The last-minute crunch before Christmas is upon us. Maybe you need one more side dish, or you didn't get the turkey out in time and need an alternate entree, maybe a sweet to serve at brunch or a casual beverage to serve to everyone as they visit and enjoy the holiday. Well, I've got you covered.
Today I have put together several recipes that you may consider adding to your menu through the holiday. I hope these help you pull your menu together as we assemble together to enjoy the remembrance of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. No matter the actual day you celebrate with family and friends, I encourage you to have a very meaningful Christmas and truly ponder on this incredible gift given to the world.
Merry Christmas!
Cranberry Cheesecake Pie is a unique holiday dessert recipe to add to your holiday menu for Thanksgiving or Christmas! A crunchy cinnamon sugar cookie crust, topping is filled with layers of sweet, tangy cheesecake and homemade cranberry filling, for the tastiest holiday pie ever.
Cranberry filling:
Crust and topping:
Cheesecake filling:
For the cranberry filling: In a heavy saucepan combine cranberries, sugar, orange zest and water. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes or until the cranberries are soft, then set aside to cool.
Crust and topping: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch glass pie dish and set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Add softened butter and mix with pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Press about 2 cups of the crumbly mixture in bottom and side of pie dish. Bake eight minutes, then set aside to cool.
In remaining mixture add 1 tablespoon of melted butter and whisk with a fork, then set aside for topping.
Cheesecake filling: Beat cream cheese with sugar and vanilla. Add egg and mix to combine. Mix in cornstarch. Spread in the bottom of the crust into an even layer.
Spoon cranberry filling over cream cheese layer, leaving about 1/2-inch border around the edges.
Top with remaining crumb mixture and bake 33 to 38 minutes or until top of pie is golden brown and the cheesecake filling is set. Cool one hour, then refrigerate at least two hours before serving. Store in the fridge.
Holiday dinners won't be complete without a perfect Prime Rib at the center of the table. Simply seasoned with salt and pepper, this steak lets the meat flavors shine and is served with Red Wine Au Jus for dipping.
Prime Rib:
Seasoning:
Prepare Prime Rib: Separate the ribs from the meat. (You can ask the butcher to separate the ribs from the meat and tie the roast, or you can do it yourself at home.)
To Separate the Rib Bone: Stand the prime rib on the cutting board, rib bone up. Using a paring knife, carefully slice along the rib bone to separate the bone from the roast. Try to get as close to the bone as you can and follow the curve of the bone!
TIP: don't discard the rib but add it to the bottom of the roasting pan and hopefully it will add some juices to the pan drippings. If you have a large fat cap, you can cut off about half of it, but not all. Score the leftover fat cap on top by slicing it in a crisscross pattern.
Generously rub the meat all over with coarse salt. Make sure to get in between the cuts in fat and on the sides.
Place it on the plate, cover tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Refrigerate overnight or up to 18 hours.
Cooking Prime Rib: Make sure to pull the meat out of the refrigerator two to three hours before cooking and let it get to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees and place a wire rack inside a roasting pan. (You can line the bottom of the roasting pan to easier catch the drippings and to make clean up a breeze.)
Since you already salted the meat the day before, you don't need to add more salt. So, combine pressed garlic, olive oil, dried herbs, black pepper and garlic powder in a bowl and mix.
Place the salted prime rib into a rimmed baking sheet and pour the wet rub over it. Rub the whole piece of meat with the seasoning mix all over, on all the sides. Try to get it as even as possible.
Transfer into the prepared roasting pan. Make sure to use the leave-in thermometer to track the temperature of the meat! Insert the probe into the middle of the meat to track the temperature of the very center. (If you don't have one, you will need to take the meat out of the oven to check the temperature.)
Place the roasting pan into the oven and cook at 500 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 250 degrees and cook until the roast reaches your desired temperature. Let it cook until the temperature reaches 120 degrees for medium-rare or 130 degrees to be closer to medium. (Remember that the temperature of the meat keeps going up about 5 degrees while it's resting.)
My 4 1/2-pound roast took about two hours and 15 minutes to get to the temperature. It's hard to give an exact time because thickness of roasts does vary and therefore, relying on the time in not the best indicator of doneness. Thermometer is the best way to tell if your meat is done.
TIP: If you do not have a leave-in thermometer, take the meat out of the oven to measure internal temperature and close the oven. This will prevent temperature drops in the oven.
Carving Prime Rib: Once the meat reaches the temperature, take it out of the oven and place it on the cutting board. Tent it with aluminum foil and let it rest for about 20 minutes. Slice the prime rib using a long, sharp knife against the grain, into steaks that are about 1/2 an inch thick.
You can carve a little thicker or a little thinner depending on the sides you serve ... and how much you love your guests.
An easy fruity punch to serve on Christmas morning. This recipe is so simple the children can put it together and feel like they are helping with all of the preparations.
Mix all ingredients in a pitcher. Serve cold. Garnish as desired with orange slices and floating cranberries.
Made using refrigerated biscuit dough, stuffed with chocolate, and covered in holiday sprinkles, this easy monkey bread recipe is the perfect sweet treat to serve your family Christmas morning.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare Bundt pan with a layer of non-stick spray and set aside.
Cut biscuits into quarters. Flatten each quarter slightly. Add a few sprinkles and a kiss, then roll into a ball and set aside. Repeat with remaining biscuit quarters.
Place white sugar and cinnamon in a large zipper baggie. Give it a shake to mix the ingredients together. Add a few dough balls at a time and toss until fully coated. Remove balls from plastic zip-top bag and place into the Bundt pan. Repeat until all dough balls are coated and in Bundt pan.
Heat butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan under medium heat until melted. Pour sauce over the biscuits.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top turns a deep brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then, put a plate on top of the Bundt pan and turn the monkey bread over onto the plate. Add a few more shakes of sprinkles then serve and enjoy!
Notes: Using a pizza slicer makes quartering multiple biscuits at once super simple.
Fresh green beans blanched then seasoned with onion, garlic and herbs, and tossed with bacon and pecans and a browned butter pan sauce.
Trim beans and cut in half or thirds, if desired.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt and beans, return to a boil and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain and immediately dredge into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Set aside and when cool, roughly chop. Add onion to the bacon drippings and cook until tender, about 5 minutes; add garlic, cook another minute, scrape the skillet clean and set aside.
Cut the butter into slices and add to the skillet; increase heat to medium high, and cook, constantly stirring the butter until it is lightly browned and fragrant. Add the pecans; cook and stir, to toast, about 2 minutes.
Reduce heat, add the drained beans and toss them in the butter until heated through. Add the onion, seasonings and chopped bacon. Taste, adjust seasonings, squeeze fresh lemon on top, add parsley, toss again and transfer to serving dish. Serve immediately.
Notes: Okay to substitute an equal amount of cooked, frozen or canned whole green beans (drained and right out of the can). You may also use other nuts such as sliced or slivered almonds or roughly chopped walnuts or hazelnuts. Use fresh herbs when you have them. You must, however, use real butter - no substitutes for this one!
This recipe is a delicious hamburger steak smothered with onions, mushrooms, and cheese. A nice main dish for someone who does not like turkey for the Christmas buffet, or as a main dish when you have friends over to celebrate the holiday.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine ground chuck, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt and ground black pepper. Mix until the seasonings and Worcestershire sauce are well blended.
Shape into 4 oblong shaped portions about 1/2 inch thick. Slice the onion into 1/4-inch-thick rings. Slice the rings in half. Place 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium sized skillet over medium-low heat. Place sliced onions in the pan. Add a two-finger pinch of salt to the onions. Saute the onions for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute for 3 to 4 minutes or until the mushrooms begin to brown. Turn off the heat.
Heat a large cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium heat. Place the seasoned meat patties in the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, flip them over, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Top the patties with the cooked onions and mushrooms.
Top with Monterey Jack cheese. Turn off the heat and serve when the cheese has melted.
Candied Yams are a classic side dish during the holiday. Tender yams, or sweet potatoes, glazed in a buttery brown sugar sauce with a delightful hint of orange. This pairs wonderfully with ham and good at Easter, too.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare potatoes by peeling and slicing 1/2 inch thick. Boil prepared potatoes for 10 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and set aside.
In a tall-sided frying pan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, butter, orange juice, cinnamon, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk or stir to combine.
Lower heat to simmer until it has reduced by half. The longer you simmer, the thicker the sauce will be. (About 5-8 minutes). Add the sweet potatoes to the pan and toss to coat. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the sauce is thick and bubbly and has reached desired consistency.
Remove from heat and serve.
Notes: To make in oven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare the sweet potatoes and place in a 9x13 baking dish. Make the sauce as directed and pour over the sweet potatoes. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the sauce is thick and bubbly.
Storage — Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating — For best results, reheat the leftovers in a 350 degrees F oven for 10-15 minutes. Place them in a baking dish, covered with foil, for reheating. You can also reheat smaller portions in the microwave, but the oven will give better results.
If you are going to be entertaining this holiday season, make sure to mix up a batch of this orange cranberry holiday party punch. It can be served as-is or add your own alcohol to make an adult version.
Fruit for garnish — cranberries apples, oranges, limes
In a large pitcher mix together cran-apple juice, frozen cranberry concentrate, orange juice and lime juice. This is the punch base.
Chill the base until ready to serve.
Just before serving, add ice to punch bowl or drink dispenser. Add punch base and then add ginger ale.
Add any garnishes to punch you like.
Notes: Turn this punch into an adult only drink with 1 cup vodka, silver rum, or coconut rum.
Source: www.realhousemoms.com/orange-cranberry-holiday-party-punch/#recipe
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a wire rack inside a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; set aside.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms and wipe the caps clean using a paper towel; reserve the stems for another use, if desired. In a large bowl, toss the mushroom caps with the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Arrange the mushrooms, cap side up, on the prepared baking. Roast until the mushrooms are mostly tender and have released liquid onto the baking sheet, about 20 minutes.
While the mushrooms roast, in the same medium bowl used to toss the mushrooms, stir together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, pimentos, parsley, garlic, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt until well combined. Gently fold in the crabmeat.
Stir together the panko and butter in a small bowl. Set aside.
Stuff each mushroom cap with about 2 to 3 teaspoons of the crab mixture and sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon of the panko. Return the stuffed mushrooms, cap side down, to the wire rack lined baking sheet. Bake until the panko is golden brown, and the crab filling is hot and melty, 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Source: www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a40809980/crab-stuffed-mushrooms-recipe/
If you're looking for an impressive and hearty main dish for Christmas, look no further than Beef Wellington. Featuring buttery, flaky puff pastry, tangy mustard, salty prosciutto, earthy mushrooms and super-tender beef, it's a classic for a reason.
For the mushroom mixture:
For the beef wellington:
For the mushroom mixture: In the bowl of a food processor, in two batches, pulse the mushrooms and shallots, until finely chopped, 12 to 15 times, stopping occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushroom mixture. Cook, stirring often, until tender, beginning to brown and any moisture in the skillet has evaporated, 25 to 30 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Stir in the parsley and remove from the heat. Let cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
For the Beef Wellington: Sprinkle the beef tenderloin all over with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the oil. Cook the beef tenderloin, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes total. Remove the tenderloin from the skillet and set aside to cool for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the twine.
On a clean work surface, overlap 2-3 pieces of plastic wrap to form a 22 x 18-inch rectangle. Lay the prosciutto slices on the plastic wrap, slightly overlapping each slice to form a 13 x 10 -inch rectangle in the center of the plastic wrap. Spread the cooled mushroom mixture evenly over the prosciutto. Rub the beef tenderloin all over with mustard and arrange lengthwise along the bottom third of the prosciutto rectangle. Using the plastic wrap as a guide, roll the beef tenderloin in the mushroom covered prosciutto to form a log. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, slightly overlap the 2 sheets of puff pastry and roll into a 15x12 -inch rectangle. Lightly brush the top third of a long side of the pastry with egg. Remove the plastic wrap from the beef tenderloin log and place the log lengthwise in the center of the puff pastry. Fold to completely seal the log in pastry, brushing any folds with egg to help them stick together and seal.
Place the pastry wrapped tenderloin, seam side down, on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Brush the log lightly with the remaining egg. Using a small knife, cut 3 (1-inch) slits in the puff pastry to allow steam to escape.
Bake the Beef Wellington until the puff pastry is golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted in the center registers 120 degrees for medium-rare, 40 to 50 minutes, tenting with foil to prevent excess browning if needed. Remove from the oven and let rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.
Source: www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a37417248/beef-wellington-recipe/
This cranberry pecan cake is tender and buttery with a brown sugar cinnamon pecan crumble blanketing each bite. Fitting for breakfast, brunch, snack, or dessert. See recipe notes about best baking pans.
Cake
Crumb Topping:
Icing:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2-quart baking dish. (See note below for recommendations on best pans to use.)
Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until creamy and combined, about 2 minutes. On medium speed, add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and sour cream. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat again as needed to combine. (Mixture may appear curdled — that's ok.) With the mixer on low speed, pour in the dry ingredients and milk/orange juice and beat until smooth and combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick. Fold in the cranberries and pecans. Spread into prepared pan. Set aside.
Make the crumb topping: Combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or a fork (or even with your hands) until the mixture is crumbly. Mix in the pecans. Sprinkle evenly over batter.
Bake for 40-55 minutes. Baking times vary greatly depending on the pan you're using. A thick ceramic pan will take longer than a metal springform pan. Keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when the edges are browned, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top of the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool for 10-15 minutes.
Make the icing: As the cake slightly cools, you can make the icing by whisking the icing ingredients together until smooth. Add more milk/cream/orange juice to thin out if needed. Drizzle icing over cake while it's still warm. Slice and serve.
Cover and store leftover cake at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes: Freezing Instructions: Bake the cake as directed, cool completely, and then freeze for up to 3 months (with or without the icing). Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature to serve or you can slightly warm by baking at 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Drizzle icing on cake, if it's plain, before serving.
Use a baking dish that holds 2 quarts, such as a 9-inch square baking dish, 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan, or an 11×7 inch pan. I do not recommend a 9-inch regular round cake pan because there is so much batter and even though it will fit, the batter will rise quite high and won't bake evenly.
Sour Cream: If you don't have sour cream, you can use plain regular or Greek yogurt instead. I don't suggest subbing the sour cream with a liquid.
Cranberries: If using dried instead of fresh or frozen, reduce down to 1 cup dried cranberries.
Feel free to skip the icing completely and leave the cake plain. Or you can dust the warm cake with confectioners' sugar using a fine mesh sieve.
Merry Christmas everyone, and happy cooking.
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