Festive holiday punch is a great addition to any party, and it’s something that can brighten up your table all day long!

Nothing gets a party started like champagne punch, and this particular recipe has been wildly popular every time. Just this past Saturday, we had our annual holiday party at the farm, and I had to make a second batch, it was such a hit!

As you know, we like to get creative here at Hemlock Lane Farm, and one of the best ways to do that with a punch is a fabulous punch bowl, a colorful ice ring made with a vintage jello mold – check out this antique German horseshoe mold! - and of course, a buffet isn’t complete without Rebecca Ray Tea Towels!

Hemlock Lane Holiday Punch

1 can of frozen lemonade concentrate - I use pink, but you can also use regular

1 bottle of cranberry juice

1 can of frozen limeade concentrate

1 liter of club soda 

1 bottle of prosecco or champagne

1 sliced lemon

1/2 bag of cranberries

1 pint of frozen sherbet - preferably raspberry

Pomegranate seeds

Fresh mint

In a large punch bowl, add all liquids. I like to toss in ice cubes (or make an ice ring out of a jello mold). Add in Sherbet when you are ready to serve; garnish drinks with cranberries, pomegranate seeds and sliced lemons.

For a festive look, use an antique jello mold ring - you might even find a horseshoe one! - partly filled with a mix of cranberries, blueberries, lemons and lime slices, then fill to nearly the top with water or cranberry juice. Prepare and freeze the day before and toss into the punch bowl right before you serve.

Rebecca’s homemade cranberry sauce (with Grand Marnier!) presented in a vintage Orrfor's crystal bowl. 

How can something this gorgeous (and glorious on the palate) be THIS easy? It’s Mom Miracle I'm delighted to share with you. Serve in a gorgeous crystal bowl, right on the table, for your holiday feast. The deep red is a beautiful complement to elegant Rebecca Ray napkins, and low evergreen centerpiece, decorated with felted animals, antique glass ornaments, or whatever speaks to you.

Rebecca’s Mom’s Cranberry Sauce

4 cups of cranberries

1 small navel orange, quartered with the peel left on

1 to 11/2 cups of sugar

4 Tablespoons of Grand Marnier

In a Cuisinart, process 1/2 the cranberries and orange until coarsely chopped. Remove to mixing bowl. Process the other half of cranberries and orange. Add to mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of sugar and the Grand Marnier. Check for sweetness, you may add more sugar to your liking. Seal tight in fridge overnight to let flavors blend. Serve in a crystal or glass bowl (I put mine right on the table in the heaviest crystal bowl I have with a mint leaf garnish.) Best served chilled. 

A holiday party staple, you’ll want to give this classic Sweet Potato Casserole from Rebecca’s kitchen a spin. The secret of changing up the sugar makes it exceptional!  

Holiday Sweet Potato Casserole is our daughter Lizzie’s favorite holiday recipe! Most everyone has this recipe on hand, but if you want to know the secret to a version that’s truly over the top… it’s specialty sugars from Savory Spice, a small American business that the foodies on our team are just nuts about. 

Pattern the marshmallows as a snowflake or other design, optionally garnish with maple candy leaves, and serve in an antique glass casserole for simple, time-honored elegance.

Holiday Sweet Potato Casserole 

2 large cans of yams, drained

1 cup of granulated sugar - plain white, whiskey-smoked, or our favorite, pure maple sugar!

1 stick of real butter (1/2 C)

2 teaspoons of vanilla

2 eggs

Topping:

1 cup of dark brown sugar

1/3 C flour

1/3 C of real butter, melted

Mini marshmallows

Mix main ingredients (mash potatoes but leave them a little lumpy). Place in a glass square pan or casserole dish.

Next, mix topping ingredients, and scatter across the top of the casserole. Decorate the top with mini marshmallows (I like to make a snowflake pattern). Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30 minutes. 

It’s an annual treat at Hemlock Lane Farm: Derek’s Sticky Toffee Cake with Decadent Caramel Sauce, presented on a vintage farmhouse platter.

Once a year, for Christmas. That’s the only chance our family has to enjoy this most incredible, delectable, crazy-decadent masterpiece that is my husband’s Sticky Toffee Cake with Decadent Caramel Sauce. Truly swoon-worthy, this is to be looked forward to each year! 

Derek’s Sticky Toffee Cake with Decadent Caramel Sauce 

Cake:

2 1//2 cups of flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 1/2 cups of water

1 1/4 cups of chopped, pitted dates - we use Dole California Chopped Dates

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks), brought to room temperature

2/3 cup of white sugar

4 large eggs, brought to room temperature

2 teaspoons of quality real vanilla extract

Caramel Sauce:

4 cups of heavy whipping cream

2 cups of packed Dark Brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

Make the Sauce first:

Bring cream, dark brown sugar and butter to a boil in a heavy sauce pan over medium high heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Once at a boil, reduce heat and simmer sauce until it has reduced to about 3 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, taking about 6 minutes. Set aside. 

If making in advance, you may also refrigerate it, then reheat gently at medium-low, stirring frequently before using. 

Make Cake:

Preheat oven to 350° degrees. Combine 1 1/2 cups of water, dates and baking soda in another medium saucepan and bring to boil. Remove from heat. Cool completely. 

Butter a 12 cup Bundt pan. (We use a heavy weight cathedral-style Bundt pan I’ve had for years.) Butter cake form carefully so cake releases intact. Whisk flour and baking powder in a medium bowl to blend. Set aside. 

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in vanilla and half of flour mixture, then date mixture. Blend in remaining flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan. 

Bake cake until cake rises and it is golden on top, about 45 minutes.

Pour 3/4 cup of caramel sauce over the cake in Bundt; continue baking until tester stick comes out clean with no crumbs (may have sauce on it), about 15 minutes. Cool cake 10 minutes and gentle turn the cake over onto platter to release. 

You can make the cake a day ahead - but allow the cake to cool COMPLETELY before wrapping it airtight and storing at room temperature.

Cover and refrigerate remaining caramel sauce.

To serve: Cut cake into slices, warm up and drizzle caramel sauce over cake slices, allowing sauce to pool on the plate around cake. Real whipped cream adds a nice presentation, but is not necessary.

Learn more about Rebecca Ray Designs!