An upgraded coleslaw that's crunchy, fresh and delicious. Made with cabbage, apples, cranberries and almonds and it's all coated in sweet and tangy dressing. It's the perfect side for BBQ's, parties or picnics!

Apple Slaw Recipe

Who doesn't love coleslaw? It's crunchy, it's creamy, it has just enough sweetness, and it goes with just about anything. It's always quick to be polished off.

Here you get the perfect blend of textures and flavors with the mix-in additions of apples, cranberries, almonds and optional cheese. And it's covered in a more wholesome, lighter Greek yogurt dressing (versus a classic coleslaw dressing that has as much as a cup of mayonnaise in it).

This apple slaw recipe has a pleasant mild flavor to it, but if you'd like a more pronounced flavor you can add in a tablespoon of dijon mustard to the dressing.

And if you want to skip a step and go with a shortcut, you can use a coleslaw mix in place of the shredded cabbage and carrots. Also just chop the apples instead of getting paticular and cutting into matchsticks to save time.

I think it's time for pulled pork or pulled chicken sandwiches this week for dinner, don't you? And then of course this homemade coleslaw to go with it!

Perfect Beef Tenderloin

Yes beef tenderloin is expensive because it only makes for a small percentage of the meat yield from a steer (or heifer), so that rarity along with it's highly sought after demand makes it a pricey cut of meat.

But of course during the holidays it's worth the splurge. It's buttery tender and doesn't get better than this! The tenderloin (or filet mignon when cut into individual portions) has the best texture (it's ruined many cheap cuts of roast for me because it's so superior).

Here we follow a straight forward method to prepare and cook it, it's seriously easy and hard to mess up. It is however almost imperative you have a key piece of kitchen equipment. You'll need a trusty probe oven thermometer (I highly recommend the Chef Alarm I own a few and they work well. Other cheaper options are available online as well).

If you are going to spend that much on a cut of meat you don't want to ruin it. The cook time will vary based on thickness of the roast and desired doneness, so it's best to take out all the guess work and risk and use a thermometer that will monitor the temp the entire time and alert you when it's ready to your desired target temperature.

It's understandable though if you don't already own one and you just have an instant read food thermometer. If going this route you'll just want to start to check the temperature at about 1 hour then continue to closely monitor it, while taking the temp quickly and don't let heat escape the oven for long.

Note that you can purchase beef tenderloin peeled of silver skin and other tough connective tissue that's ready to cook (you'll pay a bit more per pound), or you can peel it yourself and save some money (just keep in mind you'll need a 6 lb roast here rather than 5).

What to Serve with It

If you are wondering what to serve with this, I know this may be repetitive, but everyone seems perfectly pleased by the classic meat and potatoes combo especially over the holidays. Whether it's scalloped potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes, a roasted potato veggie blend, parmesan mashed potatoes, or just baked potatoes you can't go wrong with comfort food classics.

Salads and the typical bright greens go well too. Steamed or roasted broccoli, green beans, asparagus, or Brussels sprouts.

And make it a completely homestyle meal with homemade rosemary dinner rolls, then fancy it up with my favorite vanilla bean cheesecake to finish for dessert. I'd call it the perfect meal!

Love a good stuffing recipe? Also try my classic stuffing recipe, crockpot stuffing, and apple rosemary stuffing.

Our Favorite Cornbread Stuffing!

Once you try this recipe you'll likely want to make it over and over again. It's so good in fact it may take the place of your favorite bread based stuffing.

There's just something about that extra corn flavor here that really makes it shine. And no drying out bread cubes is necessary in this recipe.

Of course it's perfect for a holiday meal but it's actually simple enough that it fits well into a weekend meal, paired with a roast chicken and mashed potatoes of course.

It has browned and crisp edges, a soft buttery interior and there's layer after layer of flavor throughout. In other words it's destined to become the highlight and talk of any dinner meal!

Free up the Oven, Make Stuffing in a Crockpot!

This is a go-to stuffing recipe for us, once you try it you'll see why! It's just as good as what you can make in the oven and it's less tending to.

If you always hated stuffing growing up because you ate the boxed stuff I highly recommend trying this slow cooker stuffing recipe!

Once I tried this made from scratch version I was hooked. You'll love all the fresh, real flavor it has when it's homemade, plus it's easier to make than you'd think.

This stuffing is packed with fresh herbs, it's made from freshly dried bread cubes (I listed store-bought bread cubes as an option just in case you don't have time to make your own), and has the perfect amount of butter and veggies.

On Thanksgiving we all know how little oven space is available so it always helps to either be able to make some of it ahead of time or in the slow cooker. This recipe is a game changer.

And believe it or not I think you'll love the way the slow cooker cooks the stuffing. You get a soft buttery center and deliciously crisp edges. What's not to love?

I hope this recipe becomes a staple for your Thanksgiving dinner! It's just one of those timeless classics that always pleases. It's just good for the soul comfort food.

The Perfect Roast Turkey Recipe!

I don't know what it is about roasting a turkey but it can seem like one of the most intimidating things to prepare and cook for the first time. Maybe it's because it's generally made to feed a lot of people so along with that comes the stress of possibly messing dinner up for a lot of people, plus being served on Thanksgiving means it's that once a year special event.

This easy, straightforward recipe is hard to mess up by following the simple guidelines and steps (as in, don't begin with a partial frozen turkey and be sure you fully cook it through).

The secret in this turkey recipe is in the butter and flavorings. The butter helps yield a nicely browned skin and a juicy, flavorful meat while the lemon and herbs infuse a nice flavor.

This roast turkey will be the star of the show at your holiday feast with it's delicious flavor and moist, tender texture. It's a turkey that does the yearly tradition proud!

Easy Crockpot Mac and Cheese!

This is hands the absolute easiest way to make macaroni and cheese! And believe it or not and it's unbelievably creamy, no broken curdled sauce, and the taste is simply perfect.

My tricks to a good crockpot mac and cheese are to use a combination of cream, water, and evaporated milk - instead of regular milk so it doesn't curdle. Then also waiting until closer to the end to add the cheese so that doesn't overheat and separate.

And another important key is to use a combination of cheeses for great flavor and texture. Sharp cheddar builds up the best traditional macaroni and cheese flavor, while each American cheese and Monterey Jack cheese create a velvety sauce.

The starches of cooking everything together in one pot (or slow cooker insert technically) also helps create a smooth sauce.

This is a family favorite! It has a well balanced flavor that isn't too harsh so people of all ages love it, and the cook will love the ease of preparation.

It's jam packed flavorful goodness in every bite and undoubtedly worthy of the holidays, but yet simple enough for a weeknight side dish!

Watch the Video!

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This post is sponsored by Danish Creamery. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Best Pumpkin Soup!

This is my idea of the best pumpkin soup! It's like autumn in a bowl and it has such inviting flavor, plus it couldn't be easier.

No chopping, seeding, roasting and pureeing pumpkin necessary in this recipe. Believe it or not this starts with canned pumpkin and you will be wowed by the end result!

Part of the secret to what makes it so good is the indulgent Danish Creamery Butter.This premium butter takes a bland fruit and turns it into something that is perfectly highlighted with rich flavor (sometimes I even sneak in 2 extra tablespoons of the butter!).

Danish Creamery has been using the same recipe to make their butter since 1895. Using just two ingredients, high quality cream and a touch of sea salt.

It’s just the way butter should be. Here it is the perfect compliment to this soup!

Wondering what to serve with this pumpkin soup? It pairs beautifully with rustic bread for dipping (a hearty French bread or whole wheat are great options), and a fall inspired side salad such as this delicious kale salad.

A New Favorite Fall Recipe

We all love the classic pumpkin chocolate chip cookies but sometimes it's nice to switch up tradition for something different but equally as delicious. These iced pumpkin cookies fill that space perfectly.

These are a very similar to those cakey pumpkin flavored cookies we are used to but dark chocolate chips are omitted and instead they're finish them with two types of icing and chopped nuts.

They may just take the winning lead for your favorite fall cookie!

They are fun to decorate two. One way I came up with is to use both types of icing and finish with a criss-cross pattern that becomes a pretty autumn plaid design. All you need is to small resealable bags or two piping bags to create it (and snip a small corner away with scissors to drizzle over).

Just plain on two per person because most likely everyone will want to try each type of icing. Let us know which you love the most!

Perfect Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

We all love pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, but have you tried pumpkin whoopie pies yet?

They are very similar but rather than being dotted with dark chocolate chips two cookies are layered and meld together with a rich cream cheese frosting in the center. So it's like an irresistible cake but in single serve cookie form, and they're easier to make!

These soft and fluffy cookies are delicious rolled in chopped pecans or walnuts which also adds a light crunch. Or you could try adding some chocolate chips to the cookie dough for an extra decadence.

Try them at least once this fall, you won't regret it!

It's supremely delicious and destined to be a highlight of any dinner or celebration!

Upgraded Old Fashioned Chocolate Cream Pie

This is one of the dreamiest pies with its trio of layering, its silky smooth texture, and its abundant decadence of chocolate flavor. You’ll find it’s even a step up from the traditional old classic since chopped chocolate is included as well rather than just cocoa powder.

It tastes just like chocolate pudding but in pie form!

Sure during the holidays we all love our fruity pies but some sort of chocolate pie is always a welcome change and definitely deserves a place in the line up. Chocolate lovers will thank you.

It will be savored down to the last creamy topped crumb and may likely become a repeatedly requested tradition each holiday season!

There are a few steps to it, especially if you prepare the homemade pie crust but it's worth every bit of effort and overall it is a straightforward easy method to follow. A critical step is just that you ensure the filling is thickened well over the stovetop so you're pie will be firm enough to hold up when sliced.

If you find you are short on time to make this completely from scratch pie you could try my easy chocolate mousse pie instead (then save this recipe for when time allows). It's super fluffy and equally as tempting!