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Christmas Holiday Recipes Recommendations

by · 4 Comments

It's time to finalize your food plans for the holiday gatherings. Remember, it is a family holiday, not a "food" holiday like Thanksgiving. You need to spend time with your family and friends. So the food needs to match the goals—it must be great but easy.

college image of Christmas Recipe roundup

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Introduction

While everybody has different traditions, let's look at some of my favorite recipes for the big day. We try to keep Christmas simple food-wise. Thanksgiving is all about food, but we want time with each other at Christmas.

So, while most of the recipes on this site are "Christmas friendly," here are some that you will enjoy with your family.

Don't forget about food safety. For some quick reminders, check Holiday Food Safety.

Breakfast Recipes

A great breakfast is a beautiful way to start the holiday morning, but you don't want to be stuck at the stove away from the family. Let's do something special with very little work or that can be made ahead.

Small Cinnamon Roll Cake
Cinnamon Roll Cake is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. All the wonderful taste of gooey Cinnabon rolls and topped with a drizzle of vanilla icing. This easy smaller recipe is ideal for a small household or quickly doubled to full size.
Check Out This Recipe
Cinnamon Roll Cake from 101 Cooking For Two
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven—Quick and Easy
Oven baked bacon is the easiest way to cook bacon with no mess and no splatter while you do something else—perfect crispy bacon every time from your convection oven on an aluminum foil covered tray.
Check Out This Recipe
pile of cooked bacon on a white plate
How To Cook Sausage in the Oven
Cooking sausage in the oven is the best and easiest way to cook any sausage, like breakfast sausage patties or links, smoked sausage, Kielbasa, Italian sausage, or even brats—perfectly moist and tender results.
Check Out This Recipe
baked sausage on a white plate
Smaller French Toast Casserole
French Toast Casserole is a classic breakfast/brunch dish for family gatherings or holidays. Now you can easily make an amount that fits smaller households. Make it ahead or bake right away with these quick and easy instructions.
Check Out This Recipe
Image of French Toast Casserole on orange plate

Main Dish Recipes

What fun is a holiday if you are stuck in the kitchen? Here are some worthy holiday recommendations that will be something special you want without too much work.

How to Cook a Turkey Breast the Easy Way
Learn how easy it is to roast the perfect turkey breast with moist meat and crispy skin. Anybody can cook delicious turkey—just follow these simple step-by-step photo instructions.
Check Out This Recipe
turkey slice with gravy on orange plate.
Small Ribeye Roast
Ribeye roast is a classic main entree for special meals. A ribeye roast is Prime Rib without the bone, making it easier to cook and scale to the right size at home.
Check Out This Recipe
slice of Ribeye Roast on a white plate
Smaller Crock Pot Honey Glazed Ham
Crock Pot Honey Glazed Ham will enhance a smaller boneless ham with pineapple, honey, and spices to make a great holiday main dish.
Check Out This Recipe
slices of ham with pineapple on white plater
Pan Seared Oven Roasted Strip Steak
Quick and easy, this New York Strip Steak Recipe uses the tried and true sear and oven bake method to get the best steaks every time. Your steaks will be moist, tender, and flavorful.
Check Out This Recipe
NY strip steak cut on an orange plate
Pan Seared Filet Mignon
The perfect filet mignon recipe uses the tried and true sear and oven bake method to get the best filet mignon every time—moist, tender, and flavorful.
Check Out This Recipe
seared filet on a white plate with potatoes

Side Dish Recipes

A holiday meal is not complete without some tasty side dishes. Here are some excellent choices that will round out the holiday feast.

Cheesy Potatoes with Real Potatoes
Cheesy potatoes with real potatoes from scratch, like grandma would make. Perfect with almost any meal. With no soup and no frozen potatoes, it is loaded with creamy real potatoes, sour cream, melted cheese, and a browned top.
Check Out This Recipe
close up image of cheesy potato casserole on a white plate
Broccoli Slaw Salad
Broccoli slaw salad is a healthy side dish with veggies, crunchy almonds, sunflower seeds, rice noodles, and topped with a wonderful homemade dressing.or
Check Out This Recipe
broccoli slaw salad in a metal bowl
Baked Green Beans with Bacon
Baked green beans with bacon are the perfect side dish for almost any meal. This easy green bean recipe features a sweet and savory sauce with brown sugar and garlic topping tender green beans sprinkled with bacon.
Check Out This Recipe
green beans with bacon on an orange plate
Old Fashion Scalloped Potatoes
Old Fashion Scalloped Potatoes, just like grandma made, are the perfect side dish for almost any meal. Creamy sauce, and layers of potato, all topped with more cheese and a classic sprinkle of paprika.
Check Out This Recipe
Scalloped Potatoes in casserole dish
Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
This caramelized Parmesan roasted cauliflower recipe will become your favorite way to cook cauliflower. Using fresh or frozen, it makes a great hot baked side dish.
Check Out This Recipe
Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower from 101 Cooking for Two
Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole
Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole with a pecan topping (or a marshmallow topping) has become a traditional holiday classic. This sweet family favorite can be made ahead with the easy-to-follow step-by-step photo instructions.
Check Out This Recipe

Dessert Recipes

Let's get a sweet ending to the family feast. You want a memorable dessert to top off the day. All of these recipes are guaranteed to satisfy.

Easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Chocolate chip cheesecake is a creamy, decadent dessert but is one of the easiest recipes to make. While it is not "cheesecake for two," it will become your signature dessert for gatherings. Just follow the easy step-by-step photos to impress your friends and family.
Check Out This Recipe
chocolate chip cheese cake on a spatula
Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache Glaze
It's easy to make this classic, eloquent dessert by following simple step-by-step instructions. Finish with a chocolate ganache glaze, and you have the perfect decadent ending to any special dinner.
Check Out This Recipe
Closeup image of Flourless Chocolate Cake on a spatula
Easy Crock Pot Apple Crisp
Celebrate fall and apples with this easy classic dessert with juicy cinnamon apple filling with a sweet buttery and crispy oat crust. Great for the smaller households but easy to double for larger families. You need 10 minutes of prep time, a few ingredients, and your slow cooker.
Check Out This Recipe
apple crisp with ice cream on an orange plate
Easy Cheesecake Bars
These Easy Cheesecake Bars are creamy and delicious with a Graham cracker crust and lemon—the quick small-batch recipe you need.
Cheesecake bars on a blue plate

Holiday Candy

Homemade candy is great to have around the house for the holidays and makes wonderful house gifts.

The easy fudge recipe includes instructions for a fudge wreath. How is that for the Christmas spirit? And the Crock Pot Fudge is designed to let the kids help.

The peanut clusters are made by most of our friends as gifts. It is so easy to make a large amount of great candy.

Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Clusters
Chocolate peanut clusters are the best candy treat and are super easy to make at home in your crock pot. Lightly salted peanuts covered with sweet chocolate coating make the perfect gift, or keep them all for yourself—you can always make more with this smaller recipe.Only a few ingredients.
Check Out This Recipe
red plate full of chocolate peanut clusters
Crock Pot Fudge
Let's make some great fudge with this super-easy recipe using the gentle heat of your crock pot and only 4 ingredients. Have fun making fudge with your child or just by yourself. This chocolate fudge recipe is just what you need for the holidays.
Check Out This Recipe
pieces of fudge with nuts on a red plate
Crock Pot White Chocolate Almond Clusters
Super easy and delicious white chocolate almond clusters are the perfect gift for the holidays or for any special occasion. Simple with these step by step photo instruction for the perfect white chocolate candy.
Check Out This Recipe
white chocolate almond clusters on a white plate
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Have a great holiday.

Molly, Lilly, Wifo, and DrDan

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Editor's Note: Originally Published December 20, 2017. It is one of my recurring posts that will be updated and republished about this time yearly

Molly and Lilly with stuffed cats and the Christmas tree

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  1. Catherine

    Aloha Dr. Dan, Wifo, Molly and Lilly,
    Happy Holidays to All My husband and I Love your recipes. It’s just
    the two of us so I Love crock pot recipes. Everything I have made
    of your recipes is super great. Wishing you a Safe Holiday Season
    Aloha Catherine and Ric

    Reply

  2. Jerri

    Merry Christmas, DrDan! I just wanted to say thank you for your efforts in the kitchen to give us great and simple recipes with your tips on making them work!

    Reply

  3. Leslie

    I have used your menu ideas and recipes for several years, my family thinks I am a foodnetwork star. Thank you for all your hard work

    Reply

    • DrDan

      Happy Holidays to You
      Dan