lights

After enjoying three amazing days of warm weather, I woke up to a thick cast of drizzle this morning. I was entirely unmotivated to do anything but to open my window and dive further into the bed covers. Since Christmas is just over a week away, my early morning laziness was also a great time to plan some dishes for the upcoming holiday festivities. I can hardly wait to make and taste these amazing recipes. I plan on sharing each one of these with you. On my list:

1.  Tasty apple and cheddar crostini appetizers using this recipe. It looks unbelievably quick and easy to make, plus the presentation is beautiful. And extra sharp cheddar is one of my favorite indulgences.

2. Ina Garten's roasted shrimp cocktail always makes me smile and the Barefoot Contessa can do no wrong in the kitchen. I think this one will be a hit for years to come.

3. A Christmas candy that pairs two of my favorites together, white chocolate and peppermint. This recipe will allow me to give some tasty gifts to my family and friends. I plan to add a dark chocolate drizzle on the top.

4. Growing up in Southern California, Disneyland has always been a favorite place of mine. During the holidays, it is even more magical because the ice cream parlor on Main Street always serves pink peppermint ice cream. The heavenly flavor of peppermint with little candy cane pieces is like no other ice cream in the world. I hope my version of this Christmas classic tastes just as amazing.

5. For my grandfather, bread pudding during the holidays is a must. He is 82, but his eyes still sparkle like a child at Christmas. This dish is always a favorite, mainly because of the hot vanilla sauce that covers it.