Chef and author Trish Magwood helps you create holiday treats in less than one hour with these delicious recipes, including Spiced Nuts, Smoked Salmon Wrapped Breadsticks and Chocolate Almond Chews. Look for more easy-to-make recipes in Magwood's new book, "In My Mother's Kitchen."

Spiced Nuts

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) maple syrup or honey
• 2 tsp (10 mL) salt
• 1 tsp (5 mL) black pepper
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) chili powder
• 1 tsp (5 mL) medium-dark roast coffee, ground
• 2 cups (500 mL) mixed nuts, unsalted (almonds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, pepitas, etc.)
• 2 Tbsp (25 mL) sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Stir together honey or maple syrup, spices and coffee with the nuts, tossing to coat well.
2. Spread the coated nuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
3. After 15 minutes, sprinkle the sugar over the nuts and stir them. Return nuts to the oven for about five more minutes.
4. Remove from oven and let cool on baking tray. When nuts are cool, break them apart if needed and serve.

Makes 2 cups (500 mL).

Try playing around with the spicing. In place of the allspice and cayenne use smoked paprika-ground coriander or cardamom and cayenne.  To simplify further, you can use two parts chili powder to one part ground coffee.

These nuts can be made a week in advance; store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Smoked Salmon Wrapped Breadsticks

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces package cream cheese, softened (250 mL)
• 1/4 cup capers, drained (50 mL)
• 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
• 2 unit zest of two lemons
• 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 1 package bread sticks
• 15 slices smoked salmon, sliced in half lengthwise

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, add cream cheese, capers, red onions and lemon zest. Pulse until capers and onion are diced. Season with pepper.
2. Spread cream cheese mixture on bottom quarter of breadstick.
3. Wrap smoked salmon around cream cheese. Repeat with remaining bread sticks.
4. This hors d'oeuvre is best assembled just before serving to avoid breadsticks from getting soggy.

Chocolate Almond Chews

Ingredients:

• 1 package (2 cups) butterscotch chips
• 1 package (2 cups) chocolate chips
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups salted pretzels, broken in half
• 2 cups whole almonds, dry roasted (or substitute with whole almonds, salted)

Directions:

1. In a large double boiler or large bowl over gently simmering water, melt chocolate and butterscotch chips for about 10 minutes.
2. Once melted, turn off heat. Add raisins, cranberries, pretzels and almonds.
3. Gently stir making sure no water gets into the bowl.
4. Drop teaspoonfuls onto wax paper lined cookie sheet.
5. Refrigerate until set for about 30 minutes.

Figs with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Ingredients:

• 1/4 pound good quality blue cheese or Stilton (125 g)
• 12 fresh figs (12)
• 24 walnut halves topping (24)
• 1 pinch Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cut each fig in half. Cut a small slice off the bottom of each, so each half will lie flat, cut side up.
2. Top with a piece of blue cheese and a walnut half.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. These can be served as is at room temperature or can be baked at 375 °F (190 °C) for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Chèvre and Grape Truffles with Pistachio Crust

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces (250 g) chèvre, softened
• 4 ounces (125g) cream cheese, softened
• 3 Tbsp (50 mL) port
• Pinch salt
• 2 pounds (1 kg) seedless green grapes
• 1 cup (250 mL) pistachios, shelled, lightly toasted and ground
• *For kids, substitute grapes for dates and Kellogg's Holiday Rice Krispies for the pistachios

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix together chèvre and cream cheese. Add port and salt, and mix until smooth. Measure out 1 teaspoonful (15mL) mixture. Press grape into mixture. Cover grape and cheese with plastic wrap. Using the plastic wrap, evenly distribute cheese around grape. Remove plastic wrap and coat with pistachios.
2. Refrigerate until serving.

Sweet Marie Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar
• 1 cup (250 mL) chocolate chips
• 1 cup (250 mL) peanut butter
• 1 cup (250 mL) corn syrup
• 2 Tbsp (30 mL) butter
• 4 1/2 cups (1.125 L) Rice Krispies

Directions:

1. In a large pot, combine sugar, chocolate chips, peanut butter, corn syrup, and butter.
2. Stir continuously over low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
3. Remove from heat and stir in Rice Krispies.
4. Press firmly into a 9- x 13-inch (3 L) pan and chill for at least one hour before cutting into squares.
5. Keep refrigerated.