Tired of your same old holiday recipes? In the spirit of giving, local stores and restaurants have shared some of their favorites with Patch.

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

Start the holiday with a delicious breakfast recipe courtesy of Atlanta Bread:

4 eggs

½ cup Milk

½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

8 slices Atlanta Bread Cinnamon Raisin bread

4 tablespoons Butter

½ cup maple syrup, warmed

Combine eggs, milk, vanilla extract in a small bowl. Pour into a shallow container such as a pie plate. Dip bread in egg mixture. Fry slices in butter until golden brown, flip and cook other side. Serve with syrup.

Carrot and Ginger Soup

Fairchild Market and Bakery offered a soup recipe, getting the meal off to a colorful and healthy start.

1 ½ quart or 2 medium onions, sliced

1 cup chopped ginger

2 ½ quarts or 7 large carrots, sliced ¼ inch thick

2 cups of orange juice

3 quarts of water

3 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon apple vinegar

2 Tablespoons salt

Sweat onions and ginger. Add carrots, stir, add orange juice, water, and salt. Simmer until tender. Puree with immersion blender.

Absolut APeach Toddy

Warm up your holiday gathering with a cocktail recipe from Bottle King of Morris Plains. 

2 parts Absolut  APeach

1 part Cointreau

1 dash honey

1 part apple juice (hot)

1 orange peel

Add Absolut APeach, Cointreau and honey into a Highball glass. Top up with hot apple juice. Garnish with orange.

Bottle King of Morris Plains also offers a wide selection of cheeses perfect for making quick and tasty appetizers. Or make an antipasto from the ample selection of meats. Baguettes and crackers complement brie cheese as well as smoked gouda. Vegetables dips abound in many different varieties. Bottle King is also happy to pair wines with everything from appetizers to the main course to dessert.

Cajun Stuffing

ShopRite of Morris Plains offers a new twist on a classic.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

½ cup diced celery

½ cup diced onion

½ cup diced carrot

½ cup diced red bell pepper

1 ½ teaspoons chopped garlic

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced ½ inch think

1 ½ teaspoon blackening spice

1 cup chicken broth, warmed

1 6 ounce package Kellogg's Stuffing Mix

In large, oven-proof frying pan, over medium-high heat, saute celery, onion, carrot, red pepper and garlic in oil. Saute 3-5 minutes. Add sausage and blackening spice. Mix thoroughly. Add warm chicken broth to vegetable mixture  in pan along with Kellogg's Stuffing Mix. Fold gently together. Place in 9x9x2-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake 5 minutes longer. Serve hot.

Holiday Roast Turkey with Herbal Rub

Stop & Shop of Morris Plains has the main course well in-hand with this recipe.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time:  3 ½ hours

Ready In: 3 ¾ hours

Yields: 8 servings

12-13 lb turkey, fresh or thawed

1 medium onion, quartered

1 lemon, quartered

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Remove giblets and neck. Rinse turkey and pat dry. Place onion and lemon quarters in the neck and body cavities. In a small bowl, mix oil with seasonings. With your finger tips, gently loosen skin from the breast without pulling it off. Place 1 Tbsp. herb mixture under skin, replace skin. Rub the cavities and the outside of turkey with remaining herb mixture. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow roasting pan. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Cover loosely with foil. Roast in a preheated 325°F. oven for 2-1/2 hours. Remove the foil. Baste with pan juices. Continue cooking, uncovered, for about another hour or until the meat thermometer registers 180°F. in the thigh. Allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. Prepare the turkey the  night before and keep refrigerated. Serves about 8-10 with leftovers and 12-13 without. Be sure to refrigerate or freeze leftover turkey within two hours. 

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

ShopRite makes dessert as easy as pie.

1 Ready-Crust Pie Crust Keebler^TM Ready Crust® Graham

1 egg yolk, slightly beaten

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ginger

Brush bottom and sides of crust with 1 egg yolk. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 5 minutes. Remove from oven.  In large bowl whisk together 1 egg, pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and ginger until combined. Pour into crust. Bake on baking sheet at 350° F about 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Garnish as desired.