Midwest Living Holiday Cookbook 2008

Chocolate frosting tops a moist chocolate bread to create a spectacular Christmas treat -- as delightful to look at as it is to eat. Use either chopped pistachio nuts or almonds for a bit of crunch.Chocolate-Pistachio Wreath Bread

These tender holiday muffins, dressed up with a nutmeg-streusel topping, come from the Washington House Inn in Cedarburg, Wisconsin.Eggnog Muffins

You can assemble the cheesy Herbed Egg-Potato Bake up to two days ahead and refrigerate it. Serve with Sugared Bacon-Wrapped Smokies sausage and warm Cranberry-Apple Crisp.Herbed Egg-Potato BakeSugared Bacon-Wrapped SmokiesCranberry-Apple Crisp

Ginger and molasses unite in our spicy breakfast bread. Ground ginger and crystallized ginger give a double dose of the popular seasoning.Gingerbread Scones

White wine, cream, white wine vinegar, Brie and fresh herbs create a rich appetizer or main dish. Our recipe also tells you how to adjust the ingredients to make Brie Fondue.Creamy Brie Soup

At the White Gull Inn in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, cheddar and mushrooms flavor indulgent steaks.Stuffed Beef Tenderloin Filet

Our Tomato Pesto Turkey gets an extra sparkle of flavor from herb pesto salt and pepper slipped under the skin of a turkey breast. For Chipotle Smashed Potatoes, mix yellow and sweet potatoes with cream cheese, butter, sour cream, bacon and canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. Brined Brussels Sprouts with Lemony Mushrooms are skillet-roasted and tossed with seasoned mushrooms.Tomato Pesto TurkeyChipotle Smashed PotatoesBrined Brussels Sprouts with Lemony Mushrooms

It takes time to peel and section or slice fruit for our Persimmon, Blood Orange and Pomegranate Salad. But the result is a colorful burst of fresh flavor that's worth the effort. To save time, use 2-3 cups jarred, drained, sectioned citrus fruit in place of the four oranges. Pull-Apart Cornmeal Dinner Rolls add a soft touch to the salad plate.Persimmon, Blood Orange and Pomegranate SaladPull-Apart Cornmeal Dinner Rolls

If your family eats holiday meals early in the day, they might be hungry again by the time the sun goes down. For a special supper, try comforting Veggie-Cheese Chowder or Smoky Chili, plus a light Festive Red Slaw that combines red cabbage, apples and red or green onions with a sweet-and-sour dressing. Honey-Wheat Pan Rolls bake in muffin pans, so you'll get a nice, cloverleaf shape.Veggie-Cheese ChowderSmoky ChiliFestive Red SlawHoney-Wheat Pan Rolls

We took the red velvet cake we love and gave it a creamy twist. Don't let the red color fool you: The flavor is all chocolate.Red Velvet Cheesecake

Make-ahead Pumpkin Trifle layers cranberries, cake and pumpkin. Packaged ingredients, such as canned pumpkin, frozen pound cake, canned cranberry sauce, toffee candy bars and instant pudding mix, shorten prep time.Pumpkin Trifle

Dream about all the ingredients you'd like to see in a dessert, and you'll see why we named this Fantasy Chocolate Pie. It's made with three kinds of chocolate pieces plus coconut, pecans and almonds. For extra indulgence, top with whipped cream and chocolate curls.Fantasy Chocolate Pie

Finishing touches add a festive flair to these cookies. Dip Chocolatey Shortbread Bites in melted semisweet or white chocolate and top with a chocolate candy. Give extra zing to Lemony Spritz Cookies with lemon glaze and colored sugar.Chocolatey Shortbread BitesLemony Spritz Cookies

The recipe for this four-layer cake-with a puddinglike filling, unmistakable poppy seed flavor and soft whipped cream frosting-comes from Wisconsin's White Gull Inn.Poppy Seed Torte

For Lemon Drop Bark, just melt the candy coating, add the candy, and you're done -- it's that simple. The crushed lemon drops give this sweet treat some pucker.Biscotti gets its crunch from baking twice. Our citrus-speckled Lemon Walnut Biscotti recipe comes from the Inn at Kristofer's in Sister Bay, Wisconsin.Lemon Drop BarkLemon Walnut Biscotti

Choose your favorite fresh fruits for this make-ahead side dish. We used papaya, kiwifruit, fresh pineapple chunks and star fruit.Five-Spice Tropical Fruit