Christmas Dinner Recipes

All of my favorite Holiday Dinner Recipes

My all time favorite Turkey Recipe found: here

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     This is the moistest turkey recipe I have ever tasted.  I didn't know it was possible for white meat to

     be moist and this was excellent.  And the flavor was great as well!  It is really easy and falls off the bone.

     The only draw back I found? It ties up the oven for a hours.

Easiest Ham Recipe:

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     Just follow the instructions on the package, BUT cook in the crock pot. 

Holiday Sweet Potato Recipe found: here

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     This Sweet Potato Casserole is amazing, and I am not a huge fan of sweet potatoes, but this is like

     dessert. Only cooks for 30 minutes and can be cooked in advance.

Holiday Vegetable Recipe found: here

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    The perfect vegetable side.  Better and healthier than traditional Green Been Casserole.

 I personally don't like Green Bean Casserole, but even if you do, this is still excellent.  It is healthy and

     fresh and has great flavor.

Candied Walnut Salad found: here

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My all time favorite salad, perfect for every occasion.

Pears can be swapped for raspberries or strawberries.

Pretzel Jello Recipe found: here

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This side is really like dessert and always a hit.

Cranberry Bread with Cream Sauce found: here

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The cream sauce makes this.  And it is more dessert than bread, but it is excellent.

Graham Cracker Crust Jello

This is one of those recipes I had since I was a kid.  We weren't a jello family, but this was part of our holiday dinners and it is like dessert.

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Graham Cracker Crust Jello

Crust

1 ½ c crushed graham crackers

¼ c sugar

½ c melted butter

Mix together and pat into bottom of 9x13 pan. Chill until set.

Jello

3 pkg (3 oz each) strawberry jello

3 c boiling water

1- 16 oz pkg frozen strawberries (optional)

1 – 20 oz can crushed pineapple w/juice (optional)

8 oz cream cheese- softened

1 c sour cream

¼ c sugar

Directions

In large bowl dissolve jello in boiling water. Add frozen strawberries and un-drained pineapple. Pour half the mixture into a 9x13 pan and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. (make sure the jello is cool and starting to set before putting into the graham cracker crust or the crust will soften and start to float up into the jello) In mixer, beat cream cheese with sour cream and sugar; spread over chilled, set layer. Gently spoon remaining gelatin mixture on top. Refrigerate until firm. About 2 hours. (or you can use the cream cheese filling to top the jello instead of in the middle).

Cranberry Bread with Cream Sauce

It's called Cranberry Bread, but it is really cake and since it is bakes in a bunt pan...I think it should be called cake. We eat it for breakfast Christmas Morning, for dessert, for snacks...because it is so good, you end up eating all day.

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Cranberry Bread with Cream Sauce

2 c sugar

4 tsp baking powder

6 Tb butter

½ tsp salt

2 eggs

2 c milk

4 c flour

3 c whole cranberries (rinsed)

 

Directions:

Blend well; sugar, butter, eggs. In separate bowl mix together; flour, baking powder, salt. Add dry ingredients to sugar mixture alternately with milk. Stir in cranberries. Pour into greased and floured loaf pans (2) or bunt pan. Bake 45 minutes at 350’.

Cream Sauce (what makes it Divine)

1 c sugar

½ c butter

¾ c cream

1 tsp vanilla

splash of lemon juice

Bring to slow boil for 3 minutes. Stir constantly.

Candied Walnut Salad

This Salad is another favorite.  My cute sister in law made if for Thanksgiving a few years back and it is my favorite. (the image below shows pears, but she used strawberries and it was excellent)

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Candied Walnut Salad

½ c walnut halves

¼ c. sugar

3 c. mixed greens

½ c. dried cranberries

½ c. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1 tbsp raspberry vinaigrette

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

*Optional: Pears, Raspberries or Sliced Strawberries

Directions:

Candied walnuts: Place walnuts and sugar in a skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves into a light brown liquid and coats the walnuts. Remove walnuts from skillet, and spread them out on a sheet of aluminum foil to cool.

Salad: Place in a large salad bowl the mixed greens, cranberries, cheese, vinaigrette, vinegar, and olive oil. Toss gently; add candied walnuts, and toss again.

Baked Vegetables

These mixed vegetables are another new found recipe this year.  While visiting friends on vacations, they made these...and the flavor and texture was excellent.  So we added them to our holiday spread and will definitely continue it in the future.  They were easy, fast, and healthy!

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Baked Vegetables

green beans

broccoli

cauliflower

garlic clove, minced

olive oil

Parmesan cheese, shredded

1 lemon

Line cookie sheet with foil. Wash, cut, and prep vegetables. Spread vegetables over foil, drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with minced garlic and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 for 45 min. Remove from oven and squeeze juice of lemon over the top.

*I prefer to toss vegetables in bowl with oil, garlic, and Parmesan cheese.

Ruth Chris' Sweet Potato Casserole

This is another recipe new to me this year...and it is also excellent! 

A friend brought this to a Holiday Recipe exchange and I will definitely make it every year in the future. 

And before now, I avoided all Sweet Potato Casseroles.

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Ingredients

Crust

1 c brown sugar

1/3 c flour

1 c chopped pecans

¼ c butter, melted

 

Sweet Potato Mixture

3 heaping cups mashed sweet potatoes

1 c sugar

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs, beat

½ c butter, melted

Directions

Combine brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and butter in a mixing bowl in the order listed. Mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into buttered baking dish.

Bake for 10 min.

Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with crust mixture. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to set at least 20-30 min.

Brown Paper Bag Turkey

I'm not the biggest turkey fan.  I like it on sandwiches and I enjoy it for the holidays, but I have never been impressed with it.  Until this year.  A cute friend of mine, gave me this recipe and it made the most moist and flavorful turkey I have ever had.  It is easy, but it takes the oven for a while...but completely worth it!

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1.Thaw turkey as instructed on package.

2.Remove wrapper, giblets & neck from inside turkey cavity. Wash turkey inside and out.

3.Prepare spices by pouring salt, pepper, garlic, sage, etc. into medium bowl. Mix together and rub spices inside & outside of turkey. Be generous with spices. I usually use 4 good handfuls.

4.Oil the inside of large paper grocery bag. I use stick of butter.

5.Place turkey inside the bag. Staple closed. If turkey is too large put one on each end.

6.Place bagged turkey (with breast down) in roasting pan. I used a large stainless steal bowl works, as it keeps the juices up around the turkey.

7.Cover securely with aluminum foil.

8.Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roast turkey for 30-45 min. (10-12lb. Turkey for 30 min, bigger turkey takes longer.)

*The purpose is to thoroughly heat the whole bird to eliminate the chances of salmonella*

9.Reduce heat to 250 degrees. Roast for remainder of time. 10-12lb turkey for 7-9 hours, a 20lb turkey for 10-12 hours. (I suggest using a digital thermometer...it helps insure it isn't dry.

10.Remove from oven with enough time to de-bone and make gravy

 

*After slicing, pour some of the juice over the meat.

Favorite Spritz Cookie Recipe

This is my favorite Spritz Cookie recipe.  It has a hint of orange in it, that really makes the difference.

Ingredients:

4 ½ c flour

1 tsp baking powder

dash salt

1 ½ c butter

1 c sugar

1 egg

2 tbsp orange juice concentrate

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Sift flower, baking powder and salt. In mixer cream butter and sugar. Then add egg and mix. Add juice and mix. Stir in dry ingredients. Refrigerate about 20-40 min. until desired constancy for pushing out of Spritz Cookie Press.

*Not shown: My personal favorite, is to dip half the cookie in melted dark chocolate.

DIY Board Book

I saw a cute board book on chefmessy.com. And I loved the idea. 

I followed her tutorial for making it, but she suggests printing the pictures on card stock then using double sided sticky tape and a dollar store board book. 

I made a few minor changes.  I wanted the book to be a little more durable.  So I ordered my pictures from Walmart.  Real photos last longer through the chewing and drool. 

To ensure that the pictures would hold, I peeled off the outer layer of the board book and each of its pages. Until it was just card board. (it pulls off easily)

Then I Glued and Modge Podged the pictures on securely.

It was really quick and easy...and a perfect Stocking Stuffer idea!

Knock off Christmas Light Post

I saw this light post at Hobby Lobby decorated with greenery, berries and a bow...and loved it.

But the price tag was really high, $93 with tax.  So I decided to look around and it was worth it.

The entire Christmas Light Post was just under $22.50, including tax.