6 Simple Dishes You Can Make For a Last-Minute Holiday Gathering

Last-minute plans don't really call for an extravagant hors d'oeuvre spread, but you'll still want to impress your guests. Keep plenty of premade items, like HORMEL GATHERINGS® Party Trays with presliced meats and cheeses or mixed nuts and seasonal fruit, on hand during this time of year so they can be served immediately.

Your slow cooker is going to be one of the biggest life savers during the holiday season. Add a precooked roast chicken to your slow cooker when guests arrive, crank it to high, and you have a main dish that's ready to eat in no time. Or, if you have a couple of hours, you can pop a fresh chicken in the slow cooker and let it do its thing while entertaining guests.

Get the recipe: slow-cooker chicken

You can easily transform ingredients you keep stocked in your fridge into tasty dishes. Mix frozen spinach with cream cheese, an onion soup mix packet, parmesan cheese, and sour cream into a bubbling dip that you can enjoy with crackers, toasted bread, or veggies as an appetizer or side dish. Bake at 425 degrees until it's bubbling and cooked through.

Here's what you'll need:

Turn basic frozen veggies into a delicious side by straining them, placing them into a casserole dish, and topping them with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Pop it in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees and it'll be melty and crispy.

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You might not think you can make mashed potatoes quickly, but all you need is a microwave. Peel the potatoes, cut them up into quarters, place in a microwave-safe dish, and cover with a paper towel. Microwave on high for eight minutes or until they're tender. Mash them up with butter and milk, then whip up a garlic-infused butter cream to pour over the top for a gourmet touch.

Here's what you'll need:

Skip the fancy dessert and opt for store-purchased holiday cookies in a variety of festive shapes. Dust them with a bit of powdered sugar to give them a freshly-snowed-on look and we guarantee they'll satisfy any sweet tooth.