The holiday season is a great time for families and friends to get together. People save up holidays to spend time off with the people they love during this time of year. Many will travel to see individuals and it’s a time that a lot of people spend time on creating delicious meals.
Your holiday gets together doesn’t have to be stressful. There are some delicious dinners that you can create. They will work on many different diets and necessities, making sure everyone feels included and loved.
These nine delicious dinners are definitely the ones you want to start with this holiday season.
Try the Gentlemen’s Casserole
Puff pastry makes a delicious casing for your meals. You can even make the pastry shells the day before and just reheat for when you’re ready to serve. The casserole is then packed with a creamy and cheesy middle.
Ingredients:
- 10oz of frozen puff pastry shells (you can also make your own if you want)
- 1tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup of cooked ham, chopped
- 1tbsp green onions, chopped
- 4 eggs, beaten lightly
- Cheese sauce, preferably made with Gruyere cheese
- ¼ cup of Gruyere cheese, grated
- Paprika to taste
- Green onions for garnishing
Method:
- Bake 4 pastry shells according to the directions on the packaging
- In a skillet, melt the butter over a medium heat and then add the ham and onions, frying for 2 minutes
- Add the eggs and cook for 1-2 minutes without stirring
- Draw the edges of the eggs away from the sides of the pan and cook for another 1-2 minutes, this time stirring occasionally until the eggs are moist and thick
- Fold in the cheese sauce gently
- Spoon the eggs into the pastry shells and sprinkle with the cheese, paprika, and green onions
You can switch out the Gruyere cheese for white cheddar if you’d like. This really depends on the flavoring of cheese that you prefer. If you want something with a little bit of an extra kick, consider adding some Monterey Jack cheese.
Make a Chicken and Cheese Casserole
Another option is to make your own chicken and cheese casserole. This is another recipe that uses the puff pastry shells. You can always use the leftover shells from the previous recipe.
Ingredients:
- 10oz of puff pastry shells
- 1tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup of cooked chicken, chopped
- 1tbsp green onions, chopped
- 4 eggs, beaten lightly
- Cheese sauce, made with Cheddar
- ¼ cup of Cheddar cheese, grated
- Paprika to taste
- Chopped green onions for garnishing
Method:
- Bake 4 pastry shells, according to the packaging directions
- Melt the butter over a medium heat and then add the chicken and onions, cooking for 2 minutes
- Add the eggs and cook without stirring for 1-2 minutes
- Draw the eggs away from the edges of the pan and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally until the eggs are moist and thick
- Fold in the cheese sauce
- Spoon the eggs into the pastry shells and then sprinkle with the cheese, paprika, and green onions
The dish is best served immediately. You can make the eggs ahead of time and reheat if you’d like, but leave the sprinkling of the toppings until just before serving.
Add Carolina Apple Compote to Your Pork Loin Roast
The holiday season is a great time to pull out the pork loin. Your guests will adore a slightly different roast meat, especially when you add something a little different to the side. The downside to this meal is that it takes a few hours to make but you can plan ahead. The fact that it’s a holiday meal will prevent you resenting the cooking time too much.
Ingredients:
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 3tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 2tsp salt
- 1/2tsp ground black pepper
- 1 boneless pork loin roast
- Kitchen string
- 2tsp oil of choice
- 2lbs Gala apples, unpeeled
- 1tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup of apple cider
- 5tbsp sugar
- 2 1/2tsp orange zest
- 1/2tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 1tbsp butter
Method:
- Combine the garlic, seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a bowl and then rub onto the pork, covering as much as possible
- Tie the pork with the kitchen string at 1in intervals, and then cover and place in the fridge for 2 hours
- Preheat the oven to 375F and line a roasting pan with foil
- Place the roast in a large skillet with the oil, cooking for 2-4 minutes to brown, and then place on a lightly greased rack in the roasting pan
- Bake the roast for an hour, until it reaches 150F on a meat thermometer
- Cover with foil and stand for 15 minutes
- Meanwhile, cut the apples and sprinkle with lemon juice
- Place the apple cider, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, and cloves in a skillet and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add the apples to the apple cider mixture and cook for another 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed
- Stir in the butter and then remove from the heat
Serve the apples with the pork. You can choose any other sides that you like. Mashed or roast potatoes are popular, but you can also add some carrots or Swede and mash them together.
Create Delicious Goat Cheese and Pesto Crostini
How about something completely different for the season? Goat cheese is popular at the holiday time, especially as a New Year feast. Try this crostini recipe. The cooking time is really short, meaning you’ve got plenty of more time to enjoy your day with your friends and family members.
Ingredients:
- 1 French bread baguette
- ½ cup of pesto, placed in the fridge
- ½ pack of goat cheese
- 1/3 cup of sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips and drained
- 7 green olives, pitted and sliced
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a baking sheet
- Cut the bread into 28 slices and place on the baking sheet, baking for 5 minutes
- Spread the pesto and the goat cheese on each slice of bread
- Top the bread with slices of tomatoes and olives
- Place back in the oven for 5 minutes
Serve the bread slices while still warm. They make delicious appetizers or snacks during the day.
Make a Pear and Vidalia Pan Gravy with Your Pork Loin Chops
Pork loin chops make a delicious meal for many, but how about creating a slightly different gravy for the holiday season? That’s just what this recipe offers and it won’t add too much cooking time into your day.
Ingredients:
- 1tbsp all-purpose flour + 1tsp
- 2tsp salt
- 1 1/2tsp ground black pepper
- 6 bone-in pork chops
- 1tbsp oil of choice
- 2tbsp butter
- 1 Vidalia onion, sliced
- 2 pears, peeled, diced, and divided
- ¾ cup of chicken broth
- 1tbsp sherry/port
- 1tsp sherry vinegar/cider vinegar
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 425F and line a broiler pan with foil
- Combine 1tbsp of flour with the salt and pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle half over one side of each chop
- Cook the chops with the flour side down in oil over a medium to high heat for 5 minutes
- Sprinkle the rest of the flour over the chops and turn the chops over, cooking for another 5 minutes
- Transfer to the broiler pan and place in the oven for 7 minutes, until the chops reach 150F
- Place the chops on a platter and keep warm, keeping the juices for later
- In the pan you used for the chops, cook the butter, onion, and half the pears for 8 minutes, stirring particles at the bottom lose
- In a bowl, stir the broth with the tsp of flour together and then add the sherry and vinegar
- Pour the broth and the reserved pork juices into the skillet with the pears and cook for 4 minutes
- Season with some salt and pepper to taste
Serve with the gravy spooned over the pork chops. This is delicious with a side salad of your choice or with some garlic mashed potatoes.
Opt for a Slow Roasted Pork over Caribbean Rice
While this dish will take time to cook, you can leave it throughout the day and not have to worry too much about it. It’s a great way to get a delicious meal without too much hassle. The Caribbean rice is an excellent way to add a little something extra to the meal.
Ingredients:
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ cup of orange juice
- ½ cup of grapefruit juice
- 1/3 cup of lemon juice
- 2tbsp brown sugar
- 3 bay leaves, crumbled
- 2tsp salt
- 2tsp chili powder
- 1tsp allspice, ground
- 1tsp black pepper
- 5lb pork shoulder
- 1tbsp oil of choice
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 275F
- Combine everything except the pork shoulder and oil in a bowl, mixing thoroughly
- Coat the pork in the marinade and place in the fridge for 4+ hours
- Remove from the marinade, but keep the marinade aside
- Brown, all sides of the roast in a Dutch oven and then add the reserved marinade
- Cover and roast for 6-7 hours
When this is done, the meat can be shredded. It’s up to you whether you shred it for a pulled pork dish or you let your guests do it themselves.
Make a Premade Lasagna
Sometimes you want a dish that you can make a few days before cooking. This delicious lasagna is definitely one that you’ll want to consider. You can do it all a few days and even assemble it. Store it in the fridge until around 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve!
Ingredients:
- 1/2lb chorizo sausage, casing removed
- 24oz of tomato and basil pasta sauce
- 1 cup of cilantro
- 1 can of green chilies, chopped
- 15oz of ricotta cheese
- 1 cup of whipping cream
- 2 eggs, beaten lightly
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 16oz Mexican four-cheese, grated
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 375F and lightly grease a lasagna dish
- Cook the sausage in a Dutch oven for 8-10 minutes, breaking into pieces as you go
- Drain off the fat and place the sausage back into the Dutch oven
- Add the pasta sauce, chilies, and cilantro, cooking for 5 minutes
- Spoon a cup of the sauce mixture into the pan and top with lasagna noodles along the bottom
- Layer with the ricotta cheese, then some of the Mexican cheese blend, and some of the sauce
- Repeat the layers until everything has been used, finishing with the cheese on top
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes
- Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes
You don’t need to cook right away. Cover and keep in the fridge for up to two days before putting into the oven. The alternative, you can cook and allow to fully cool. You then just need to reheat for about 30 minutes uncovered. Opt for the noodles that don’t need cooking first for convenience.
Pancetta Beef with Horseradish Cream
If you fancy some beef for the holiday season, try something a little different with the sides. This horseradish cream is delicious. You can also serve it with tofu if your guests are vegetarian or vegan.
Ingredients:
- 5lb beef tenderloin, trimmed
- 2tsp kosher salt
- 1tsp ground pepper
- 2tbsp oil of choice, divided
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2tbsp rosemary, chopped
Ingredients for the horseradish cream:
- 1 cup of whipping cream
- ¼ cup of horseradish
- 2tbsp parsley, chopped
- 1/4tsp salt
Method for the beef:
- Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with foil
- Sprinkle the beef with some salt and pepper and then brown in a skillet with the oil, cooking for 5 minutes on each side
- Allow the beef to cool for 5 minutes
- Meanwhile, place the pancetta slices in 2 rows on some wax paper, overlapping to create a large rectangle as wide as the beef
- Sprinkle the rosemary and garlic over the beef and place at the edge of the pancetta
- Roll the pancetta around the beef, using the wax paper to help and then discard the paper
- Tie the beef with some kitchen string at 1in intervals and brush with oil
- Place the beef on the baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes until the pancetta is crispy
- Allow standing for 10 minutes
Method for the horseradish:
- In a bowl, beat the cream for a minute until soft peaks form
- Fold in the rest of the ingredients
You can serve the horseradish immediately. If you’re not ready for it, cover and chill for up to 8 hours and then serve with the beef.
Try Out a Fennel-Crusted Rib Roast
How about something that your guests will likely never have tried before? This will take a little over three hours to cook, but it’s worth it for the delicious, aromatic taste. It’s an elegant dish that will bring the taste of the South into your home with ease.
Ingredients:
- 7lb prime rib roast, trimmed
- 2tsp peppercorns
- 2tsp fennel seeds
- 1 1/2tsp coriander seeds
- 1tbsp oil of choice
- 4tsp salt
- Fresh cranberries and orange zest for garnishing
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 400F
- Allow the roast to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before following the rest of the instructions
- Pulse the peppercorns with the other seeds in a grinder until coarse
- Rub the roast with some oil and sprinkle the salt over the top
- Press the grounded seeds along all sides of the roast and then place on a rack in the roasting pan
- Bake for 2+ hours (depending on your preference for the meat)
- Stand for 15 minutes to 1 hour
Garnish with the cranberries and orange zest for a true holiday feel. The drippings are delicious when mixed with some of your side vegetables for the dish. Try some garlic mash for the side for something a little different this holiday meal.
Now you have nine dishes that you can pick and choose from when your family and friends come over for dinner. While some will take hours to cook, you don’t need to be in the kitchen the whole time. But there are some that will take minutes, especially since you can prepare for the day!
