Homemade Holiday Gifts- Mint, Lavender, and Basil Body Scrub

Dry hands are a big issue for me during the winter months with constant cooking, washing, cleaning, and hand sanitizer at work. I love using scrubs to get all that dead skin off, giving your skin a beautiful holiday glow:) Making your own is an awesome affordable gift that anyone would love to receive! I whipped up  this combo with things I had on hand, but this is customizable to whatever you like! The essential oils I used are from Green Clean Chic!

In a large bowl combine:

-3 Cups coarse salt

-3 Cups brown sugar

-1 jar softened Coconut Oil

-2 1/2 cups Olive Oil

-10 ish drops of lavender essential oil

-25-30 drops of spearmint or regular mint essential oil

-1/3 Cup dried lemon basil crushed (use regular dried basil with some lemon rind, I had this left over from the garden)

Mix thoroughly and seal into your favorite jars. To use take 1 Tbs and rub over hand, body etc then wash with warm water.

Maple and Herb Roasted Turkey

Turkey time! This is my go to recipe for a roasted turkey! I have gone through many turkey recipes and this is the combination I always come back to. If you have time you can brine your turkey or not, this recipe works either way. When you get a fresh, free range turkey they can benefit from a brine just to ensure the meat is super tender and flavorful. 

-1 18-20 lb thawed or fresh turkey

-1/2 stick softened butter

-2 Tbs olive oil

-2 tsp salt

-2 tsp pepper 

-1 tsp dried sage

-1 Tbs poultry seasoning

Mix all these ingredients together and place under the skin of the bird, massaging the butter mixture to cover the breast meat and the whole bird. 

Remove the giblets from the inner cavity and generously salt and pepper the inside. Take 1 onion and chop in half and place inside, take 2 sprigs of rosemary, a few fresh sage leaves, and 1 head garlic cut in half and place all inside the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Bake covered with aluminum foil at 350 for 15-20 minutes per lb of meat. For the last 1 hour of cooking  uncover the bird and baste with maple syrup every 20 ish minutes. If you see it is getting too browned just cover back up with the aluminum! Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving!

Apple and Onion Stuffing

Having a go to stuffing recipe is a must for the holidays. This one combines a sweet and savory combination of ingredients that mixes together so well to create a hearty side dish. Apples, onion, sage, butter, and veggies come together and fill the house with the warm smell of Thanksgiving. I use vegetable stock in my version but can easily be made with chicken or turkey stock. 

Take 1 loaf of gluten free or any style of bread that you like and leave it out or dry it in the oven so it is stale. Rip it into small pieces and place it in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Place in a pan:

-1 Tbs butter (to keep vegan use an extra Tbs of oil instead)

-2 Tbs olive oil

-1 large onion chopped 

-2 stalks celery chopped

-2 carrots chopped

-2 garlic cloves chopped

-1 large sweet apple such as Honeycrisp chopped

-1 tsp salt

-1 tsp pepper

Saute until all ingredients are tender, about 5 minutes. Add in 1 tsp dried sage, and 2 tsp poultry seasoning. Mix to combine. Transfer to the large mixing bowl of bread. Gently stir to combine. Add in  the low sodium vegetable stock straight from the container it comes in by the cup full. This will moisten the mixture and make it easier for it to mix together. Add about 3-4 cups (could be more or less depending on the consistency you like). Finish by placing your stuffing in an oven safe dish and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until browned and bubbly!