In celebration of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday we thought we would share some of our favorite recipes during the holiday season!

Morgan’s Honeycrisp Apple Sangria

Ingredients:
3 cinnamon sticks (plus more for garnish)
2 honeycrisp apples, chopped
1 orange, thinly sliced
1 (750 ml) bottle red wine (I suggest a light-bodied Spanish variety)
1 and 3/4 cups apple cider*
1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup orange juice (or juice from 2 medium oranges)
juice from 1 lemon
club soda, to taste

Directions:
Place the cinnamon sticks, apples, and orange slices in a large pitcher. Add wine, apple cider, brandy, orange juice, and lemon juice. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for 6 - 24 hours. Taste; if you’d like it to be sweeter, add 1-2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, honey, or agave.

If you’d like a cinnamon-sugar rim (highly recommended), simply moisten the rim of your glasses with water, turn the glass upside down and dip it into a mix of cinnamon and sugar. Pour in the sangria with fruit* and add a splash of club soda (this unsweetened fizz is wonderful with the sangria!). Garnish with a cinnamon stick, if desired. Cheers!

Michelle’s Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

Ingredients 1 (8oz) pkg Neufchatel cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 (8oz) tub cool whip

Instructions With a handheld mixer and large bowl, beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar until smooth.
Mix in the pumpkin puree and pie spice.
Beat in the cool whip until mixed thoroughly and the beaters leave ripples in the dip.
Optional: Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
Serve with apples, pretzels, vanilla wafers or your favorite dipper

Tyler’s Oatmeal Pie
Ingredients: 1 9″ ready-to-bake deep-dish pie shell
2 Tbsp flour
1-1/3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup molasses
3 Tbsp melted butter
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation: Place the oven rack on the lowest position of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
Whisk together the flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium-size bowl. Set it aside.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, corn syrup, molasses, melted butter, vanilla in a medium-size bowl until well mixed.
Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk until the mixtures are evenly incorporated. Pour the batter into the unbaked pie shell.
Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until golden brown and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Best served at room temperature.

Emily’s Leftover Delight

{Ingredients}

1 8oz can crescent rolls
Thanksgiving leftovers: cranberries, stuffing, and turkey
1 egg, beaten
Leftover gravy for dipping {optional}
{Step by Step}

Preheat oven to 375
On a cookie sheet, separate crescent rolls into 4 large rectangles and press together the preforations
Flatten enlarge the rectangles slightly {optional}
On one end of each rectangle, stack turkey, stuffing, and cranberries Fold other end of the rectangle over mixture and press the edges with a fork to seal.
Brush the top of each calzone with beaten egg
Bake 15-20 minutes until golden
Heat leftover gravy for dipping or drizzling {optional}
Let the calzones cool for a few minutes, and then serve & devour!

Dyan’s Pear and Manchego Salad with Walnut Dressing

• 10 cups mixed baby lettuces
• 2 red Bartlett or other red skinned pears, sliced into wedges
• ¼ cup walnut halves, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1 ounce Manchego cheese, thinly shaved
• 3 tablespoons walnut oil
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

Divide lettuce, pear wedges, walnuts, and cheese among 4 plates

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, water, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. On each salad drizzle 1 ½ tablespoons dressing, then sprinkle ½ tablespoon pomegranate seeds on top.