Every year children and adults alike look forward to the holidays. Unfortunately, along with the fun there’s also a good deal of stress associated with them. Here are some ideas that may help you avoid the holiday stress and actually enjoy it instead.

Don’t dwell on the past – Your family may have had great holiday traditions that you remember fondly. Or your memories may come from the other end of the spectrum where the memories aren’t good at all. In either case, you may feel you either have to meet those traditions and surpass them, or you may feel pressured to create some great holiday traditions of your own.

What happened in the past, for good or bad, is just that – past. There’s nothing you can do to go back and change it. Even if you could, it may not be the best idea. Instead of trying to meet or exceed your own expectations about the past, take the good memories and think of them. You don’t need the added stress during the holiday season. Be in the present with your family. You’ll all enjoy the holiday much more if you are.

Avoid perfectionism – Nothing in life is perfect. That includes circumstances surrounding the holidays, the amount of money in our checking account, our homes, or our families. Instead of trying to attain a perfect holiday meal, work toward enjoying the time you have with your family. Learn to let go of perfectionism and embrace imperfection because that’s where we all are anyhow.

Take care of yourself – No one takes care of themselves like they should during the holidays. Poor nutrition, lack of sleep, no exercise, and spending too much money can all contribute to holiday stresses that we don’t need.

Give yourself permission to rest on the weekends leading up to the holidays rather than stuffing another party on the already cramped calendar. Let other people in your family take on some of the responsibilities for the family dinner. There’s nothing written in stone that says you have to do everything.

Plan ahead – Don’t wait until the last minute to buy presents or purchase the food that you’ll need for the holidays. Wrap any presents you already have well in advance. That will mark one more item off of your holiday to-do list. Start baking cookies and pies weeks ahead and then freeze them until they are needed. This will remove a lot of unneeded stress and give you time to enjoy the holiday.

Stress is always a part of our lives. It’s what we do with it that makes or breaks us. Avoid the holiday stresses of the holidays by following some of these ideas. Find time for yourself and enjoy the holidays with the rest of the family.

What You Need:

4 eggs

2 C pumpkin puree

1/2 C light molasses

1 C milk

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

How to Make It:

Place the oven temperature on 350 degrees and allow the oven to heat while preparing the pudding.

Spray a square glass baking dish with a non stick cooking spray.

Break the eggs into a mixing bowl.

Whip with a fork until light and fluffy.

Stir the pumpkin puree in with beaten eggs making sure they are combined wel.

Pour in the molasses and then the milk.

Continue stirring until completely mixed together.

Sprinkle in the cinnamon and ginger and mix until just combined through.

Place the pudding in the prepared baking dish.

Bake 55 minutes or until firm.

6 Servings

This pudding is great right out of the oven or it can be covered and placed in the refrigerator to cool before serving.  Sprinkle a little nutmeg over the top before serving.

What You Need:

1 qt. water

2 TBSP salt

2 C pumpkin seeds

1 TBSP unsalted butter, melted

How to Make It:

Place the oven temperature on 250 degrees

Place the water in a large saucepan over medium high heat.

Sprinkle in the salt and bring the water to a steady boil.

Add the seeds and continue boiling for 12 minutes.

Drain the seeds well using a colander.

Lay the seeds in a single layer on a piece of paper towel and pat them dry.

Place the melted butter in a mixing bowl.

Add the seeds and toss to coat evenly.

Spread the seeds in a single layer on a large baking sheet.

Bake 35 minutes being sure to stir every 12 minutes or so during the baking.

Seeds should be a light golden brown and crispy when toasted. 

Allow the seeds to cool before shelling and eating. 

Makes 2 C of toasted seeds

These can be added to any trail mix or snack mix or eaten just as they are.

What You Need:

1/2 C canola oil

2 C white onions, chopped fine

2 green onions, chopped fine

1/2 C celery, chopped fine

1 green chili pepper, chopped fine

3 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth

2 C pumpkin puree

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 C evaporated skim milk, don’t dilute

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

How to Make It:

Pour the oil into a large saucepan and place the pan over medium heat.

Stir in both types of onion, the celery and the chili pepper.

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onions become transparent.

Pour in the chicken broth and stir slightly.

Fold in the pumpkin puree.

Add the bay leaf and cumin and stir until combined.

Allow the mixture to come to a steady boil.

Reduce the stove burner heat to low.

Simmer 30 minutes being sure to stir often.

Remove the bay leaf from the pan and discard.

Pour in the evaporated milk and stir gently.

Continue to cook 5 minutes being sure the bisque does not boil again.

Add salt and pepper to taste and stir to incorporate before placing the bisque in serving bowls.

6 Servings

Sprinkle the top of the bisque with a little Parmesan cheese before serving.

What You Need:

1 (4 lb.)  pumpkin

3 qt. water

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 C long grain rice

2 tart apples, cored, peeled and diced

1/2 C dried cherries

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 TBSP sugar

3/4 tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 C hot water

How to Make It:

Wash, cut out the top and remove the seeds from the pumpkin.

Use a melon baller to scoop as much of the pumpkin pulp as possible out of the pumpkin.

Chop the pulp and place in large mixing bowl.

Place the water in a saucepan and add the salt.

Stir in the rice.

Place the pan over medium high heat, cover and cook the rice 15 minutes or just until starting to soften.

Drain the rice well through a colander.

Heat the oven up to 325 degrees.

In the bowl with the pumpkin pulp place the rice, apples and cherries.

Add the melted butter and mix well to combine.

Sprinkle in the sugar and cinnamon and continue to stir until all the ingredients are completely covered.

Stuff the pumpkin shell with the mixture and sprinkle the hot water over the top of the stuffing.

Place the lid back on the pumpkin.

Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.

Bake 1 hour and 45 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.

Allow to cool slightly before cutting into 8 wedges.

8 Servings

This tastes great and makes a great centerpiece for any Thanksgiving dinner table.

What You Need:

2 small whole pumpkins

4 TBSP sugar

6 TBSP Tamari sauce, divided

1 C water

1/4 C raisins

1/4 C apricots, chopped

1 tart apple, chopped

1/2 C walnuts, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 white onion, chopped

1 red onion, chopped

1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 small yellow squash, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

2 C brown rice, cooked

1/4 tsp. mace

1/4 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

How to Make It:

Wash, cut out the top and clean out the seeds of both pumpkins.

In a mixing bowl combine the sugar and 2 TBSP Tamari sauce.

Coat the inside of the pumpkins with the mixture.

Turn the oven heat to 350 degrees and allow the oven to reach that temperature.

Place the water in the bottom of a large baking pan.

Place the pumpkins in the pan and replace the tops.

Cover completely with foil.

Bake 18 minutes or until the inside of the pumpkin begins to tender when pricked with a fork.

Place the raisins, apricots, apples and walnuts together in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine.

Add the celery, both onions, corn, all 3 peppers, the squash, the mace and turmeric and mix well.

Carefully fold in the cooked rice.

Place the remaining 4 TBSP of Tamari sauce into the mixture and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated together.

Sprinkle the cinnamon inside the two pumpkins being sure to cover them well.

Divide the vegetable mixture between the two pumpkins and replace the tops on the pumpkins.

Place more water in the baking pan if necessary to ensure the bottom is completely covered.

Continue baking uncovered for 50 minutes. 

Stir to incorporate the pumpkin pulp into the stuffing mixture before serving.

8 Servings

Be very careful when removing the pumpkins from the pan.  The bottoms become very soft during baking.  Place a piece of foil in the bottom of the pan and over the sides before placing the water and pumpkins in the pan. When ready to remove fold the foil over the pumpkins and lift the pumpkin out to keep the bottom together.  Any leftover should be stored in a container in the refrigerator and not left in the pumpkin shells.

What You Need:

1 (1/4oz.) pkg. active dry yeast

1/3 C sugar, divided

3/4 C milk, lukewarm

7 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp. fresh nutmeg, grated

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces

1 lg. egg, slightly beaten

2 C pumpkin puree

1 lg. egg yolk only

1 TBSP water

How to Make It:

Pour the yeast and 1 tsp. of sugar into the lukewarm milk.

Cover and allow to rest 5 minutes or until the mixture becomes foamy.

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and add the remaining sugar, nutmeg and salt.

Add the butter pieces and mix with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture becomes coarse.

Break the egg into the mixture and fold in the pumpkin puree.

Add the yeast mixture and work with your hands until a soft dough forms.

Place the dough on a flat and lightly floured surface.

Knead the dough for 8 minutes or until it has an elastic but smooth texture.

Add flour a little at a time if necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the surface.

Butter a large bowl on the bottom and up the sides.

Form the dough into a ball and place in the bowl and coat dough completely with butter.

Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise to twice its size, about 1 hour.

Divide the dough into 12 pieces.

Butter a spring form pan well.

Place the dough pieces in the pan, cover and place in a warm area and allow them to rise for 45 minutes.

Heat the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Place the egg yolk in a bowl and add the water and whisk until combined.

Brush the dough pieces all over with the egg wash.

Bake the rolls 35 minutes or until a light golden brown.

12 Servings

These can be made a week ahead of time, wrapped well and frozen until ready to use.  To reheat, wrap in foil and place in a 325 degree oven for 20 minutes.

What You Need:

4 C sugar

1 C milk

3 TBSP light corn syrup

1 C pumpkin puree

3 TBSP unsalted butter, broken up

1 tsp. vanilla

2 C walnuts, coarsely chopped

How to Make It:

Butter a 9 in square pan well on the bottom and up the sides and set aside.

Place the sugar into a large heavy saucepan.

Pour in the milk and the corn syrup.

Fold in the pumpkin puree and mix all the ingredients together well.

Turn the stove burner to medium low and place the saucepan over the heat.

Stir continuously cook until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Stop stirring once the sugars has dissolved and continue to cook until a candy thermometer reaches 238 degrees.

Remove the pan from the stove.

Add the butter but do not stir the mixture.

Allow the mixture to set until the candy thermometer reaches 140 degrees.

Add the vanilla and stir to combine.

Add the walnuts and using a wooden spoon briskly stir the mixture for 45 seconds.

Pour the mixture immediately into the prepared square pan.

Once the fudge begins to harden cut it into small squares. 

Allow the fudge to cool completely before removing the squares to an air tight container.

2 lb. Serving

The walnuts can be replaced with pecans or can be left out completely if you prefer.  The fudge can be stored in a cool place for up to 10 days. 

What You Need:

2 1/2 C vanilla wafer cookies, crushed

1 C toasted almonds, ground

1/2 C powdered sugar, sifted

 2 tsp. cinnamon

1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips

1 C pumpkin puree

1/3 C coffee liqueur

How to Make It:

Place the crushed cookies and the ground almonds into a large mixing bowl.

Sift the powdered sugar over the top of the cookies and almonds.

Sprinkle in the cinnamon and toss the ingredients to cover well.

Add the chocolate chips to the mixture and toss again to make sure the chips are completely mixed in.

Fold in the pumpkin puree and pour the liqueur over the top.

Mix with your hands until combined together well.

Roll mixture with your hands into 1 in. balls.

Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with wax paper about 2 in apart.

Place in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or until the truffles are firm.

48 Truffles

Apple juice may be substituted for the coffee liqueur if you prefer.  Roll the balls in sifted powered sugar, coconut or ground almonds or dip them in melted semi sweet chocolate.  If dipping in chocolate return them to the refrigerator to chill until the chocolate is set.

What You Need:

1/2 C pumpkin puree

3/4 C vanilla yogurt

2 tsp. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

4 ice cubes

How to Make It:

Place the pumpkin puree and yogurt into the blender.

Add the brown sugar and pulse to just combine.

Sprinkle the cinnamon and nutmeg into the mixture.

Add the ice cubes and blend until the mixture is smooth but still thick.

Pour the mixture into 2 milk shake style glasses.

2 Servings

Place a small dollop of whip topping with a generous portion of sprinkles on the top and watch the kids slurp up this thick and delicious yogurt shake.  1 C of whole milk can be substituted for the yogurt if you prefer.