Holidays/5 recipes

White chocolate orange buttercream for a holiday Buche de Noel, made with egg yolks, half-and-half, and Grand Marnier. Part 1 of a stunning Christmas log cake topped with toasted almonds and cranberries.

Old-fashioned divinity candy with holiday, chocolate, and ginger variations. The classic Southern white candy: cloud-light, melt-on-your-tongue texture, made by streaming hot syrup into beaten egg whites.

Baked brie topped with spiced cranberry sauce, brown sugar, pecans, and a hint of rum extract. A gooey, 15-minute holiday appetizer that disappears fast.

Three-ingredient pretzel turtles with mini pretzels, Rolo or chocolate caramel candies, and toasted pecan halves. Easy no-fail sweet-and-salty holiday treat ready in 15 minutes.

Hot wassail made with apple juice, pineapple juice, and cranberry juice simmered with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and lemon. A non-alcoholic holiday punch ready in 15 minutes.

Goose with apples is the classic Danish Christmas roast, stuffed with apples, prunes, and onion to perfume the meat as it slowly renders. A 3-hour holiday centerpiece for 15.

Traditional Pennsylvania Dutch lebkuchen spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and wine, loaded with raisins and chopped nuts. A heritage holiday cookie baked in just 15 minutes.

Classic coffee Irish cream liqueur with whiskey, Kahlua, and sweetened condensed milk ready in 1 minute. Shake, chill, and serve this creamy homemade holiday cocktail.

Roasted turkey breast basted with orange juice concentrate, served with a homemade orange-blackberry relish thickened with brown sugar and cornstarch. A stunning, fruity holiday centerpiece that feeds 15.

No-bake cocoa bourbon balls with crushed vanilla wafers, pecans, cocoa powder, and corn syrup rolled in granulated sugar. A classic holiday candy ready in 15 minutes.

Ham in champagne baked with two bottles of extra dry champagne, brown sugar, honey, ginger, and dry mustard. A showstopping holiday ham with a bubbly glaze basted every 15 minutes until lacquered.

Quick sherry pan gravy with currant jelly, orange juice, soy sauce, and a splash of sherry, thickened with cornstarch. A sweet-savory sauce ready in 15 minutes for roast game, duck, lamb, or holiday turkey.

Whipped cranberry orange butter made with just three ingredients in 15 minutes. Cranberry sauce and orange marmalade beaten into fluffy butter for rolls, toast, and holiday breads.

Green bean casserole made in the microwave with canned green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and crispy French fried onion rings on top. The classic holiday side dish ready in just 15 minutes.

Holiday mint log is a light chocolate sponge cake rolled into a classic yule log shape. Separated eggs keep the cake airy enough to roll without cracking, baked in just 12-15 minutes.