Babs

#AncestryPartner Family recipes are priceless treasures, and l'm opening my recipe box to share a beloved one with you - Italian Lemon Cookies 🍋💛 My mother always told me to preserve family recipes before it's too late. Did you know nearly half of Americans can't recreate family recipes because they have been lost or damaged over time? I'm partnering with @Ancestry this holiday to help keep these traditions alive for future generations. Upload your family's recipes now so they're preserved forever! It's never too late to start protecting those traditions. Head to Ancestry.com to upload your recipes and discover more about your family's past. I saw my father's military card and my grandmother's ship card from her journey as an Italian immigrant to the US! Family Recipe LEMON COOKIES Ingredients for dough: 3 eggs 8 oz ricotta 8 oz butter 2 cups sugar 2 tosp lemon extract 1 tsp vanilla extract 5 cups sifted flour 1 tsp baking soda Instructions: Dough: Sift the flour with the baking soda and set aside. Then beat butter and riccota until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat well. Add eggs one at a time. Add the lemon extract, vanilla, then the flour mixture. Beat well and then with a small cookie scoop roll the dough into 1- 1½ inch cookies. Makes 50 -60 cookies Bake at 350 degrees about 10-12 minutes until lightly brown. Glaze: 2 tablespoons room temperature butter 3 cups powdered sugar 6 tablespoons room temperature milk 1 tablespoon lemon extract Put everything in a bowl and beat until combined Frost cookies when cool #familyrecipe

This Thanksgiving, instead of a regular pie, maybe make a sheet-pan pie! You can do it with any pie. It makes twice as much, has the perfect crust-to-filling ratio, and is super easy to cut and serve. Work smarter, right? XO Babs I always reach for the Libby’s Pumpkin Pie recipe on the back of the can, just double it for this recipe and you’re good to go! INGREDIENTS: 1 can (29 oz) Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin 3 c (24 fl. oz) Carnation Evaporated Milk 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 4 large eggs 1 tsp salt 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger ½ tsp ground cloves 15x10 sheet pan (or a half sheet pan, 18x13) 3-4 pie crusts INSTRUCTIONS: To make a sheet pan pumpkin pie, start by rolling out 3-4 pie crusts depending on the size of your sheet pan and layering them into a greased sheet pan, pressing the edges to seal and trimming any excess. Blind bake the crust by placing a second sheet pan on top filled with rice and surrounding the edges with dried black beans to weigh it down. If you have pie weights that works as well. Bake at 425°F for 10-12 minutes, then remove the weights and sheet pan. For the filling, double the classic Libby’s Pumpkin Pie recipe and pour it into the pre-baked crust, spreading it evenly. Bake the pie at 425°F for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 35-45 minutes, or until the filling is set but still slightly jiggles in the center. Let the pie cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving. #thanksgiving #pumpkinpie #dessert

I have cooked my share of turkeys. I actually dedicated an entire chapter in my first cookbook, Celebrate with Babs, to Thanksgiving. It is one of my very favorite holidays - no gifts to wrap, just family and food. But..if the turkey goes wrong that is no fun at all. Here are six things never to do with your turkey. But really take the pressure off yourself. You can do this! 🍗Don't buy a 30 lb turkey; instead, buy two 15 lb turkeys.Smaller turkeys tend to cook more evenly and result in a juicier, more tender birds. Think about spatchcocking your turkey. It takes about ½ the time to cook and spatchcocking your turkey allows the turkey to cook more evenly because all parts of the turkey are exposed to the same amount of heat. Spatchcocking makes for very tender breasts and since all the skin is exposed, every piece of skin is crispy and yummy. 🍗Don't wait until the night before Thanksgiving to defrost your turkey. Rule of thumb is 24 hours in the fridge for every five pounds of turkey. That means if you've got a 20-pounder, you need four whole days! 🍗Don't wash your turkey! It is unnecessary and can spread germs in the sink and on the counters. 🍗Don't put your turkey in at 350°. You are not baking cookies. You are roasting a turkey. Preheat high and lower as you go. I start with my oven rack in the lowest position. Preheat the oven to 500° with an empty roasting pan on top of a pizza stone.When the oven is preheated, I remove the roasting pan and pour two tablespoons of avocado oil into the roasting pan. I add the turkey (covered in a double layer of aluminum foil) to the roasting pan, lower the oven to 425° and roast it for 45 minutes. Then I remove the foil, spray the breast with olive oil or avocado oil and lower the temperature to 325° and continue to roast until the breast temperature reaches 160° and the legs reach 175°. 🍗Do not carve the turkey straight out of the oven! Letting it rest for at least 40 minutes keeps the juices locked in. Carve too early, and you may end up with dry turkey. Tell me your favorite turkey trick in the comments. Gobble Gobble XO Babs #thanksgiving

Every year my daughter goes to a Holiday party and comes back raving about a self-serve carving station. I set out to find this special ham that is the centerpiece of the party. You will never believe where I found this incredible 14lb Serrano Ham. COSTCO! You can find the ham in the Holiday gift section and it comes with a stand, knife, and cover. If your friends don’t finish off this very special DIY charcuterie, it will last for four months on your countertop. It is an amazing addition to any Holiday table, especially for $99! Can you imagine receiving this as a gift?! #christmas #costcofinds

Candy Garden for #halloween #candygarden #happyhalloween

BABS' SECRET INGREDIENTS FOR THANKSGIVING After so many years of hosting, you pick up a trick or two. Here are some of my favorite cooking secrets for Thanksgiving: 🍷Add a splash of dry white wine to enhance and deepen the flavor of your gravy. I've been doing this for as long as I can remember. 🥔Boil your potatoes in milk for creamy mashed potatoes. I tried this last year, and wow! It makes a difference!! 🍌Add one or two roasted, mashed bananas to your sweet potato casserole. The bananas give the sweet potatoes surprising creamy sweetness. A friend shared this one with me last year, and I had to try it! She recommended two roasted bananas, but I tried my casserole with one, and I'll never go back! I may even try with two this year. To roast a banana: Rinse and dry the bananas. Set them on a baking sheet lined with either aluminum foil or parchment paper. Poke a few holes with your fork and bake the bananas in their peel. It should take about 15 to 30 minutes in an oven set at 300°F, but keep an eye on them. They should be dark brown. 🫚Add a slice of candied ginger to champagne for a festive twist on bubbles Gobble Gobble 🦃🦃🦃 #thanksgiving #cooking #grandma

Got floaters? Just eat pineapple! 🍍 #TikTokforGood #TikTok_Partner

✨ Pumpkin Countertop Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting ✨ Whether you are looking for a great Thanksgiving dessert or have a house full of family for the holidays and just want a countertop cake hanging around for all to enjoy. This is your cake! It comes together in no time and makes enough for a crowd. Pumpkin lovers and non-pumpkin lovers alike will scream over this cake. It really is that good! Enjoy! XO Babs INGREDIENTS: 4 eggs 1⅔ cup sugar 1 cup avocado oil 1 (15oz) can pumpkin 2 cups flour 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda FROSTING: 3oz cream cheese ½ cup butter (softened) 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups confectioners sugar INSTRUCTIONS Grease a 15 x 10 baking sheet. In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin on medium speed until fluffy. Add the remainder of the ingredients and mix until combined. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Let cool. While the cake is cooling, in a mixing bowl combine all of the frosting ingredients. Mix on medium high until well combined. Frost cake and serve or set out on the counter for all to enjoy! #thanksgiving #thanksgivingdesserts

CRANBERRY SALSA If you need a no-bake, knock-everyone-socks-off appetizer for Thanksgiving, this is it! When I tell you I have to keep people from licking the plate, I am not kidding. This one is a winner all around—no-bake, refreshing, and festive! INGREDIENTS: 12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained 2 jalapeños, seeds removed 1/2 cup sugar ⅓ cup cilantro, finely chopped 3 green onions, finely sliced 1 tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed 1 tablespoon orange juice, freshly squeezed Pinch of salt INSTRUCTIONS Add cranberries to your food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Do not puree; it is nice to have small pieces of cranberry. Add jalapeños to the food processor and pulse until chopped and integrated.    Place the chopped cranberries/jalapeños in a bowl and add the sugar. Stir to combine. Add the cilantro, green onions, salt, lime and orange juice. Stir again to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least one hour or overnight.   After resting, drain the cranberry mixture. Then pour drained mixture over a block of cream cheese for serving. Alternatively, you can spread the cream cheese on a serving dish and top with the salsa. Serve with your favorite cracker. #appetizers #cranberry #salsa #thanksgiving

SWEET AND SAVORY GOAT CHEESE LOG 4 ingredient, 5 minute Thanksgiving appetizer that is festive, fun and full of flavor! ✨ INGREDIENTS: 10 oz goat cheese log 1 c chopped pistachios 4 tbsp fig jam 2 tbsp hot honey INSTRUCTIONS: Coat a log of goat cheese in a layer of chopped pistachios. Spread a generous layer of fig jam over the top. Add a touch of hot honey for a sweet-heat finish. Pair with crackers and that’s it, a no-bake, sweet and savory Thanksgiving appetizer that’s as easy as it is delicious! #appetizers #thanksgiving

🍸FIGITINI🍸 If you’re looking for the perfect holiday drink, this fig martini is it! With a hint of sweetness and a whole lot of holiday cheer, this recipe makes two delicious martinis. And here’s the best part: you can batch up to six martinis in a 750ml liquor bottle ahead of time. Just pour your drinks into the empty liquor bottle, pop it in the freezer, and you’re ready to serve whenever the festivities begin. Cheers to making spirits bright! 🍸✨ INGREDIENTS (for two martinis): 4 oz gin 2 oz Cointreau 2 heaping tbsp fig preserves 1 oz lime juice Splash of maple syrup (1/2 oz) INSTRUCTIONS: Chill your glasses as you’re preparing your drinks, and then when ready to serve, pour your martini into your frosty glasses! Combine all ingredients into your shaker and shake away (for about 15 seconds). Optional: garnish with a fresh fig and a sprig of rosemary. And of course, enjoy! #holiday #martini

PANTY HOSE PUMPKINS 🎃 For the spookiest pumpkins in town!! Have you ever made Panty Hose Pumpkins? Pick up some fishnet panty hose at your local discount store. You will be amazed with the different patterns you find! Snip the legs off of the panty hose. Start at the top of the pumpkin and pull the hose over the pumpkin. You can tie a knot on the bottom of the pumpkin to secure the tights. Choose your favorite color spray paint and spray away. Do one light coat all over the pumpkin. Don't forget near the base. I used black, orange, and white - I even tried sage. They all looked great and the orange on white even make the pumpkin looked etched! Spooky pumpkins complete after about 10 minutes of drying time. Take the hose off of the pumpkin and display with pride. Happy Halloween! XO Babs #happyhalloween #pumpkins

✨Sugar Cookie Countertop Cake ✨ This Sugar Cookie Countertop Cake is the perfect cross between a sugar cookie and a cake. Why choose between two favorites when you can have both? This Sugar Cookie Countertop Cake is soft, buttery, and the perfect sweet treat for the holidays. It’s an all-in-one countertop sheet cake. The buttercream frosting has the perfect amount of sweetness, too! I do love a sugar cookie, but this cake is so much easier! Just leave it on the counter and watch it disappear. This countertop cake is famous in my family every holiday season, and I think it will likely be famous in your family this year. Don’t forget the sprinkles! INGREDIENTS: 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 ¼ cups sugar 4 large eggs (one egg separated) 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp fresh lemon juice FROSTING: 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1/4 tsp salt 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted 3-4 tsp heavy cream 2 tsp vanilla extract INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 15x10” pan with baking spray. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat one room-temperature egg white until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Switch to the paddle attachment on the stand mixer and cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla (there is no need to clean the bowl). Turn the mixer off, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, turn the mixer on, and mix until the dough forms. Next add in your egg white (that you set aside) to the batter and fold in. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake at 350° F for 11-13 minutes, until very lightly golden and almost set in the middle. Lean towards undercooking, as it will continue to cook when cooling. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 1 hour. While the cake is cooling, add the frosting ingredients to the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and whip together for about 1 minute or more until light and fluffy. Check the consistency and add more cream if needed. Set aside until ready to use. Once the cake is cool, frost with the Fluffy Vanilla Frosting. Decorate with Holiday sprinkles, cut into squares, and serve. #christmas #sugarcookie

Is it just me or are the kids speaking a new language these days?! #thanksgiving

These old-school cocktail meatballs never disappoint. They bring back a touch of nostalgia — of simpler times and simpler recipes that everyone loves! One of the best parts of this recipe for me is that they can sit on the buffet or counter in the crockpot, and everyone can just help themselves. This year, I am taking it back to simpler times—even when it comes to appetizers! Enjoy. They are so easy and so yummy! INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup grape jelly 3/4 cup chili sauce 1 (24 oz) package of frozen meatballs INSTRUCTIONS: Combine grape jelly and chili sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker. Whisk until somewhat smooth. Pour in the frozen meatballs. Use a spoon to coat the meatballs in the sauce. Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or on LOW for 4 hours. When meatballs are heated through, turn the slow cooker to warm. Serve and enjoy!

I love when I see trends for good so I’m jumping on this one! #shedeservedthepurse #TikTokforGood #TikTok_Partner

Here are six things never to do with your tree this holiday season. 🌲Never toss that little piece of wood from the Christmas tree trunk after sawing the base off. Save it for an ornament! Mark the year for a meaningful tradition year after year. 🌲Never decide on a tree without tapping it on the ground. If needles don't fall off, that means you have a fresh tree! 🌲Never let your tree run out of water. Water your tree twice a day - especially the first two weeks after you get the tree. If you don't add water, the sap can build up in the trunk causing a sap cap to form which will prevent the tree from drinking water. 🌲Never place the tree near heat sources - fireplace, heating vent, and even direct sunlight. The heat will dry out your tree in no time. 🌲Never take your Christmas tree down before January 6 - January 6 is Little Christmas —the real end of the season. Enjoy it to the fullest! 🌲Never vacuum your tree needles with a regular vacuum, either sweep them up or use a heavy duty shop vac. Use a broom or a shop vac to avoid damaging your vacuum. 🌲Never forget to recycle your tree! Check out local recycling centers or nonprofits. Some Boy Scout troops offer a pickup service for a small donation. Are you making these Christmas tree mistakes? #christmas #christmastree

A Pizza Stone! I know...I know..who would think? But years ago, I found this method when I set out to solve my age-old problem of uneven turkeys. It is a Thanksgiving game-changer! Here is how I do it: I place my oven rack in the lowest position. Preheat the oven to 500° with an empty roasting pan on top of a pizza stone. I cover the turkey breast with a double layer of foil and when the oven is preheated, I remove the pan from the oven and add 2 top of avocado oil to the roasting pan. I then place my turkey right in that sizzling roasting pan (breast side up) lower the temperature to 425° and roast it for 45 minutes. Then I remove the foil, spray the breast with olive oil or avocado oil and lower the temperature to 325° and continue to roast until the breast temperature reaches 160° and the legs reach 175°. #thanksgiving #turkey

l'm so excited to give you all a sneak peek of our new home, The Basket House. The home was built in the 1830s, and in 1850, it became a Basket Shop where baskets were woven and sold. We completely fell in love with this home for its rich history and all the charm packed into this 1,500-square-foot cottage. We are preserving as much of the house as possible, and where we can't, we are trying to use period-appropriate reclaimed materials. What do you think think? A big thank you for all of your help picking the color!! We went with option B which was SW-Canal Street. How do you like it? #homerenovation

Here are three simple holiday traditions you can start today, December 5th, with your family! 👟Eve of St. Nicholas Day: The night of December 5th, which is the night before the feast of St. Nicholas, became a time for children to leave out shoes by the front door or fireplace in anticipation of small gifts —mirroring St. Nicholas’s secretive giving. By morning, St. Nicholas may leave little surprises like trinkets and candy. The tradition emphasizes appreciation for simpler times when a modest gift could bring so much happiness. Such a sweet way to embrace a tradition full of wonder and joy! 📜Paper Chains: Create festive paper chains using wrapping paper or paper from vintage books. Perfect for decorating or counting down the days to Christmas. It’s fun for all ages and it’s very therapeutic — even for me! 🕯Advent Wreath: The Advent Wreath is a way to countdown the Sundays before we celebrate the birth of Christ. The first (purple) candle represents hope, the second (purple) candle represents faith, the third (pink) candle represents joy, the fourth (purple) candle represents peace, and the fifth (white) candle, placed in the center, represents the light of Christ and can be lit on Christmas Eve. These are a few of my favorite ways to make the holidays extra special. Do you do any of these? Let me know in the comments! #christmas #holidaytraditions