Description
The best Christmas recipes and menu includes appetizers, main course, side dishes, soup and salad, bread, dessert and drinks for a festive holiday dinner.
Ingredients
- 1-3 appetizers
- 1 main course
- 2-4 sides
- 1 soup and/or salad
- 1-2 bread
- 1-2 desserts
- 1 holiday drink
Instructions
- Plan your menu ahead of time. This will make your grocery runs go so much more smoothly, when you know exactly what you are preparing far in advance. Plus, you can even start preparing some of these Christmas dishes ahead of time. Some can be frozen and reheated from frozen, others can be made and stored in an airtight container for a few days at room temperature or in the refrigerator, according to recipe directions.
- Make your main course fresh on the day of serving.
- Some sides should also be made fresh on the day of serving, but there are many that can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator and reheated. Some easy make ahead sides are creamy mashed potatoes, stovetop mac and cheese with white cheddar, creamy garlic mashed cauliflower, and easy make ahead cranberry sauce.
- All soup can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Salads can be prepared in advance (chopping vegetables and mixing the dressing ingredients together), and assembled before serving.
- Most dessert can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container either at room temperature or in the refrigerator . Some can even be made weeks in advance, frozen, and reheated in the oven.
- You can mix homemade and storebought. There is nothing wrong with getting some help by incorporating storebought items into your menu. If baking Christmas dessert is stressing you out, then just pick up a cake from the store instead.
- Prep your ingredients as much as possible. Once you have decided on the dishes to serve, prepare as much as you can in advance. Whether that is chopping vegetables, beating eggs, or preparing salad dressings. You can store all your prepared ingredients in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
- Set the table the night before. Take out the fancy dinnerware, flatware, glasses, placemats, and napkins and set the table the night before. Don't forget any special decorations and centrepieces. It's one less thing to worry about on Christmas.
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Christmas
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 500