Mariooch's Kitchen

I wanted to take the time to wish you all a happy holiday season. It’s been a very busy year finishing my newest cookbook, NOURISH ~ Celebrating Nature’s Harvest & A Healthy Lifestyle which will be launching this spring. Also, I have been enjoying my role as a contributing editor for the Princeton Magazine. I have some lovely recipes that you can find online under my name. I am very active on Instagram @marioochcooks. Follow me there for more recipes and tips. There are many new recipes I have added in this space so be sure to go to my recipe menu and check those out. They are sure to be a big hit!

All of my cookbooks are all available on Amazon with the exception of my first cookbook, Food That Will Gather Your Family is available to order through Barnes & Noble, or you can grab a copy on Amazon. Your local B &N can order that book. I hope you order my books and enjoy them for years to come. They make great holiday gifts.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday. Embrace everything this season has to offer: cookie making, snuggling by the fire with your pups, warm woolen sweaters, hot cocoa, warm apple cider, and cozy meals like soups and stews, spending more time with cherished family and friends coming from near and far, and reflecting on the year that past and what we hope for in the New Year ahead. Best, Mary x

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend. As we start gearing up for the holidays, I want to be sure I share with you my article “A Celebration of Christmas Cookies from Medieval Times to Today”. I am a contributing editor for the Princeton Magazine and had the pleasure of sharing two delicious cookie recipes in this article. I also give you tons of tips on cookie baking.

Many of you may bake or attend cookie exchanges. There are over 10 different cookie recipes in my cookbook, Gather For The Holidays including the most adorable Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus Cookies. You can still order it in time for Christmas. All of my cookbooks are available on Amazon.

Happy baking!

Many of you are starting to prep (and cook!) for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was always a special holiday to me. I recall my momma waking up at 5am to get the bird ready. I would wake up to watch. Later, the dining room table was set with her beautiful garden-patterned china. It was adorned with sparkling glasses, crisp-pressed linens, lots of sides, and a beautiful roasted turkey not to mention, of course, some kind of pasta or eggplant parmesan loaded with melted cheese and bursting with flavor. My father was Italian (mom was Irish-Swiss), so we would have both worlds collide in one delicious meal. My husband loves Thanksgiving so much, so I just make all the traditional sides with a few twists of course. But I do miss the Italian dishes mom used to make.

We have so many sides on the table for Thanksgiving. These are some in my cookbook, Gather For The Holidays: Sweet Potato Casserole, Savory Bread Stuffing, & Cranberry-Blackberry Sauce. These are on my blog: Creamed Spinach, salad with cranberries and pumpkin seeds, Maple-Glazed Carrots, Green Beans with Creamy Mushrooms and Crispy Fried Onions, brussels sprouts, Roasted & Stuffed Cauliflower with Chick Pea Tahini Filling, roasted butternut squash, and more.

And no Thanksgiving would be complete without the desserts. I have an Award-Winning pie crust in Gather For The Holidays that I use for my Browned Butter Sweet Potato Pie – it’s delicious! There is the best-tasting apple pie recipe given to me by my Mom’s friend Betty in my first cookbook, Food That Will Gather Your Family. It’s my go-to recipe. My Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Squares, on my blog, are always a big hit. They were taste tested and approved by my friend Chef Graham Elliot! The Pudding Brownies a newly developed recipe are very fudgy and a must try recipe for when the kids all pile in post-thanksgiving. I also have a good amount of cookies like my Ginger Crinkle Cookies on my blog. I hope you take the time to check out all the new and updated recipes and try some this holiday season.

I hope you are spending this holiday with those you love. I know it’s also a time when we think of those who may no longer sit at our table and we hold them collectively in our hearts. Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving! Thank you for following me on my cooking journey. Let’s stay connected on Instagram @marioochcooks. xo

In my newest cookbook, Gather For The Holidays, you will find a Turkey Roasting Guide along with a section on helpful hints for prepping and roasting your turkey. In it you’ll also find, tons of sides ideas like Sweet Potato Casserole a family favorite recipe, savory bread stuffing with Gruyere cheese, Brussel sprouts, and some Italian classics. There is an entire section with over 10 different holiday cookie recipes so you’ll be ready for your holiday cookie exchange. There are entertaining tips galore, and even a ruby red cocktail recipe for you to cheers to the holidays in style!

This cookbook is also a great housewarming or a Christmas gift. I recently donated a basket to a charity and we loaded it with my cookbooks, olive oils, wine, wooden spoons, aprons and more. This is a fabulous and thoughtful gift idea for any hostess with the mostess.

My book is available on Amazon. I hope you grab a copy today! If you do, please don’t forget to write a quick review on Amazon. I always appreciate your feedback.