It’s that time of year when baked goods and “comfort” foods become the star of the show. It’s the time when many of us head into the kitchen to whip up some of our favorite meals to celebrate the season. One of the best ways to limit the amount of stress (and mess!) in the kitchen is by finding an apron that will help protect your clothing.

To help inspire you this month, we asked some SanMar team members to share their favorite recipes. Each recipe comes paired with an ideal apron so you can focus on bringing the recipe to life (instead of the flour all over your shirt!).

Enjoy!

Twice-Baked Potatoes

Apron Pairing: Port Authority^® Market Half Bistro Apron
Shared by Lisa Terry, Manager Brand SanMar

“When the weather gets chilly, I love to bake some warm, savory potatoes. It reminds me of my mom and helping her make these recipes when I was a kid.”

• 4 medium-size baking potatoes
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (3-oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• milk
• 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
• paprika

Bake potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Spoon potato into mixing bowl and set skins aside. To potatoes, add sour cream, butter, cream cheese, onions, salt, pepper and thyme. Whip until light, adding milk if necessary. Fold in cheese and fill skins. Sprinkle with paprika. Carefully put on cookie sheet covered with tin foil. Bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

Sherry Walnuts

Apron Pairing: Port Authority^® Easy Care Cobbler Apron with Stain Release
Shared by Stacie Sager, SanMar Custom Catalog Specialist

“I found the recipe in my mom’s recipe box years ago when I started baking and making holiday goodies for my co-workers, friends and family. It’s a simple recipe that can be whipped up, has a nutty sweetness and a little cinnamon in it to give it a holiday feel.”

• 1+1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup sherry wine
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2–3 cups walnut halves

Boil sugar and sherry in a 1.5-2 quart pot to 240 degrees on candy thermometer. Remove from heat, add cinnamon and walnuts. Stir until it appears cloudy. Turn out onto a well buttered/oiled cookie sheet, cool and separate.

Brown Sugar Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Pecan Crust

Apron Pairing: Port Authority^® Market Full-Length Bib Apron
Shared by Rich Stoehr, SanMar Digital Content Coordinator

“One of the things I look forward to making every year is pumpkin pie – it’s a crowd-pleaser, and it makes the house smell amazing for days. While I’ve tried a lot of recipes, the one I go back to time and again is this Williams-Sonoma version: Brown Sugar Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Pecan Crust

Like any good baker, it’s not ‘my’ recipe until I add my own spin to it and for this it comes down to the pumpkin itself. I replace the can of pumpkin puree the recipe calls for with filling from a real, fresh pumpkin. It requires some extra effort, but the pie you get when you use fresh pumpkin looks and tastes different than anything you could buy in a store. As much as I enjoy making this holiday treat, I’d have to say I enjoy eating it even more.”

Don’t let the stress of a culinary mess stop you from diving into a new recipe. Is there something you love to make this time of year? Share it with us online at Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.