Festive Christmas Dinner Menu Options That Put the "Happy" in Happy Holidays
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Find yourself preparing Christmas dinner with no clue what to cook? This dinner plan, covering the whole enchilada from appetizers to dessert, is a great place to start. When guests try your herb and apple bread pudding, roasted red pepper beef tenderloin, and molten chocolate cakes with caramel sauce, they'll fondly remember all over again why Christmas is all about eating (er, giving).
Appetizers
Nothing gets a holiday dinner started like hors d'oeuvres and festive cocktails. Tempt guests with cheesy bites, like candied bacon baked brie, and crunchy snacks to munch on while they mingle, like herbed gruyère cheese straws.
- Brie and Fig Bites
- Herbed Gruyère Cheese Straws
- Mushroom and Brie Bruschetta
- Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
- Parmesan, Black Pepper, and Thyme Crackers
- Peppery Ranch Cheese Ball
- Gruyère Gougères
- Candied Bacon Baked Brie
- Pepper Jelly
- Roasted Figs With Goat Cheese
- Baked Camembert Bread Wreath
- Baked Goat Cheese Dip
Side Dishes
Because even the fanciest of roasts would be nothing without sides, here are several comforting dishes — from the decadent, like scalloped potatoes, to the virtuous, like brussels sprouts, kale, and kumquat salad.
- Herb and Apple Bread Pudding
- Cinnamon Butter Baked Carrots
- Red Cabbage Braised With Maple and Ginger
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Fennel, Citrus, and Feta Salad
- Bacon and Brown Sugar Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Tyler Florence's Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Cauliflower Snowflakes
- Kale Salad With Pecorino and Pine Nuts
- Blistered Green Beans
- Brussels Sprouts, Kale, and Kumquat Salad
Main Dishes
Whether your crowd likes red meat or white meat, modest or opulent, simple or super flavorful, here are 10 entrée options that will have the whole table chirping with merriment.
Desserts
End your meal on a high note with sweets that capture the spirit of the season. The following will satisfy any craving, from that of intense chocolate to one of Winter fruits.
- Chocolate Marshmallow Crinkle Cookies
- Bourbon Pecan Pie
- Cranberry-Swirled Gingerbread Cake
- Chocolate-Almond Toffee
- Chocolate Mousse
- Butterscotch Pie
- Pear-Cranberry Deep Dish Pie
- Molten Chocolate Cakes With Salted Caramel Sauce
- Apple Crisp Baked Apples
- Dark Chocolate Fondue
- No-Bake Gingerbread Cheesecake
- Dark Chocolate Truffles