Laura Tucker

Sugar Roasted Peanuts

December 29, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Peanuts! Get your peanuts! Sugar roasted peanuts are a scrumptious snack that are very easy to make, and if you package them up and tie a ribbon around them, they make a wonderful treat to share with a friend! Growing up right next door to the peanut capital of the world, peanuts have always played a significant role in my life and the community that I was raised in. As the granddaughter of a peanut farmer, I’ve learned quite a bit over the years about the economical importance this tiny nut has had not only on my own family, but on the state of Alabama as a whole. They’re arguably one of the most important crops grown on American soil, and they’re loaded with important nutrients that just might surprise you!

During peanut harvest season in the early fall, I shared my recipe for Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts – which are a true southern delicacy that most folks around here just can’t get enough of. I’ve even been known to eat them for breakfast, truth be told. While boiled peanuts are undoubtedly my favorite way to snack on these lovely little legumes, these sugar roasted peanuts come in at a close second.

Most people know that peanuts are a great source of protein, but did you know that incorporating a handful of peanuts into your daily diet can reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer and promote healthier cholesterol levels? (You can read more about the health benefits of peanuts here.) Peanuts are actually classified as a superfood, which further proves that not all heroes wear capes! 😉

These sugar roasted peanuts, or “candied peanuts” are vey easy to make. In fact, I use the same recipe when making my Sugar Roasted Pecans! I frequently make these around the holidays or for special occasions, but they’re great to make and eat any time of year. I love to add them to charcuterie boards, too! Here’s a free printable copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try!

Print Recipe

Sugar Roasted Peanuts

Ingredients

1 16 oz container unsalted dry roasted peanuts
1 egg white
4 tsp water
1 Tbs vanilla extract
1 cup white granulated sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 250 F
Line baking sheet with parchment paper
Using a mixer, beat egg white until frothy. Add in water and vanilla and continue mixing
Stir in cinnamon, sugar and salt
Add in peanuts and coat with egg mixture completely using a large spoon
Spread the peanuts evenly on to the baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, being sure to stir every 15 minutes
Enjoy!

Tried this recipe?

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The photo below is of my 2 year old daughter sneaking a peanuts while I was trying to photograph them. She crawled up in my lap while the camera was still in my hand, so I kept snapping photos to capture the sweet moment!

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out these other peanut favorites found right here on Southern Made Simple!

Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts | No Bake Peanut Butter Pie | Peanut Butter Fudge | Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats | Peanut Butter Corn Flake Candy

Venison Sausage Balls

December 27, 2020 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

We’re currently in the heart of deer season here in south Alabama, and my husband has been in the woods quite a bit lately trying to make sure our freezer is stocked with venison to last us a full year until next year’s deer season begins. These venison sausage balls are a quick, simple, no-fuss and no-fail appetizer that I love to whip up any ol’ time, but especially on game days when college football is on the big screen.

These sausage balls only call for a handful of ingredients, and they take about 15 minutes to cook all the way through in the oven. My husband loves to eat them by themselves, but I personally love to dip them in a little bit of pepper jelly or drizzle a smidge of syrup over them to give them a bite of sweetness. If I’m lucky and there’s any leftovers the next morning, I love to pop them in the microwave and have them for breakfast!

While this recipe calls for ground venison sausage, you can easily adapt this recipe to use pork sausage. If you want to spice things up a tad, spring for a spicy sausage blend instead of using mild! I use a combination of shredded cheddar and shredded mozzarella in the mixture because I believe the mozzarella adds in a little extra moisture to keep them from feeling dry. You can experiment with different cheeses if you so choose, and even add in a little creole or cayenne pepper to give them so extra flavor!

To make sure my sausage balls are even in size so they will all cook evenly, I love to use a click-release cookie scoop and plop them right on top of the baking sheet without getting my hands dirty. If you happen to have any leftovers, just store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll keep for 4-5 days, but they’ve certainly never lasted that long in my household!

Here’s a free printable copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try!

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Ingredients

3 cups Bisquik baking mix
1 lb ground venison or ground pork sausage
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2/3 cup whole milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F
Using a stand mixer, combine all ingredients and blend until well combined
Use a cookie scoop or your hands to roll out dough into ping-pong sized balls and place on a greased baking sheet
Bake for 15-17 minutes
Enjoy!

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Looking for more great venison recipes? Check out these recipes found right here on Southern Made Simple!

And while you’re at it, check out this roundup of other amazing venison recipes!

Do you have a favorite venison recipe you’d love to share? Or maybe a favorite game day (or any day) appetizer that’s your go-to this time of year? What would you pair with these venison sausage balls? Leave a comment below and share the love!

Comfort Food With A Twist: Loaded Turkey & Dressing Baked Potatoes

December 17, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

This post was sponsored by Southeastern Mills as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

For me, holiday cooking and baking is all about bringing out those family favorite recipes that exude comfort and nostalgia. Especially during a year that proved to be quite trying and difficult, I believe we all could use a little more comfort food to help warm our spirits and fill our bellies with goodness as we near the end of this year. Some of my absolute favorite comfort foods that we love to eat near the holidays are cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, freshly carved turkey and a little gravy to go with it all.

And for those holiday feasts where comfort foods are often in abundance, sometimes it can be a bit of a challenge to “spruce” up the leftovers and enjoy them in a new and exciting way. Personally, I’m not a big fan of leftovers. I’ll eat leftovers once, maybe twice, and then I’m ready to move on, even if it is some of my favorite comfort foods. After Thanksgiving this year, I got a little experimental with our leftovers and created the ultimate holiday comfort food dish…with a twist. These Turkey and Dressing Loaded Baked Potatoes are a perfect portion of pillow-soft buttery baked potatoes, topped with homemade cornbread dressing, turkey, brown gravy and a smidge of cranberry sauce on top. Truthfully, I may never want these classic holiday dishes any other way now!

Cornbread dressing is a popular side dish in the southern portion of the United States. While others enjoy “stuffing” during the holidays, my family prefers cornbread dressing made with Southeastern Mills Cornbread Mix. I keep a variety of Southeastern Mills baking and gravy mixes on hand at all times. The made from scratch quality you find in Southeastern Mills baking and gravy mixes make meal prep easy and convenient any time of year, but especially right here at the holidays. The cornbread dressing made with Southeastern Mills Cornbread Mix is a star ingredient in these loaded baked potatoes, and I love the that I’m able to simply mix, bake and enjoy perfect cornbread every time I pour the batter into a skillet. Southeastern Mills baking and gravy mixes are the perfect complement to any meal, and they can be used in so many unique and non-traditional ways!

When making cornbread dressing, you’ll want to make your cornbread a day or two in advance. You’ll start by preparing two packages of Southeastern Mills Cornbread mix according to package instructions. Allow it to cool completely, then crumble into very fine little pieces inside a gallon sized resealable bag. Seal it up and set it aside until you’re ready to prepare the dressing.

Freshly carved turkey is my favorite thing to serve alongside dressing, and pouring a little Southeastern Mills Roast Turkey Gravy Mix on top is like the icing on the cake. I love to serve gravy on top of mashed potatoes as well, so including it in these Loaded Turkey & Dressing Baked Potatoes to achieve the ultimate comfort food just felt so right.

Making these Loaded Turkey & Dressing Baked Potatoes is as easy as 1-2-3. You’re basically just layering up those classic holiday dishes and using the potato as the vessel. You’ll start with a baked potato. You can bake them in the oven, or cook them in an instant pressure cooker to speed up the process a little bit. Once your potato is cooked, add a little salt and butter if you like.

Next, spoon in a little bit of cornbread dressing, and use a fork to gently incorporate the dressing a little into the potato. Then, shred some turkey and add it on top of the potato. As I mentioned earlier, this is a really great way to get creative with holiday meal leftovers if you’re looking for a fun and delicious way to jazz up the giant turkey you prepared for the holidays!

Finally, it’s time to top the potato with your favorite turkey and dressing toppings. Some people prefer gravy, other people prefer cranberry sauce, and then there are those people (I’m raising my hand high over here) that love to add both! The Roast Turkey Gravy Mix from Southeastern Mills was the perfect touch to top off these baked potatoes, and taking that first bite into this unconventional baked potato was truly comfort food at its finest!

If you’d like to jazz up those holiday leftovers like I did, or if you’re looking for a fun and unique way to serve up traditional holiday menu items, you can find my recipe for these Loaded Turkey & Dressing Baked Potatoes, including the cornbread dressing below!

Print Recipe

Loaded Turkey & Dressing Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

For Cornbread Dressing

2 packages Southeastern Mills Cornbread Mix prepared
6-8 slices white sandwich bread gently torn into thumb size pieces
2 large yellow or white onions very finely chopped
1 bunch celery both ends removed and very finely chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1 26 oz family size can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Tbs rubbed sage
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

For Baked Potato

3-4 large russet potatoes baked
2-3 cups cooked shredded turkey
1 package Southeastern Mills Turkey Gravy Mix prepared
Cranberry Sauce if desired

Instructions

For Cornbread Dressing

Prepare cornbread according to package instruction and allow to cool completely
Crumble cornbread into very fine pieces and seal in a sealable zipper bag and set aside over night
Grease a large casserole dish (9x13 or larger)
Grease a large casserole dish (9x13 or larger)
Combine very finely diced onions and celery in a stockpot and add just enough water to cover the top of the onions and celery
Boil until the celery is good and tender, or to your liking. Do not drain. You'll use the broth off of the vegetables in the dressing.
Transfer crumbled corn bread to a very large mixing bowl and place torn white bread right on top - do not stir in
Pour onion and celery mixture over cornbread, followed by the can of cream of chicken, 2 cups chicken broth, and your seasonings.
Pour into greased baking dish and bake uncovered for 55-60 minutes, or until bubbling and a nice thin crust has formed around the edges. Serve immediately

Assembling Baked Potato:

Layer prepared cornbread dressing, shredded turkey, Southeastern Mills Roast Turkey Gravy and cranberry sauce (if desired) and enjoy!

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Do you have a favorite way to jazz up holiday leftovers? Incorporating Southeastern Mills gravy and baking mixes into your holiday meals is a great way to elevate your meals with a made-from-scratch quality, so be sure to keep an eye out for them during your next grocery store run!

Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Casserole

December 11, 2020 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

The house is quite as I’m sitting here typing this, sipping my coffee. My children are nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of every single toy they circled with a red crayon in the Target Christmas Catalog dance in their heads. The aroma coming from the kitchen is slowly creeping its way throughout the rest of the house, and I can hardly wait to sit down at the table with my family and a bowl full of this Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Casserole. Oh, if only I could capture the scent of this dish in a candle. It smells exactly like Christmas, and not the candy-cane or evergreen tree scent so many people try to make it. It smells like true homemade holiday magic, and the smell isn’t even the best part!

French toast casseroles are pretty popular around here. I make them for my family quite a bit. I’ve made Strawberry French Toast Casserole, Mixed Berry French Toast Casserole, and I’ve even made a Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole, but there’s just something about this gingerbread version that really steals the show. Personally, I’m a huge fan of molasses and ginger together. Gingerbread in general gives me those warm-fuzzy Christmas feelings, and adding a little powdered sugar and maple syrup on top? Honey, that’s some sho’ nuff certified goodness.

I typically use a loaf of Italian bread from the bakery at my grocery store to make any french toast casserole. Walmart always sells their loaves for $1 each, which is much cheaper than what you’ll find down the bread aisle! I simply slice the bread into thumb-sized pieces and toast them in the oven for about 15 minutes. Next, I whip up the egg mixture with a variety of spices typically found in gingerbread. Of course, molasses and ground ginger are a must in this recipe. I recommend using a milder version of molasses over blackstrap for this recipe. Then, pour the egg mixture over the bread crumbs, cover, and refrigerate overnight for best results before baking.

Try not to get too hung up on the “overnight” part of this recipe, though. If you don’t have that kind of time, don’t worry about it! You can certainly pop it into the oven right away if you need it in a hurry. It’ll still be fabulous, I promise! 😉

The cinnamon sugar crumble on top is probably my favorite part of this recipe. It gives a slight crunch that soaks up the warm syrup perfectly. Here’s a copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try!

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Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Casserole

Ingredients

For French Toast Casserole

1 loaf Italian bread cubed
8 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves

For Crumble Topping

1 stick cold salted butter cubed
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Instructions

Cube loaf bread into small pieces and toast in over at 300 F for 15 minutes
Remove from oven and pour bread cubes in a greased 9x13 casserole dish
Preheat oven to 350 F
In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, greek yogurt, sugar, molasses, vanilla and spices
Pour egg mixture over the bread. Cover dish and set in refrigerator overnight or for at least 4 hours. See note.
Bake for 20 minutes, then add topping and bake for an additional 25 minutes.
Serve with maple syrup and/or powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Notes

For best results, allow bread mixture to set in refrigerator overnight or for a few hours before baking. However, baking at this point will be fine as well if you are in a hurry.

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

What do you love to make for breakfast during the holidays? Leave a comment below and share the love!

Looking for more recipes similar to this Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Casserole? Check out these favorites found right here on Southern Made Simple!

Strawberry French Toast Bake | Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Bake | Mixed Berry French Toast Bake | Molasses Cookies | White Chocolate Drizzled Gingerbread Stars

Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

December 9, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Do you have a really good, classic, no-fail and dependable chocolate chip cookie recipe that you love to reach for when a cookie craving comes along? If not, allow me to introduce you to the new love in your life. Seriously. These Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies are lightly crispy on the outside, perfectly soft and chewy on the inside and have an irresistible buttery and brown sugar flavor with the perfect chocolate chip-to-cookie ratio. I may be tooting my own horn a little bit here, but I’d say these chocolate chip cookies are pretty darn close to perfect.

Chocolate chip cookies are the most googled cookie recipe of all time, and that holds especially true during the holidays. Many folks are grasping at things that bring them comfort and joy during this time of year, and that means savoring classic recipes that they know are good. And honestly, I think chocolate chip cookies would even bring the Grinch himself a little bit of joy and happiness. I’ve never seen a grumpy person with a stack of cookies and a glass of milk in their hands. 😉

The base of this recipe may look a little familiar to you, as it’s the same dough that I use in my Soft & Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies that I shared just a few weeks ago. It’s my go-to cookie dough for just about any cookie, especially ones that I really want to have that soft-batch bakery feel.

Here’s a free printable copy of my recipe if you’d like to give it a try!

Print Recipe

Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup salted butter room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 Tbs vanilla flavoring
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp corn starch
2 cups milk chocolate chips

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl using a hand or stand mixer, combine butter, white sugar and brown sugar
Add in vanilla and egg and mix until incorporated
Slowly add in flour, baking soda and corn starch and mix until soft, thick dough forms
Add in chocolate chips and stir until just combined
Refrigerate 1 hour or longer (Don't skip this step!)
Preheat oven to 350 F and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or use a non-stick silicone baking mat
Once dough is thoroughly chilled, roll or scoop into 1 1/2-2 inch balls and place an inch or more apart
Bake for 10-11 minutes. *Cookies will appear undercooked when first removed from the oven. Do not cook any longer - the cookies will continue to set while left to cool on the cookie sheet.
Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

By the way, here’s a few of my must-haves in the kitchen when it comes to baking cookies. There’s still time to let Santa know about these items if you’re adding them to your wish list!

When these cookies first come out of the oven, they’re going to look a little undercooked. That’s exactly what you want them to look like. I promise. They’ll continue to cook a little while they’re cooling on the cookie sheet, and the texture will be everything you’ve ever wanted a cookie to be. You’ll definitely be going back for seconds and thirds. And then you’ll go back for another one to dunk into your coffee the next morning. I’m just speaking from experience here. 😉

If you like this recipe for Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, be sure to check out these other great recipes found right here on Southern Made Simple!

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies | Molasses Cookies | Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies | Soft Batch Candy Corn Cookies | Strawberry Milkshake Cookies

What types of cookies will you be baking during this holiday season? Do you like to try new-to-you recipes, or do you prefer to stick to the classics? Leave a comment below and tell me about your favorite kinds of cookies. I always love to hear what’s cooking in your kitchen!

White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn

December 3, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Since we put up our Christmas tree and decorations last week, we’ve been spending a lot of family time watching kid friendly Christmas movies almost every night. We turn all of the lights in the house off except for the tree, lighted garland and a few flameless candles, and my two girls have been absolutely mesmerized over the new ambiance that the Christmas lights bring. Even though our girls are very young and their attention span can’t last the length of the movie, we still enjoy the time we spend together. I’ve also enjoyed making a special treat for us to munch on while we all curl up together and watch. Popcorn is always a must when watching movies, and I love to zhoosh it up a bit and make it feel a little more Christmas-y. This White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn is the perfect blend of sweet and salty, and has been the perfect movie snack for us all to enjoy while watching the big screen!

When I was in college, I worked at the local movie theater for about 2 1/2 years to help pay for my wedding. During that time I sort of had a love-hate relationship with popcorn. Sure, freshly buttered popcorn smells absolutely amazing, but for the entirety of those 2 1/2 years I smelled like popcorn too. My clothes, car, even my bedroom smelled like popcorn. I had to nearly crawl inside the giant popper each night to disassemble and clean the machine, and you would be amazed at how quickly that “extra butter” can get all over everything.

So all that is to say, I never really popped popcorn very much after I left my job there. Popcorn was my supper many a night when I was working late, and I always felt that I had had my fill of it. But every now and then I circle back around to it, and adding fun toppings like melted white chocolate and crushed peppermint candies makes this snack irresistible!

If you find yourself curling up on the couch this season to enjoy your favorite Christmas movies, here’s a few of my favorite things to cozy up with on movie night!

And if you want to spruce up your popcorn and make it feel a little more festive, here’s a free printable copy of the recipe for you to try!

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Ingredients

2 bags buttered popcorn popped
1 8oz bag Wilton White Chocolate Melts
1/8 tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp fine red sugar sprinkles (feel free to add more or less!)
10-12 peppermints crushed

Instructions

Pop popcorn according to package instructions, set aside
In a microwave safe bowl, pour in chocolate melts and microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between until completely melted
While chocolate is melting in microwave, carefully crush peppermints
Pour popcorn into a large mixing bowl and pour melted chocolate, crushed peppermints and sprinkles and stir until well coated
Pour popcorn onto a baking sheet and spread out to dry
After about 15-20 minutes, the chocolate should be dry and the popcorn is ready to eat. Enjoy!

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

And if you’re looking for a bit of a different flavor profile for your popcorn on movie night, check out these recipes for Caramel Apple Bourbon Popcorn and Smokin’ Sriracha Popcorn!

Are you enjoying watching holiday movies this Christmas season? What are some of your favorite movies and snacks to enjoy? I’m always looking for a good recommendation! Leave a comment below and share the love!

DIY Holiday Cookie Exchange Boxes

December 1, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

If the year 2020 has given us anything, I believe it’s cultivated a spirit in the American people to think more creatively, shift gears quickly and turn less-than-ideal situations into ones that are positive, even though things may look a little different along the way. As we head into the holiday season, we’re all being tasked with getting creative and finding new ways to celebrate the season, spread Christmas cheer and keep our favorite holiday traditions alive with friends and family in a safe manner.

And if ever there was a time when Christmas cheer needed to be spread across our communities, it’s certainly now. One way my family is keeping the Christmas spirit alive this season is by hosting a holiday cookie exchange to keep our friends and family close at heart, even though we may technically be more than 6 feet apart. In years past, cookie exchanges looked a little bit different as friends would gather in one common area with their homemade cookies and treats to “swap” with other families. Instead of gathering in one place this season, we are picking our top 3 favorite holiday cookies, packaging them up and delivering them to others. Each box will have a recipe card for one or more of the cookies featured in the box, plus a challenge for the recipient to create their own cookie box to share with their loved ones this holiday season.

While many other activities may be cancelled, baking treats in your own kitchen, getting a little crafty and sharing those gifts with others is certainly not off of the table. So gather up your baking supplies, break out the ribbon and twine and turn up the Christmas carols on the radio, because I’m going to show you how I put together these simple boxes with very little effort, all while creating a chain of holiday cheer that will ignite a light of hope throughout our communities during a time when we truly need it the most.

To start off our holiday cookie exchange, I selected 3 of our favorite cookies to make this time of year. My white chocolate cranberry cookies are a certified Santa favorite in my house, so those were a top choice to pack in our cookie boxes. Our other two choices were a classic gingerbread cookie and jam-filled lintzer cookies. I packed a total of 4 of each variety into our boxes, so recipients would receive a full dozen cookies to enjoy with their families.

As much as I love baking, assembling these boxes with particular families in mind was perhaps the best part of all. I found these paper lunch boxes in the party supply aisle as my local craft/hobby store. These are not a seasonal item, so you should be able to find them year round and often in multiple colors. I also picked up some wired holiday ribbon, crinkled paper gift box filler, an inexpensive pack of flat Christmas ornaments with “Merry Christmas” written on them, and a flocked fir pick from the floral department to attach to each box.

Once the cookies were baked, cooled and ready to pack, I filled each box with a handful of crinkled box filler and arranged the cookies on top. Inside the box I added a printed out recipe card for the cookies, along with a personalized card for the family and the challenge for them to continue to cookie exchange. I then closed the box, wrapped the ribbon around it and put a dab of hot glue on a small fir branch I trimmed off of the pick and placed it right in the center. I then glued the Christmas ornament on top for a completed look, and loaded up the boxes and delivered them safely to my friends and family.

As much as we all long to be comfortably reunited with our loved ones during this season, there are many creative ways we can still be with them in spirit until we’re all able to safely be together again. Starting a cookie exchange in your own community or circle of friends is a great way to keep our favorite holiday traditions like cookie baking and gift giving alive, all while spreading love, care and holiday cheer to others who could really use a pick-me-up during these times. 2020 may not have been the best year for many of us, but we’re given an opportunity every day to bring a smile to others faces. Sharing homemade cookies are a wonderful and simple way to do that, as each bite is sure to bring a smile over and over again!

Are you ready to begin your own cookie exchange? Here’s my recipe for these scrumptious White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies to get you started!

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Soft & Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup salted butter room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp corn starch
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbs vanilla flavoring
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl using a hand or stand mixer, combine butter, white sugar and brown sugar.
Add in vanilla and egg and mix until incorporated.
Slowly add in flour, corn starch, baking soda and salt and mix until a soft, thick dough forms.
Add in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips and stir until just combined.
Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer. (Don't skip this step!)
Preheat oven to 350 F and spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or use a non-stick silicone baking mat
Once dough is thoroughly chilled, roll or scoop into 2 inch balls and place about an inch or more apart on the cookie sheet
Bake for 10-11 minutes. *Cookies will appear undercooked when first removed from the oven. Do not cook any longer - the cookies will continue to set while left to cool on the cookie sheet.
Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Cranberry Banana Nut Bread

November 28, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

This recipe for Cranberry Banana Nut Bread is one of my favorite things to bake during the holiday season. When it’s sweet aroma fills my kitchen as it’s baking, it has a special way of giving me those warm and fuzzy feelings that only the Christmas season can bring. The tartness of the cranberries paired with the sweetness of the bananas makes a wonderful combination, and it’s absolutely delightful with a pad of butter smeared on top and a cup of coffee to go with it!

Little known fact about me: I do not like bananas. At all. You won’t ever find a banana pudding recipe or a banana cream pie here on Southern Made Simple. Even their smell bothers me. I have to turn my head away when I’m peeling one for my daughters to eat. Banana flavored things such as pudding or candies are also a hard pass for me. However, oddly enough, the one exception to my strange distaste for bananas is banana nut bread. And I don’t just like banana nut bread, I love it.

And when I get lucky enough to have a few bananas on the counter that my daughters are no longer interested, I know exactly what I’m going to make with them. Cranberries freeze decently, so this time of year when the grocery stores have plenty of them on hand, I like to buy extra and keep them in the freezer so that I can pull them out and bake with them throughout the first few months of the year.

This cranberry banana nut bread is perfectly moist with golden brown edges that have the perfect amount of “crunch.” This bread is great to bake and give to a loved one during the Christmas season, and it also freezes and thaws nicely if you’d like to bake extra!

Here’s a free printable copy of my recipe if you’d like to give it a try:

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Cranberry Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
3 ripe bananas mashed
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F
In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter and sugar
Add in mashed banana, eggs, yogurt and vanilla and stir until just combined
Add in flour, baking soda and salt and stir until just combined - do not over stir
Fold in cranberries and nuts
Pour batter into a greased 5x9 loaf pan
Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle of bread comes out clean

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post to find more recipes featuring cranberries! If you’ve got some leftover from Thanksgiving, this bread is a perfect place to put those berries to good use!

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out these other great recipes found right here on Southern Made Simple!

Are you doing any special holiday baking this season? If so, I’d love to hear what you’ve got cookin’ in your kitchen! Drop a comment below and share what you’re making for the holidays. I hope you and your family truly have a happy, safe and wonderful Christmas season!

Southern Cornbread Dressing

November 17, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

This recipe for Southern Cornbread Dressing is a true southern staple dish to serve during the holiday season. Made with homemade cornbread from scratch, this recipe makes coming home for Thanksgiving even more spectacular!

It’s absolutely not a certified southern Thanksgiving dinner unless there’s a big pan of homemade dressing sitting next to the turkey. Cornbread dressing is comfort food at it’s finest, and it’s always served with either a spoonful of cranberry sauce or a drizzle of gravy right on top. Truth be told, I think the dressing is more of the star of the Thanksgiving feast than the turkey is. I may not go back for seconds for the turkey, but you can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be getting a second helping of dressing!

I was always taught to make my dressing with day-old cornbread. It’s not imperative that you do that, but using day-old cornbread is preferred by many as old cornbread soaks up more of the broth and produces a better texture and consistency in the dressing. All that is to say – don’t skip this part! If you’re serving this for Thanksgiving dinner, you’ll want to make sure you plan ahead and get that skillet of cornbread in the oven the day before. You’ll also want to make sure you have about half a loaf of white bread on hand that is also a few days old. This recipe calls for thumb-size pieces of white bread to go with the day-old cornbread to help really lock in the moisture in the dressing.

Despite what many people may believe, dressing and stuffing, in my opinion, cannot be used interchangeably. Even though there are many similarities, traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing is different from “stuffing” for a few reasons. Stuffing is typically known to be a bit herbier, with sage being the stand-out herb used. While many dressing recipes do call for sage and other seasonings (such as this recipe,) you’ll frequently find that many omit the sage all together. Stuffing also typically uses larger chunks of bread, while cornbread dressing uses a very finely ground cornbread as its base. Dressing is usually more moist while stuffing tends to be a bit drier, and then of course there’s the whole “stuffing it inside a turkey” thing. While I think the practice of literally stuffing the bird is fading out a bit, cornbread dressing is never stuffed inside a turkey where as stuffing traditionally is.

My grandmother’s signature in her dressing was adding just a smidge of nutmeg. It’s not anything that really stands out in the dish, but I love adding it in because that’s exactly what she did. I never got to sit down and have a Thanksgiving dinner with her, but I’d like to think she’d be proud that I add in the nutmeg in memory of her.

Are you ready to make a big ol’ helping of southern cornbread dressing? Here’s everything you’ll need to get started:

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Southern Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients

Cornbread:

2 cups self-rising cornmeal
5 eggs
1 1/4 cup whole buttermilk
1 Tbs canola or vegetable oil for greasing the skillet

Cornbread Dressing:

Crumbled day-old cornbread
6-8 slices white sandwich bread gently torn into thumb-size pieces
2 large yellow or white onions very finely chopped
1 bunch celery both ends removed and very finely chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1 26 oz family size can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Tbs rubbed sage
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions

For Cornbread:

Preheat oven to 400 F
Pour oil into iron skillet and roll oil around thoroughly to ensure the entire pan is coated with oil
In a large bowl, combine corn meal, eggs and buttermilk and stir
Pour batter into greased skillet and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until it's just lightly golden on the top and around the edges. Don't overbake!
Crumble cornbread very finely, making sure there are no chunks larger than the size of your pinky nail.
Cover crumbled cornbread and set aside for a day or overnight.

For Cornbread Dressing:

Grease a large casserole dish (9x13 or larger)
Preheat oven to 350 F
Combine very finely diced onions and celery in a stockpot and add just enough water to cover the top of the onions and celery
Boil until the celery is good and tender, or to your liking. Do not drain. You'll use the broth off of the vegetables in the dressing.
Transfer crumbled corn bread to a very large mixing bowl and place torn white bread right on top - do not stir in
Pour onion and celery mixture over cornbread, followed by the can of cream of chicken, 2 cups chicken broth, and your seasonings.
Pour into greased baking dish and bake uncovered for 55-60 minutes, or until bubbling and a nice thin crust has formed around the edges
Serve with turkey, cranberry sauce and all of your favorite fixin's!

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If you have ample leftovers, dressing will freeze well so you can enjoy it again later! Just add a little chicken broth to liven it back up, warm all the way through and enjoy all over again!

What is your favorite Thanksgiving side dish? Do you prefer cranberry sauce or gravy on top of your dressing? Leave a comment below and share the love!

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!

If you’ll have little ones running around the house during Thanksgiving this year, be sure to take a look at these fun Thanksgiving Themed Snack Crafts for them to make and share!

Soft & Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

November 15, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

These Soft & Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are a perfect holiday treat to indulge in! Grab a cup of coffee or a tall glass of milk and enjoy!

I need y’all to hear me on this. Clean out your ears real good and make sure you’re listening very closely, because what I’m about to say is very serious. It is absolutely no exaggeration, and while I understand that it is a bold statement, it’s wholeheartedly true.

I’ve had a lot of cookies during my time here on Earth. Soft batch, fudgy, cakey, some with nuts, some with various types of chocolate chips. I’ve loved nearly every cookie I’ve tried. Some tries were just likes and not loves, but for the most part I’m a cookie-kinda-girl and I’ve never been mad at a cookie. I even like the super cheap ultra-manufactured nothing-special cookies. You know, those butter cookies you had every year at VBS as a kid that you stuck your finger through the middle and wore like they were edible rings? I love those, too. They’ve got a special place in my heart.

But these? These cookies are my favorite cookies in the entire world. Granted, I know I’ve never tried every cookie in the world, but at this point I don’t feel like I need to. I’ve found true love, and it’s baked right into these Soft & Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies.

I can’t put my finger precisely on it – maybe it’s the copious amounts of butter, or the richness of the brown sugar. Maybe it’s the fact that these cookies are perfectly chewy and soft, but sturdy enough to dunk in your morning coffee or glass of milk without it crumbling straight to the bottom of your glass. Or perhaps it’s the bits of tart cranberry tucked inside coupled with the sweetness of those white chocolate morsels. Whatever it is, the world needs more of it. Especially in this dumpster-fire of a year 2020.

If you’ll be doing a little holiday baking this year, this recipe is a must-try. I promise you. Bake some for you, bake some for your neighbors down the street, or make them as a treat for your family for getting through an incredibly tough year. Honestly, just bake them because it’s a random Tuesday. You don’t need a reason!

Here’s a free printable copy of my recipe if you’d like to give it a try!

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Soft & Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup salted butter room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp corn starch
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbs vanilla flavoring
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl using a hand or stand mixer, combine butter, white sugar and brown sugar.
Add in vanilla and egg and mix until incorporated.
Slowly add in flour, corn starch, baking soda and salt and mix until a soft, thick dough forms.
Add in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips and stir until just combined.
Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer. (Don't skip this step!)
Preheat oven to 350 F and spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or use a non-stick silicone baking mat
Once dough is thoroughly chilled, roll or scoop into 2 inch balls and place about an inch or more apart on the cookie sheet
Bake for 10-11 minutes. *Cookies will appear undercooked when first removed from the oven. Do not cook any longer - the cookies will continue to set while left to cool on the cookie sheet.
Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

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If you like this recipe, be sure to check out these other great cookie recipes found right here on Southern Made Simple!

Laura Tucker

Sugar Roasted Peanuts

Ingredients

Instructions

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Ingredients

Instructions

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

This post was sponsored by Southeastern Mills as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Loaded Turkey & Dressing Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

For Cornbread Dressing

For Baked Potato

Instructions

For Cornbread Dressing

Assembling Baked Potato:

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Overnight Gingerbread French Toast Casserole

Ingredients

For French Toast Casserole

For Crumble Topping

Instructions

Notes

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Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

Instructions

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Ingredients

Instructions

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Soft & Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients

Instructions

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Cranberry Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients

Instructions

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Southern Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients

Cornbread:

Cornbread Dressing:

Instructions

For Cornbread:

For Cornbread Dressing:

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!

Soft & Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients

Instructions

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

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