Cassie DeNisco

Holiday Cocktail Recipe!!

December 19, 2022

I struggled a bit with what type of recipe I wanted to share this month. I decided it would be so fun to share one of my favorite holiday cocktail recipe to get you in the holiday spirit! Recently I’ve gotten really into making cocktails and it’s actually so much fun.

Even if you aren’t hosting a big party, this cocktail is so yummy that you’ll want to make it on your nights in too! I am big on just using what you have at home and this recipe seriously is things you probably already have in your home!

Ingredients:

Vodka

Cranberry Juice (I prefer low/sugar free recipes)

Limes

Lime Juice

Shaker bottle

Directions:

Pour 1/2 cup cranberry juice, 2 cap fulls of Vodka, and 2 squeezes of lime into a shaker with ice. Shake well.
Pour into a cute cocktail glass and garnish with a lime!

I probably didn’t have to give you the written out directions but hey you never know! This recipe is so easy and I love how easily you can control the sugar content. I worry about how much sugar is in those crazy cocktails you get out and about so I love making it at home. I’m not a huge drinker but I love something sweet for the holidays!

This recipe was a hit on Thanksgiving and I feel like it’s going to be just as good for Christmas! The sweet cranberry with the tart lime is soooo good and you have to give it a try! Let me know if you love this holiday cocktail recipe and if you’re interested in more like this!

Shop here for my shaker bottle

Shop here for my cute plastic cocktail glass

Check out my latest blog post here and be sure to subscribe to the blog so you never miss a post!

Christmas Presents for Kids 2022!!

November 30, 2022

I’m sharing another gift guide but this time exclusively for kids! These Christmas presents for kids are great ideas to get the little one on your list this holiday season. I’ve actually never done a dedicated gift guide for kids but I thought I’d give it a try so let me know how you like it!

These are actually presents I’m giving this year so I’m very excited to share them! As always these are affiliate links so I make a small commission if you purchase but no pressure at all!

Sneakers

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Low dunks are seriously everywhere this year and my 12 year old cousin made it quite known he wanted a pair this Christmas! I feel like sneakers are the perfect gift for the older kids who are out of the toy phase but not quite fully in a gift card phase. They still get something cool to unwrap and can actually use/wear right away!

Amazon Gift Card

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I feel like parents and kids of all ages can really benefit from Amazon gift cards! Amazon has toys, clothes, and electronics so it might be nice to give a gift card so they can pick what they want! For little kids, parents might love this gift because they can get clothes and other things in the next sizes up since they’ll know exactly what they need.

Experience

One thing I think gets lost during Christmas is sometimes kids want experiences with you! Whether its a trip to a movie or maybe your local Legoland, kids just want to spend time with you! I have a tradition that I started for birthdays where I’ll take my cousins shopping for whatever they need like clothes shoes. They’ll get a budget and then afterwards we get lunch. It turns into just a fun day and an experience they’ll remember and look forward to!

North Face Jacket

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I love gifting the kids in my life something their parents would never spend money on! I know kids grow so fast so it’s not always practical to spend so much on their clothes but I love a North Face! They’re so comfy and the style has really come a long way. Definitely pricy but sometimes it’s fun to gift something they wouldn’t get otherwise!

Baktivity Subscription Box

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This is literally the coolest thing I’ve found for kids! This is a monthly subscription box that you can get right to your door with ingredients and easy steps to bake things! Think hello fresh but baking and for kids! I know I would love a gift like this as a kid because it’s like the easy bake but just better! You can just pick one box or do a monthly/yearly subscription so it’s really great for all budgets!

I hope you enjoyed this post dedicated to Christmas presents for kids! I’m seriously so excited for this holiday season and I can’t believe December starts tomorrow! Let me know in the comments below who’s on your shopping list this year!

Check out my lastest blog post here and check out last years gift guides here!

Vegan Au Gratin Potato Recipe!!

November 21, 2022

I have been waiting to share this recipe with you because it’s perfect for the holidays! This vegan au gratin potato recipe is next level and so good. I miss out on so many favorites being dairy free and this was life changing when I made it.

I seriously love how easy this recipe is for how good it tastes. These cheesy potatoes pair so well with any holiday dinner so I really wanted to share it now in my holiday recipe series!

Ingredients:

6 thinly sliced potatoes

1 white onion diced finely

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup vegan butter

1/2 cup veggie broth

1 1/2 cup vegan milk

2 cups vegan shredded cheese

1 tablespoon garlic powder

salt & pepper

Directions:

Start by boiling your sliced potatoes in water then drain.
Preheat your oven top 425 and then heat a small pot on the stove.
Begin making the roux by heating oil then the diced onions. Add in water & Salt then butter and once melted slowly mix in flour.
Slowly add more veggie broth then the milk and keep stirring. Add cheese and stir until sauce has thickened. Then immediately remove from heat.
In a baking dish, pour a little of the cheese sauce in then begin layering the potatoes. Pour the rest of the sauce on top.
Bake for 55-60 minutes or until cooked thoroughly and brown!
Enjoy 🙂

I am not joking when I tell you this was the best vegan alternative I’ve made yet! This vegan au gratin potato recipe is delicious and seriously like the real thing! If you make this recipe, let me know!!

If you liked this vegan recipe, check out more here or follow me on Pinterest for more video content!

My Vegan Lasagna Recipe!!

November 7, 2022

As mentioned in my previous post, this November is dedicated to holiday meals! I wanted to share my vegan lasagna recipe because you absolutely still can enjoy lasagna even if you’re dairy free! This is the easiest recipe to make and tastes exactly like the real thing!

One thing I will say is it helps to find the pre made Vegan Ricotta because that seriously makes life easier! I love the Kite Hill brand because they have such a wide variety of vegan products. They’re tricky to find but oh so worth the hunt!

Ingredients:

1/2 box of lasagna noodles

3 cups red sauce

2 cups vegan shredded mozzarella

1 cup vegan ricotta

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
Cook lasagna noodles according to package. Drain water once cooked and set aside.
In medium baking dish, pour a little sauce on the bottom and coat evenly. Begin layering lasagna noodles, v ricotta, and finish off layer with v mozzarella & sauce.
Repeat the process until you have about 3 layers done. On the top layer, pour a little red sauce then top with mozzarella shreds.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until cheese is melted and it looks delicious!!

If you can’t find the vegan ricotta, there are lots of recipes on how to make it yourself with cashews! I was so excited to find it in my local Greens Market so it saved me some time. This was such a nostalgic vegan lasagna recipe that I haven’t had since I’ve gone dairy free.

I’m so excited to be sharing with you these recipes this month! I think with the holidays dairy free and vegan people think they can’t enjoy the same meals but there are ways you absolutely can! If you want to check out more recipes, click here and be sure to follow me on Pinterest here for more video content!!

My Vegan Pumpkin Bread Recipe

December 13, 2021

I love the holidays because of all the pumpkin spice. I wanted to get this post up sooner, but it has really taken me this long to perfect my vegan pumpkin bread recipe. It is finally ready to go out and I am obsessed with it!

This is a really easy recipe and since it’s vegan, it has very minimal ingredients too! I really have tried to move away from white sugar so this also is a little healthier since it uses brown. This recipe is going to be a go to when I want a healthy treat!

Ingredients:

1 c pumpkin puree

1 c brown sugar

1/2 c neutral oil (I used vegetable)

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp sugar free maple syrup

1 3/4 c oat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

Sprinkle of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Prepare a loaf pan with parchment paper and grease it.
Combine pumpkin, brown sugar, oil, apple cider vinegar, and maple syrup in a bowl and mix until combined.
Next, add in your flour, baking soda, baking powder, spice, and salt. Mix again until well combined but try not to over mix. You’ll notice it become fluffy and that is the consistency you want.
Pour batter into loaf pan and cook for 45-50 minutes or until you can stick a knife in it and it comes out clean.
Let it set for an hour and enjoy!

I am obsessed with this recipe. The oat flour makes this vegan pumpkin bread dense and so decadent. This is a perfect dessert to bring to a holiday party which will already be filled with all the other typical goodies. This is a really healthy alternative and I hope you’ll try it out!

If you loved this recipe, follow me on Pinterest for more or you can read my latest recipe here!

PS.. here’s a funny behind the scenes pic of what happens behind most of my food pictures lol!