Who Said Nothing in Life is Free?

The 2013 Betty Crocker Red Hot Holiday Trends include various trendy takes on traditional favorites, like deconstructed desserts to unexpected mash-ups, copycat candy to cool cocktails, and even a fresh take on fruitcake.

Here are the top 10 hot trends:

1. Sweet & Savory Cookies - A biscuit-shortbread hybrid from France, sablés have been named the cookie of the year in our test kitchens. For a salty-sweet flavor contrast, we added an unusual savory element—Kalamata olives!—and dark chocolate chips. The result? Mind-blowing, melt-in-your mouth goodness.
   **TRY Chocolate-Dipped Olive Sablés
2. The New Fruitcake - A modern take on a Christmastime classic, this luscious two-layer cake, studded with whiskey-soaked fruits and filled with sweetened mascarpone, will be the belle of any holiday ball.
   **TRY Upside-Down Apple Cake with Whiskey-Soaked Fruit
3. Crafty Cookies for Kids - Bake your way to fun family memories with our super-easy DIY (Decorate-It-Yourself) Cookie Tree. With infinite possibilities for personalization, it’s as fun to make as it is to eat. (Almost!)
   **TRY Decorate it Yourself (DIY) Cookie Tree
4. Global Flavor Flights - In search of a fresh holiday party staple? Look no further than our crowd-sized flight of mini cheese balls. With bases made from both cream cheese and goat cheese, it’s the globally inspired mix-ins that turn these small bites into something truly memorable.
   **TRY “Around the World” Cheese Ball Flight
5. All-American Pastries - From doughnuts to shortcakes, our love for all-American pastries is a year-round affair that never gets old. For a quick upgrade to your brunch-bread basket, try these light-as-a-feather popovers, made easy with help from Bisquick.
   **TRY Mini Popovers with Flavored Butter Trio
6. Popcorn Reinvented - From cupcake toppings to fro-yo mix-ins, bakers and bloggers have been adding popcorn to sweets in quite creative ways. This semi-homemade fudge features store-bought caramel corn, a thick layer of dulce de leche, a generous sprinkling of sea salt and – what else?—more crunchy caramel corn.
   **TRY Triple-Caramel Popcorn Fudge
7. Jam Cocktails - No longer just toast-toppers, jams, jellies and preserves are making a splash in the craft-cocktail scene. For this interpretation of a classic Manhattan, shake up some bourbon, bitters, vermouth and your favorite cherry preserves with some ice, strain… and drink up.
   **TRY Cherry Jam-hattan
8. Copycat Candy - A dead-ringer for our favorite chocolate peanut butter cup, these peanut butter cookie-filled brownies are poised to be the hit of the holiday baking season. Bonus? Made in a big batch, they freeze perfectly.
   **TRY Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
9. Merry Mash-ups - Why settle for one dessert when you can have two? We combined rich blondies with a chewy macaroon topping to create a crowd-pleasing bar that epitomizes a modern dessert mash-up.
   **TRY Brown Butter Blondies with Macaroon Topping
10. Communal Food - To us, the best part about party food is enjoying it with loved ones. Ideal for holiday open houses and impromptu gatherings, these fully loaded spicy pull-aparts can be baked in batches as company (or hunger) arrives.
    **TRY Spicy Three-Cheese Bacon Bites

I hope you get inspired by Betty Crocker’s top 10 holiday trends and their accompanying recipes, that are perfect for any occasion, crowd or craving!

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Now onto the giveaway….

Two (2) readers will win a “Betty’s Baking Essentials” gift box which includes an oven mitt, mixing spoon, Betty Crocker cookie mixes, cookie cutters and iPad stand.

To enter, leave a comment stating your favorite Red Hot Holiday trend.

I will give you additional entries for each of the following:

• Follow WhoSaidNothingInLifeisFree on Twitter (leave a comment stating that you did so)
• Follow WhoSaidNothinginLifeisFree on Pinterest (leave a comment stating that you did so)
• Like WhoSaidNothinginLifeisFree on Facebook (leave a comment stating that you did so)
• Subscribe to the WhoSaidNothinginLifeisFree Daily emails (leave a comment stating that you did so)

I will end this giveaway on 12/18 at 5 pm EST

Disclosure: I was given the products featured in this post to facilitate my review. All opinions are 100% mine and not influenced in any way.