Our final recipe of the holiday season is a fantastic jambalaya that Barry’s husband makes for their annual night-before-Thanksgiving “Soup Night.”

“This year’s event was the 25th such evening, which I began years ago as a kickoff to the holidays, designed not to compete with the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Walter makes the jambalaya, which guests absolutely love and have come to expect as one of the three fresh soups we make each year.”

And in case you missed it, be sure to check out Barry’s Pumpkin Lentil Soup recipe.

Jambalaya

Ingredients:

âť– 1 cup cooked & sliced andouille sausage (smoked sausage)

âť– 2/3 cup of smoked ham OR â…“ cup diced tasso and â…“ cup diced pickled pork (if unable to find tasso and pickled pork, use smoked ham…

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Barry Berg invites us to try his recipe for Pumpkin Lentil Soup. Here, he shares not only his recipe, but also his secret to entertaining friends and family.

“When I first moved into a downtown condo, recognizing that I was likely to be someone’s guest for Thanksgiving dinner in future years, I decided to invite friends the ‘night before Thanksgiving’. This night, a soup and wine dinner, is a tradition I’ve now done for 25 consecutive years.” 

“What began as an evening with perhaps 14-15 guests has grown to accommodate closer to 45-50 guests, with the same formula from 25 years ago: Walter and I make 3 soups from scratch, invite guests to bring hors d’oeuvres, salads, and desserts, while we provide the soup and wine.  The food doesn’t compete at all…

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Through the end of December, we’re sharing some of the Berg Larsen Group’s favorite holiday recipes. Follow along for delicious eats and a look into the Berg Larsen Group team’s festive traditions. 

Today, Krista Eull is sharing her crowd-favorite mashed potatoes, and a tasty salad that pairs well with any holiday spread. 

“This recipe came my way in 1987 when my group of high school friends decided to start an annual Christmas party (a party that continues each year, now in April to avoid the holiday rush, 38 years later!). I shared the ‘hosting’ duties and cooking with my friend Tami whose mom had this exceptional mashed potato recipe on hand – and my family has never looked back! We can no longer eat “regular” mashed potatoes at the holiday…

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Today we are sharing sweet holiday memories with an even sweeter recipe from Krista Eull. 

"Our family holiday recipe is for homemade “Mounds Bars.”  My big sister, who already had a family of her own in the early ‘90s, started making them and she’s made them EVERY Christmas since. I got the recipe and have followed in her footsteps once I stopped celebrating the holiday with her. For a while, we saw each other every other Christmas, and she would always send us a tin full of her Mounds Bars as part of our gift. She knew that we couldn’t go without them! They disappeared fast. The whole extended family now expects them each and every year. They are greatly loved!"


Krista and her great-niece snowshoeing in Steamboat, Colorado in 2018

Mounds…

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Deb Shafer is bringing a savory slice of holiday cheer to our recipe series. Her Parmesan Crusted Grilled Cheese will keep you toasty warm this holiday season, so you can weather whatever comes your way.

"We really don’t have any special holiday traditions. We didn’t live close to our families, so it was always just the four of us. When our girls were very young, I started a tradition for Christmas Eve. Instead of making a huge meal, I started making parmesan-crusted grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Every year, we would eat that and then watch 'It’s a Wonderful Life'. My girls now do the same with their families."

 Parmesan Crusted Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

âť– Your favorite kind of bread

âť– Butter

âť– Garlic salt

…

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As a cookie connoisseur, it says a lot when Deb Shafer calls out her Chocolate Cappuccino Cookies as a favorite.

“One of my friends and I get together a week or so before Christmas and bake hundreds of cookies. We give them out to family and friends each year.”

Read below for the full recipe, and be sure to let us know if you give them a try!

Chocolate Cappuccino Cookies

Ingredients:

âť– 2 cups butter, softened

âť– 4 cups packed light brown sugar

âť– 4 eggs

âť–  5½ cups of all-purpose flour

âť– 1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

âť– ¼ cups instant coffee granules or crystals

âť– 1 teaspoon baking powder

âť– 1 teaspoon baking soda

âť–  1 teaspoon salt

âť– 1 bag (10oz) cinnamon-flavored baking chips

Directions: 

âť– Heat oven to 350…

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Get ready for a mouthwatering recipe! Today, Chad Larsen shares a recipe his wife makes during the holiday season. Be sure to read to the end - he included a bonus recipe that pairs perfectly with the chipotle smashed sweet potatoes. 

“My wife makes this for Thanksgiving, and sometimes Christmas too. She knows I love sweet potatoes as a holiday favorite. She didn’t like the sweetness of the version with marshmallows on top that my mother made. So, this was her ‘compromise’ version. I have come to love the sweetness of the potato with the spiciness of the chipotle. A delicious combination.”

Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes (Recipe from barefoot contessa)

Ingredients:

âť– 4 pounds sweet potatoes (6 potatoes)

âť– 1 cup whole milk

âť– 1 cup heavy…

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This holiday season, we wanted to share some of our favorite recipes to enjoy this time of year. From chocolate cappuccino cookies to pumpkin lentil soup, we hope you find a recipe that delights!

And to give our readers the best of both worlds, we’re including something savory and something sweet (and from Barry Berg – something soup). Keep an eye out for some new recipes each week now through the end of the year.

To kick off this series, Chad Larsen shares not only his favorite holiday treat, Holly Cookies, but some precious family photos as well.

"My mom used to participate in cookie exchanges around the holiday time. I always remember these for their bright color and very sugary goodness. I’m not sure how many this recipe makes, but I found it…

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Typically, fall and spring are the two most active real estate markets with plenty of inventory to choose from and motivated buyers ready to make offers. That’s why people like to time their sale and move during these seasons. However, what happens when your plans don’t line up with that schedule? Is it ever “too late” in the season to buy or sell?

That’s the question Chad Larsen and Barry Berg explore in the latest episode of Setting the Standard - Conversations with Chad and Barry from the Berg Larsen Group. Read some of the key takeaways from the episode below, and listen to the full conversation on our YouTube or Vimeo channel.

Timing Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All

There is no universally perfect moment to make your move. That’s because the “right”…

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Even for a Realtor who guides hundreds of clients through the process, moving hits differently when it’s your own boxes, memories, and walls. Chad Larsen and his wife experienced that first hand. 

We sat down with Chad after his recent move to talk about the process – preparing your home to sell, packing your things, and transitioning into a new space. Whether you’re moving across town or across the hall, the experience is often humbling (even for a Realtor). 

And in case you missed it, check out our last blog with Chad that talked about all of his moves in The Carlyle building and what it means to find the “right” fit. 

Taking Inventory

When the right opportunity presents itself, seize it. That’s what Chad and his wife did when they learned…

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