It’s holiday season! Nothing creates a fun family environment like tasty food. A month or so ago I shared a pumpkin bread recipe with you on Instagram and you loved it. I wanted to share a few more of my favorite holiday recipes with you. I hope you love them! Be sure to tag me in your photos if you make any of these. :)

To help you make these, we also made a fun video of Andrew, my mom, and me cooking together that you can follow along with.

Watch the cooking video ↗

Apple Pie or Pumpkin Pancakes with Vanilla Maple Syrup

The pancakes are a perfect breakfast on a fall morning—or anytime you want to savor cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. The flavors pair wonderfully with apples. Bits of grated apple add texture to otherwise soft, fluffy pancakes, and your house will smell incredible.

Yields: 7–8 pancakes · Prep time: 10 minutes · Cook time: about 5 minutes · Total time: 15 minutes

Dry mix

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

Wet mix

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix-in and syrup

  • 1 cup grated apple (about one medium apple), or pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice
  • Butter or vegetable oil for the skillet
  • About ½ cup maple syrup, gently warmed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or the scrapings of one vanilla bean
  • Cinnamon
  • Butter
  • Heavy whipping cream

Mama’s Fried Potatoes

These were my Great Grandma Hazel’s masterpiece. I think the art was inherited—my grandma, aunt, and mom have all been able to recreate them. After peeling, slice each potato lengthwise into about five slices without letting go, then slice across into roughly ¼-inch pieces and fry them up.

Serves: 4–6 · Prep time: 20 minutes · Total time: 40 minutes

  • 6 potatoes
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  • Heat oil in a heavy frying pan.
  • Slice potatoes and spread them in the pan.
  • Salt and pepper, then fry until the edges are crispy, turning regularly.

Mama’s Crockpot Ham

I don’t know how, but this makes the best brown gravy. It goes very well with Mama’s homemade mac and cheese.

  • 1 picnic ham
  • 1 can 7-Up

Put everything in a crockpot for 4–6 hours on low or medium.

Mama’s Monkey Bread

Prep time: 15 minutes · Total time: 50 minutes · Oven: 350°F

  • 4 cans refrigerated biscuits
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar

Directions

  • Cut biscuits into fourths (I use kitchen shears).
  • Shake in a large baggie with ⅔ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon to coat.
  • Layer biscuits and caramel sauce in a pan.
  • Bake for 35 minutes at 350°F.
  • Invert onto a platter to serve.
  • For the caramel sauce, melt the butter, remaining cinnamon, and brown sugar over medium heat.