My Christmas Menu
Dec 21, 2023
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This Christmas, I’ve curated a menu that features six recipes that promise to add a touch of nostalgia to your festive table. I have developed, loved and leant on these recipes for so many years – some being adapted from my mom and precious childhood memories, and others having been discovered and adapted in more recent years.
In my mind, your Christmas Day spread should be as nourishing as it is delicious, and these tried and true favorites are packed with flavour and plenty of good-for-you nutrients. But, the thing I love most about so many of these dishes is that whether you’re hosting an intimate gathering with your nearest and dearest or throwing a grand celebration for a long list of friends, so much of this menu can be prepared in advance. I want you to be able to revel in the joy of the season, be in the photos with your kids and see all of the smiles first-hand without being tied to the kitchen all day long! (Yes, it’s possible, I promise!)
So without further ado, here are 6 recipes I’ll be bringing out for my Christmas Day menu. Who’s making these?
1. Christmas Simmer Pot Home Fragrance
This Christmas simmer pot is like a potpourri made on your stovetop, covered with water and slowly releasing all of those festive smells into the air. If you don’t have rosemary, you can clip a few branches off of your Christmas tree instead to add a pine or fir note to the mixture that is really lovely. But don’t take my word for it!
2. Holiday Chex Mix with Brown Butter & Herbs
Every holiday season, I make batches and batches of this stuff. It’s so satisfying to snack on with drinks, if you’re having people over, and makes an easy and delicious gift for neighbors and friends.
In all honesty, who doesn’t love that stuff? Crunchy, salty, savory… it’s hard to stop once I start.
I got the idea to do an upgraded DIY Chex Mix from my old Martha Stewart colleague and friend, Thomas Joseph. I’ve taken his idea of using browned butter and thyme and made it my own, adding in rosemary and changing up some of the ingredients.
3. Vegetarian Chopped Antipasto Salad
Antipasto, meaning ‘before the meal’, is the traditional first course of an Italian feast. Around here though, we believe that a salad can be an entire meal in a bowl that actually fills you up. This Vegetarian Chopped Antipasto Salad, our Hungry Lady Salad Episode 37 is no exception.
For those of you who believe that an Antipasto (or Charcuterie) board is elite, minus the meat, this chopped salad is packed with those same bold flavors and bright colors.
4. Baked Stuffed Shrimp Casserole
My mom has been making baked stuffed shrimp for Christmas Eve for decades.
Growing up, it was the one time of year we ate that dish, and I always looked forward to it. It felt like the open door to the Christmas holiday, I have such fond memories of this dinner. Even my Irish, meat-and-potatoes loving dad couldn’t get enough of it.
This recipe is my take on that dish, made into a casserole for a small crowd, made gluten-free, and houses the additions of garlic and lemon juice and zest that really brighten the stuffing.
5. Hasselback Potato Skillet with Mustard Garlic Butter and Chives
I don’t know of any occasion where potatoes aren’t an appropriate addition to the menu. Mashed potatoes are a classic in my household, but sometimes I like to switch it up, and this is an easy, impressive way to do just that.
I’ve added mustard, garlic, and chives to melted butter to make a very flavorful sauce for the potatoes as they roast. What you end up with is savory, crispy potatoes on the outside and a tender, buttery interior. What more could you want?
6. One-Bowl Festive Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake
This is the perfect Christmas/holiday season cake – my festive Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake is made in one bowl, can be made ahead of time and just so happens to be gluten and dairy free. It’s incredibly moist, dramatically high and even better the next day!
The original recipe is one I based on the famous Maialino Olive Oil Cake (one of my favorite cakes in the world) from Maialino restaurant in New York City, and once you’ve tried it I’m sure you’ll agree: it’s famous for a reason!
If you give any of the recipes from my Christmas menu a try, and I hope you do, please leave me a comment and rate the recipes. Your feedback means a lot to me! You can also post to Instagram and tag me so I can share your creations!
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