Food for the holidays??

ReenieHJ

We're having 7 family members here for Christmas and planning on kind of a snacky light dinner type table. DH is making chili, there'll be meatballs, macaroni and cheese, brussel sprouts/cranberry dish, veggie tray, along with cheese ball, etc. It feels like we've done this so many times with the same old recipes, it's boring. Any new and different ideas for a person who's not a very good cook? Last year I made a Brie appetizer that got devoured. I just hate trying things that might not hit the mark.

Also, dessert ideas as well? I have the traditional cookies I make but would like to add something different to the dessert table as well. I used to make Trifle but it wasn't a favorite.

Thanks for any ideas!!!

ahoy_m8

Oooohh… I would love your cranberry Brussels sprouts recipe!

Do you have a Trader Joe’s nearby? They have a frozen Brie en croute that’s popular. Central market & Whole Foods do too in refrigerator cheese sections. Pop in oven and done. I tried this egg biscuit “wreath” last year for breakfast and my family liked it. https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/crescent-bacon-breakfast-ring/

glassyo

In to finagle an invite!

It all sounds so good except for the cranberry part.

Ok, from someone who doesn't cook, I once made this not that healthy vegetable dish that didn't kill anyone who ate it.

This actually won't help because I can't remember the oven temp or length of time to cook but here you go...

Just found a recipe that comes close...

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 1 ½-quart baking dish.

Combine 24oz Stouffer's® Simple Dishes Spinach Souffle', 12oz corn soufflé and maybe a lb? baby carrots in medium bowl; transfer to prepared baking dish.

Bake for 65 to 70 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.

MaggieGirl135

Also in for the invite! (OK, really holiday food ideas). I didn't see any fruit mentioned and thought I would share two fruit punches that I made for Thanksgiving. Alcoholic one: 2 bottles of Prosecco, one bottle of sparkling cider, and orange and lemon slices. Make this one the day of the get-together--otherwise it loses it's fizz. Non-alcoholic one: Cranapple juice (it's really a juice drink, 1 gallon) and pineapple juice (1/2 gallon). Add in a big spoonful (2 oz?) of either OJ or lemonade concentrate. Add pineapple rings and fresh cranberries. This one can be made ahead. I thought it was a touch sweet with the OJ concentrate and added some lemon juice. Next time I will make it with the lemonade concentrate. We thought both were very good. Have fun!

kshama2001

I love Christmas cookies! The first two can be baked way ahead of time and frozen if necessary. The rum balls need to age a few weeks (and keep for months) so get started on them now

Chili Chocolate Cookies are my favorite "something different for cookies" recipe:

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/219115/chili-chocolate-cookies/

I've run out of Kahlua and used orange liqueur, which was very nice. Orange juice would work if one wanted a non-alcoholic option.

CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES SO GOOD!

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/chocolate-crinkle-cookies-52984811

Rum balls (I'd double the recipe at minimum.) Pre-ground graham crackers are more convenient, if available.

https://www.joyofbaking.com/RumBalls.html

kshama2001

ahoy_m8 wrote: »

Oooohh… I would love your cranberry Brussels sprouts recipe!

Do you have a Trader Joe’s nearby? They have a frozen Brie en croute that’s popular. Central market & Whole Foods do too in refrigerator cheese sections. Pop in oven and done.

I tried this egg biscuit “wreath” last year for breakfast and my family liked it. https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/crescent-bacon-breakfast-ring/

I think I've made this before. Yum!

cwolfman13

Christmas day we're having a dinner for 10, but Christmas eve we do more of an open house type of deal. I will make red chile pork posole, which is pretty traditional on Christmas Eve thing here as well as tamales, and we always do a nice charcuterie board of different cheeses, cured meats, olive varieties and artichoke hearts, and crackers.

westrich20940

Don't know how novel it will really seam all said and done but I've been making brigadeiro for potluck/pitch-in type things recently.

You can look up a recipe that'll work best for you bc there are slight variations in how you can make it but basically it's like a camel/chocolate truffle type thing made with:
Condensed Milk - I have also used condensed coconut milk when making these for people who are dairy free and it definitely changes the texture to feeling more like mochi than caramel - but I really liked the texture actually.
Chocolate Chips or Cocoa Powder
Butter (or some other type of fat if you wanted to keep it dairy free or vegan).

You cook it until it thickens, then cool it on a plate, then roll into balls and roll in cocoa powder or sprinkles or coconut (really anything fine enough to coat them). You can put them into little papers too but I usually just stack them up and not worry about how it looks. They taste amazing and are different to most people. It's a Brazilian dessert.

I also usually add some vanilla extract after it's cooked before I cool it (I think maybe other extracts would work too). I also have put a little ball of marzipan in the center while rolling them up and it's delicious. I also usually like cinnamon in the chocolate mixture too.

ReenieHJ

ahoy_m8 wrote: »

Oooohh… I would love your cranberry Brussels sprouts recipe!

Do you have a Trader Joe’s nearby? They have a frozen Brie en croute that’s popular. Central market & Whole Foods do too in refrigerator cheese sections. Pop in oven and done. I tried this egg biscuit “wreath” last year for breakfast and my family liked it. https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/crescent-bacon-breakfast-ring/

No Trader Joes nearby, unfortunately.

There's a lot of good ideas here! I do have a punch recipe but think I'll try the non-alcoholic one @Maggiegirl135 posted. Sounds good! I was also thinking of making a charcuterie board because they always look so good! I found a recipe I've had and made a couple of times called Chicken Bacon Bundles which are pretty good. Definitely not vegan friendly but others might like them.

The Brussel Sprouts/Cranberry recipe actually my dd's recipe and from how she described it, it sounds like this one, but without the goat cheese, as she's vegan. It sounds good and I've talked her into making it for Christmas.

https://nibbleanddine.com/brussels-sprout-salad-with-cranberries/

Thanks everybody!! Oh and those chocolate truffles sound amazing.

AnnPT77

Brie en croute is harder to pronounce (for this 'murcan 😉) than it is to make. You don't need Trader Joes. Any decent-sized US supermarket should have the necessary stuff.

Get a small round of brie, and a package of frozen puff pastry (the sheets, not the cups). Thaw the pastry per the package directions, let the brie get room temp. Wrap the pastry completely around the whole brie round, sealing edges with a bit of raw egg/water mix. (You can put some dried cranberries or toasted almonds or herbs or something in there, too, if you want.) Bake it for 20 minutes or so, let it stand so it's not injuriously molten, serve with crackers or baguette rounds.

It's one of those things that's stupid easy, but a lot of people will "oooh" and "aaahh" over because it seems fancy.

There are a bazillion recipes online with variations. This one will do, to give you an idea.

https://www.puffpastry.com/recipe/brie-en-croute/

I don't really understand why people buy it pre-prepped ready to bake: It's more expensive, not as fresh tasting, and IMO can tend to be a little soggy when pre-made. It's really easy, using the frozen sheets.

MsCzar

Saw this shrimp dish on TV today and will be making it for the holidays:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT3WBeip3Mo

This year, I won't be doing any formal hosting. On Christmas Day, I'll make a huge pan of lasange that I know will heat up nicely for anyone who drops by for dinner after that. With a good bottle of wine, ready-made garlic bread, cheescake in the freezer and that baked shrimp dish ready to assemble at moments notice - I can whip up a proper feast in no time. I won't bake cookies until I know there will be people to take the extras home!