For summer or your favorite holiday (Easter, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day and Fourth of July), this classic Banana Split Recipe is everyone’s favorite! Layered with Neopolitan ice cream, chocolate, bananas, nuts and whipped cream – it’s the ultimate banana split!

This Banana Split Freezer Dessert takes very little time to make ahead, freeze, and then pull from the freezer when you’re ready to serve. You only need to defrost for a few minutes before slicing!

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Enjoy this Irish Pub Salad, a delicious salad if you’re hosting a St. Patrick’s Day bash! Irish food is not all about Irish potatoes, which so many people think, although you may want to try this Irish Potato Pie recipe! Or, grab the recipes to this St. Patrick’s Day MENU!

What is the difference between an Irish Pub Salad and English Pub Salad?

The few days we enjoyed Dublin, it seemed salads were included with every meal, usually with some kind of pickled vegetable, tomatoes, eggs, and cheese.

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I love a good dutch oven recipe, especially the comfort of a Guinness Pot Roast, served with mashed potatoes for a Sunday meal. This recipe has been on RE since 2017! It’s loved by all. It’s similar to a regular pot roast recipe, but Guinness stout beer (or a dark beer) is used to braise the meat in addition to beef stock and a bold tomato paste mixture. We also love our Guinness Beef Stew recipe that is so delicious served with Fresh Irish Soda bread.

Guinness Pot Roast

This Sunday roast is a braised chuck roast recipe, cooked in dark beer (Guinness is the best!), with lots of flavors, spices, and bold flavors. The longer it cooks, the longer it gets tender and every bite is so delicious. Let’s just say, this is a great Irish meal for St. Patrick’s Day, but we also loved it served on any Sunday of the year.

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I love an easy chicken recipe! This Curried Chicken Divan is a true comfort dish any time of year. With a creamy, cheesy saiuce, this 9×13 dish is made with juicy chicken breasts, tender broccolini, and the homemade sauce. It’s topped with panko bread crumbs, and is light and tasty served over brown rice. It’s a family favorite, and I’m sure your family will love it, too.

The history of this dish originated from the Divan Parisien Restaurant at Chatham Hotel in New York City, where it was served as the signature dish in the early twentieth century. So it’s been around for a long time. My mom used to make this dish back in the 70s for us girls.

Curried Chicken Divan

My version of easy Chicken Divan uses broccolini in the filling and the panko gives a light crunch on top. If you can’t find broccoli in the grocerty store, you can use small broccoli florets. Either way, it’s a great chicken recipe!

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If you love a good white chocolate chip blondie, then you’ll love our White Chocolate Pistachio Cookie Bars today! This recipe is easy, chewy, and cut into serving squares–it’s always a hit at every party.

White Chocolate Pistachio Cookie Bars

We make these every year for game day (in the winter months), but they are also great for summer parties. I also love to double the recipe and allow them to cool on the counter, cut into pieces, and then pop in the freezer. It’s a great “white chocolate cookie” recipe to keep on hand for last-minute company. Delish served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or pistachio ice cream).

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I am so in love with clam chowder, especially this time of year. What is better than a comfort bowl of Creamy Seafood Chowder, served with a festive salad and hot sour dough bread? Truly, it’s the ultimate holiday menu. [Read my tips below how to get “crunchy” bread.]

Creamy Seafood Chowder

Made with your favorite seafood, we add bay shrimp, crab meat and clams! The bacon is optional–but our guests tend to love it.

Perfect for any soup night, this recipe is particularly “special” on the weekend. Like a Friday night … :) It’s a soulful meal, and everyone just seems to love a good bowl of “chowdah.”

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Just in time for the holidays, how about serving this delicious, amazing, Rum Cake? My friend, Cindy, made this cake for me years and years ago, and it’s become a family favorite. You can’t go wrong with how easy the actual cake is to bake, and then the rum sauce on top? It’s perfect served with vanilla ice cream.

Holiday Rum Bundt Cake Recipe (Video!)

This rum soaked cake is buttery, moist, and rich, and is always a hit at the holiday dessert table. It also make a great gift to give – all wrapped up with a pretty red bow, if you’re in to making homemade Christmas gifts.

Why I love this recipe

• It’s a great dinner party cake for the holidays.
• Makes a great homemade holiday gift.
• Perfect for a Christmas or NYE potluck.

Also, baking a cake is pretty easy for most people, so if you don’t want to host an entire meal, dessert is doable! Host a dessert party!

Gather these ingredients

• Box yellow cake mix
• Instant vanilla pudding mix
• Eggs
• Canola or vegetable oil
• Golden rum, or “gold” rum
• Chopped pecans

Glaze:

• butter
• sugar
• rum

How to make Holiday Rum Bundt Cake Recipe

1. Prepare a bundt pan with cooking spray.
2. It’s optional to sprinkle nuts over bottom of greased bundt pan (either 10 or 12″ pan works).
3. Stir together cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil and rum.
4. Bake the cake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
5. Cool 10 minutes in pan.
6. Invert onto serving plate and prick top.
7. Make the glaze: Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
8. Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the rum.
9. Gently poke holes in the cake with a fork.
10. Pour glaze evenly over top and sides of cake.
11. Allow cake to absorb glaze. Keep doing this until glaze is used up.
12. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Tips and substitutions:

• We recommend a “golden rum,” as opposed to a dark rum, for this cake. But dark is an option, too. If you’re like me, you use up what you have in your cupboard!
• We use about 15.25 ounce yellow cake mix.
• Don’t like nuts? Nuts are optional. You can also use walnuts in place of pecans.
• This cake lasts quite a while covered on the counter, if you have any leftovers.
• Try a “chocolate cake mix” with whiskey combination. It’s great, too.
• SUBSTITUTION FOR RUM: I have not tried this, but they recommend in place of rum (non alcoholic): Red Grape Juice, Cranberry Juice, or Nonalcoholic Wine. To replace the rum with alcohol, you can use whiskey.

Serving

Enjoy the cake! It’s super easy to make and …. almost dangerous! Just tell yourself, one sliver only! HA!

Serve plain (good enough), or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

You can freeze this cake, too!

More holiday desserts to try while you are here:

• Roasted Pear Grape Kuchen [RE]
• Pear Upside Down Cake Recipe [RE]
• Cranberry Christmas Cake [Barefeet in the Kitchen]

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Holiday Rum Bundt Cake Recipe

This moist Christmas rum bundt cake recipe is made with a yellow cake mix and instant pudding. Perfect for any holiday, serve with ice cream!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

cooling time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

CAKE:

• 1 box yellow cake mix about 15.25 ounce
• 1 3.5 oz INSTANT vanilla pudding mix
• 4 whole eggs
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
• ½ cup golden rum or “gold” rum
• 1 cup chopped pecans optional

GLAZE:

• ½ cup butter 1 stick
• ¼ cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup rum

Instructions

• Prepare a bundt pan with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• It’s optional to sprinkle nuts over bottom of greased bundt pan (either 10 or 12″ pan works).
• Mix together cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil and rum.
• Bake for 1 hour.
• Remove from oven. Cool 10 minutes in pan.
• Invert onto serving plate and prick the top with a fork (so the glaze can run into the holes).
• To make the glaze, melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the rum.
• Gently poke holes in the cake with a fork.

Make the glaze:

• Pour glaze evenly over top and sides of cake.
• Allow cake to absorb glaze. Keep doing this until glaze is used up.
• Cut into slices and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

Originally posted DEC 2018.

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Oh, I love a good cranberry salad during the holidays, and this is a treasured family recipe. My mom and aunts would make this amazing salad and share it at potlucks and family meals. This Cranberry Salad with Grapes and Walnuts would be served at every winter holiday, and I maintain the tradition with my own family.

Cranberry Salad with Grapes and Walnuts

We love to share this amazing fresh cranberry salad with our dinner guests for Christmas and Thanksgiving meals. Give it a try!

This is a super easy salad to make. Plus, are NO pineapple or marshmallows in it;  this is not a riff on ambrosia salad! Instead, it’s a simple salad that lets the tangy and juicy freshness of cranberries and a few other delish ingredients really shine.

Also there is NO Cool Whip in this salad – only fresh real whipped cream. Yum!

Why I love this recipe

• This is an heirloom recipe that I’m sure your family will also love!
• It’s simple to make and only has a handful of ingredients.
• You can freeze the leftovers and even serve the salad frozen!
• It uses all FRESH ingredients. NO Cool Whip.

Gather these ingredients

• Fresh cranberries 
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
• Red grapes – Seedless; cut in half.
• Walnuts – Toasted and chopped.
• Whipping cream
• Powdered sugar – Also called icing sugar or confectioners sugar.
• Vanilla – Real or artificial vanilla extract is fine.

How to buy cranberries

Cranberries are ripe when they’re packaged and sold, but you still want to have a quick look at the bag and make sure they’re firm and dark red. If too many of the berries are soft and squishy or brown, then the bag isn’t fresh. If you can’t get good fresh cranberries, frozen cranberries may be available.

This recipe does not work with cranberries that are in a can; you need FRESH cranberries.

How to make Cranberry Salad with Grapes and Walnuts

1. Coarsely chop the cranberries in a food processor. Use the pulse function so that you don’t grind them too finely. You want some larger chunks.
2. Mix the cranberries and sugar in a bowl and chill it overnight.
3. Toast the walnuts in the microwave for 2 minutes, or use the oven or a dry skillet. Chop them and set them aside.
4. Whip the whipping cream until very stiff in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or use an electric hand mixer. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until combined.
5. Combine the cranberry and sugar mixture with the walnuts and chopped grapes in a large bowl. 
6. Fold in the whipping cream until just combined. 
7. Chill until ready to serve.

How to prep Cranberry Salad with Grapes and Walnuts ahead of time

Save time in the kitchen and chop the cranberries ahead of time. Then mix them with the sugar and freeze them! You can freeze the cranberries and sugar for up to a month, and just thaw it in the fridge overnight and finish the rest of the salad.

Tips & substitutions

• Red grapes and walnuts are traditional in my family, but green grapes and pecans could also be used.
• Toast the walnuts for extra nutty flavor and crunch! 
• You can lessen the sugar in this recipe, but don’t eliminate it otherwise the cranberries will be too tart.
• If you have extra cranberries, make this easy cranberry sauce! 
• Only use FRESH cranberries (not canned).
• You can make it a day or two in advance, or just prepare the ingredients and assemble the day of.
• You need a good food processor to grind the cranberries. I love our Cuisinart (have had it for years!)

Serving suggestions

This easy Cranberry Salad recipe is perfect with your Thanksgiving or Christmas feast and it is great along with other delicious dishes like roasted turkey, stuffing, and of course, a pumpkin dessert.

Storage

This easy Cranberry Salad with Grapes and Walnuts is best eaten fresh, but you can also freeze the leftovers. Pop them into an airtight container and freeze it for up to a month. You can even eat it as a frozen dessert! 

Check out these awesome recipes while you’re here

• Cranberry Lemon Pull-Apart Bread
• Orange Cranberry Pinwheels
• Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

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Fresh Cranberry Grape Walnut Salad

Nostalgic fresh cranberry salad that is perfect for the holidays, making me think of my Aunt Barbara and mom, Millie.

Loaded with the tangy flavor of fresh cranberries this Cranberry Salad with Grapes and Walnuts is perfectly balanced and so delicious!

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 352kcal

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh cranberries coarsely ground
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½ lb. seedless grapes cut in ½
• 1 ½ cups walnuts toasted and chopped

The cream:

• 2 cups whipping cream
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

• With a food processor, coarsely pulse and chop the cranberries. Do not grind them too fine; leave in larger chunks (see photo).
• In a small bowl, mix together the cranberries and sugar and chill in the refrigerator overnight. [TIP: I usually put in a Ziplock bag and press the air out.] NOTE: If you don't have the time to do this step overnight – at least allow it to sit on the counter for 30 minutes before assembling.
• Toast the walnuts either in microwave (2 minutes), or oven. Chop and set aside.

Make the cream:

• Whip 2 cups whipping cream; add the powdered sugar and vanilla. The whipping cream should be pretty stiff.

Assemble the salad:

• Drain any of the juice out of the cranberry mixture (bag). It's okay to leave some of the juice, but drain most. I open a corner of the Ziplock bag and just pour it into the sink.
• In a large bowl, add the cranberry + sugar mixture, chopped walnuts, sliced grapes. Fold the thick whipping cream into the cranberry mixture. Gently toss all ingredients together; chill the salad until ready to serve.
• Leftovers can be frozen and served as a frozen salad later.

Notes

reposted from November 2018

Nutrition

Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 646IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg

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I love a good banana bread recipe, and it’s even better with a secret ingredient. Double the recipe when baking for neighbors, or you want to freeze a few loaves. Or, if you love the combo of bananas and walnuts, you must also try our Banana Walnut Cake (my mom’s recipe).

Banana Bread Secret Ingredient

I’ve been thinking a lot about hospitality, and meeting new people in our neighborhoods and towns. When I think about hospitality, I think of banana bread. Isn’t it he best gift to bring to a new neighbor in town? I mean, when it’s warm, and gooey and soft, and sliced thickly with a slab of salted butter. It truly is the best. Everyone asks, what makes this recipe so good? (There are a few steps to take!)

Our recipe has a secret that a reader shared with me. I was doubtful, thinking that it didn’t really make a difference. Keep reading and see what you think!

Why we love this recipe

• It’s delicious and easy.
• Your neighbors will love a loaf :)
• We love to double the recipe and freeze the loaves for a rainy day!
• You can leave out the walnuts if you aren’t a walnut fan.

Gather these ingredients:

• Butter: make sure it’s softened
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Flour
• Baking soda
• Sour cream
• Salt
• Mashed bananas: make sure they are ripened (not under-ripe)
• Extracts: both vanilla and almond
• Nuts: walnuts!

How do you make banana bread?

1. Grease and flour one 9-inch loaf pan (or 3 small ones). Pan should be 3/4 full of batter.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix well.
3. Whisk together the flour and salt; combine with the butter mixture.
4. In a separate bowl, add baking soda to the sour cream; stir well. Add in the bananas, vanilla and almond extracts, and walnuts; stir well.
5. Combine this mixture to the main mixture; mix well.
6. Pour into prepared pans and bake!
7. Cool and then turn the loaf out onto a rack.

Tips and substitutions:

Guess what? There is one more step that makes the MOISTEST banana bread!

• Now you want to know the secret? Add in baking soda to the sour cream and stir. This combination mixed into the banana bread mixture is the secret to a moist, fluffy, amazing bread!
• The secret ingredient? Almond extract? Another great secret!
• Optional to replace the walnuts with other nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, pecans).
• You can use vanilla extract only (if you don’t want to add the almond).
• If you need to replace the sour cream, use Greek yogurt.
• Bake, serve, and enjoy (or give away!)

More delicious quick breads:

• Pumpkin Date Bread
• Healthy Banana  Bread with Dates
• Raspberry Almond Scones
• Super Moist Greek Yogurt Banana Bread

If you love blueberries, you can combine and make Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Bread.

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Banana Bread Secret Ingredient

I always DOUBLE the recipe!

Our Banana Bread recipe with a secret ingredient, is so moist and delicious, and the perfect gift to give. Plus follow the easy, secret step.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 10

Calories 371kcal

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 ½ cup mashed bananas about 3
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ tsp. almond extract
• 1 cup walnuts chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour one 9-inch loaf pan (or 3 small ones). Pan should be 3/4 full of batter.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix well.
• Whisk together the flour and salt; combine with the butter mixture.
• SECRET STEP: In a separate bowl, add 1 tsp. baking soda to the sour cream; stir well. Add in the bananas, vanilla and almond extracts, and walnuts; stir well.
• Combine this mixture with the main mixture; mix well.
• Pour into prepared pans and bake for 50 minutes.
• Cool for 10 minutes and then turn the loaf out onto a rack.

Notes

Originally posted JUNE 2016.

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 321mg | Potassium: 223mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 427IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

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I love the layers of a cake. Some cakes are more complex than others, a bit more festive (for the season), elegant, or fancy. Some are mouth-watering in their simplicity, with one pretty garnish on top, like this delicious cake, that is made in my Pampered Chef stoneware pan. It is so incredibly fluffy, moist and easy to make!

Pumpkin Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake

With both pumpkin (spice) and chocolate- you can’t go wrong with this cake for the holidays. Plus, everyone loves a Texast sheet cake, right?! It’s light on the pumpkin, too.

Back to baking a cake. I’m not a baker. I’ve never had the attention span for fancy cake decorating. Honestly, I like to bake a simple cake. This cake is simple! And if you love a good frosting, try our Pumpkin Bread with cream cheese frosting.

Why I love this recipe

• It’s simple – no layers, just one pan.
• The frosting is sooo good.
• It feeds a lot of people
• Pumpkin and chocolate are a delicious combo.

Gather these ingredients

• Butter
• Cocoa
• Sugar
• Flour
• Salt
• Eggs
• Baking soda
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Sour cream
• Vanilla

Ingredients for the frosting:

• Butter
• Milk
• Powdered sugar
• Softened cream cheese
• Vanilla
• Pumpkin pie spice

How do you make a Texas Sheet Cake?

1. Combine the butter, water, and cocoa in saucepan over medium heat; heat until butter melts.
2. Add sugar, flour, salt, eggs, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, sour cream, and vanilla; mix well. Pour into a 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan. (I use the Pampered Chef Bar Pan.)
3. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Make the frosting in the meantime.
4. Make the frosting: Combine butter and milk in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients and mix well with electric mixer. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
5. Spread frosting over hot cake; cool and serve!

Tips and substitutions:

• With one delicious cream cheese frosting. Make sure and frost the cake when it’s hot out of the oven!
• You have to frost the cake when it’s hot out of the oven.
• You can skip the pumpkin pie spice if you want, and just make the cake chocolate.
• Add chopped pecans or walnuts on top – very good!
• We use the Pampered Chef “bar pan” for this recipe.
• Store covered with plastic wrap or foil on the counter for up to 5 days!

How do you serve this cake?

We love this cake served for dessert with this meatloaf, kale salad, and buttermilk biscuits. It’s a great cozy cake for fall and winter, and it even freezes well!

More fall cake recipes:

• Salted Caramel Apple Cake [Brown Eyed Baker],
• Cinnamon Apple Cream Cake [RE]
• Apple Butter Oatmeal Bars [RE]

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Pumpkin Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake

Enjoy this Pumpkin Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake for your next holiday gathering, served with ice cream. This recipe serves up to 24!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 24

Calories 316kcal

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup cocoa
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Make the frosting:

• ½ cup butter
• ¼ cup milk plus more if needed
• 1 lb. powdered sugar, sifted about 4 1/4 cups sifted
• 4 oz. cream cheese softened
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

• Combine the butter, water, and cocoa in saucepan over medium heat; heat until butter melts.
• Add sugar, flour, salt, eggs, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, sour cream, and vanilla; mix well. Pour into a 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan. (I use the Pampered Chef Bar Pan.)
• Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Make the frosting in the meantime.
• For frosting, combine butter and milk in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients and mix well with electric mixer. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
• Spread frosting over hot cake; cool and serve!

Notes

Updated from Sept. 2018.

Nutrition

Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 210mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 472IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

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