Nolen Gurer Payesh/Bengali Rice Pudding with Date Palm jaggery

Winter holiday fun is in full swing, festive cooking, holiday crafts, shopping, visiting theme parks, zoo, watching movies, eating out without counting calories and many more. Now it's time to bid adieu to 2018 and welcome New Year 2019 on a sweet note with Bengali deliciousness, Nolen Gurer Payesh, a sweet creamy concoction of small grain aromatic rice, milk and date palm jaggery.

Cranberry Orange Rolls

A month long Christmas spirit comes with loads of activities, putting up and decorating Christmas tree with festive color ornaments, shopping, warping presents, playing secret Santa game, listening-singing carols, watching Christmas movies, reading stories, strolling through the neighborhood to see Christmas lights. It's truly Christmas spirit everywhere we go. It never mattered whether we belong to this faith or not. Our Christmas spirit is very high, the biggest festival in our family! It's the season to be jolly to share, care and receive. 

Croquembouche

Croquembouche(krow kham boosh), a beautiful vanilla custard filled cream puffs also known as choux pastry in France stuck together with caramel in a cone shaped tower with spun sugar wrapped around it. This dessert is served during French weddings and other festive occasions. 

Cranberry Orange Jam

It's a delicious winter jam with amazing festive color and requires only three ingredients. Freshly squeezed orange juice and zest add a wonderful flavor to this jam. This jam is perfectly balanced between sweetness and tartness. Orange flavor comes trough without overpowering the jam. It's a versatile jam; enjoy it on toasted bread, bagel, flatbread and cracker. It's a perfect filling for pie, bread roll, jelly roll, cheesecake etc. It also makes a lovely glaze on chicken and turkey with the addition of red chili pepper. Last but not least, this makes great holiday gift!!

Eggnog Cheesecake

This scrumptious yet easy to make cheesecake with a nut crust is another show-stopping dessert for holiday gathering. If you enjoy eggnog you will fall in love as well with this luscious cheesecake blended with eggnog. I baked this one in a water bath. It was perfectly smooth looking, no cracks at all and topped with nutmeg infused whipped cream cheese! Celebrate holiday season with this unique Christmas flavor. 

Orange Cranberry Cake

I have been baking this festive cake for many years during Christmas. This is a moist and delicious cake bursting with orange flavor, studded with dried cranberries, drizzled with light orange glaze and confectioner's sugar. Serve this cake as dessert with a scoop of orange ice cream or just sip a cup of morning coffee with a slice of this cake. Adding orange liquor to this cake will surely put you in the holiday spirit. Simply leave the liquor out if you don't want to add.