Since the holiday season is upon us, getting some quick, easy, and lip-smacking recipes is a must. These recipes will save you time and leave your guests in love!
The end of every year brings a giant holiday season upon us. It is the time to recount our joys and host parties and get together to spend the last few days of a year together with people who really matter. If you are planning to host a party to celebrate this year soon, something that you need the most is food. What if you don’t order takeout this time and put in some effort for your guests by cooking theme delicious food? Sounds impossible? Well, we are here to tell you otherwise. And we have some lip-smacking recipes for you that will make this cooking time easier for you.
We have a list of 7 quick and easy recipes for the holiday season that your guests will not stop gushing over! Let’s get into it.
- Leek Potato Pancakes
People think pancakes are breakfast food. But who said that it can only be eaten at breakfast? The first recipe in this list is pancakes made with leek and potatoes. This is one of our favorite combinations for pancakes, and once you have had it, there is no doubt that you will pancake any other way ever again. For the holiday party, you can cook these pancakes for your guests and make these their favorite too!
Ingredients –
- 1/2 pound russet potatoes, peeled and quartered (about 1 large)
- 2 pounds medium leeks (white portion only), thinly sliced
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup canola oil, divided
- Apple sauce, sour cream, and chopped for serving
Directions –
Take the potato quarters and place them in a large bowl or saucepan. The next step is to cover the saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Now reduce the heat cover and cook for at least 15-20 minutes or until the potato is tender. During the last 3 minutes, add leek, mix the ingredients together, and drain the water. Now, transfer both the potatoes and the leek to a bowl to mix. Add salt and pepper, bread crumbs, cheese, and eggs to the bowl to mix everything together. Now, cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Take a heavy skillet or a large cast iron over medium heat and heat 1 tablespoon of oil in it. Now, take out the batter from the refrigerator and drop the batter by 1/4 cupfuls into the oil. Until they are golden brown on both sides, fry them in batches. You can also use the remaining oil as needed. After they are fried, remove them from the pan and serve it hot with sour cream, and apple sauce, and top the pancakes with chopped chives.
- Parmesan Risotto
Risotto is a comfort food and is also one of the easiest recipes to make. Now, this parmesan risotto is even easier to make and the perfect option to serve your guests at your holiday party. Made with only a few, easily available ingredients, it is guaranteed that this dish will leave the guests wanting for more.
Ingredients –
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade, divided
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
Directions –
To make this easy risotto, you would need a Dutch oven to cook the rice chicken stock. As the oven is best suited for long and slow cooking, it will eliminate the need to constantly stir, and make the recipe a fun one for you. Now let’s start the cooking! Take a Dutch oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. Take the Arborio rice, wash it, and place it in the oven with 4 cups of the chicken stock. Cover the oven and cook it for at least 45 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Now that you have your al dente rice, remove it from the oven and add the remaining chicken stock to it. Take the butter, wine, and parmesan cheese, and mix it with the rice and chicken stock mixture. Add salt and pepper and stir the mixture vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes. When you have the rice as cream and thick, add in the peas and stir until they are heated through. Your easy and quick parmesan risotto is ready to serve hot!
- Cranberry-Almond Apple Pie
Pies are always a hit at the holiday parties. If you love baking, this Cranberry-Almond Apple Pie is going to be one of your favorite pies to bake. Not just because of how easy it is to make, but how delicious it will turn out to be. One thing is for sure, it is much better than your everyday apple pies. Before we get into the recipe and ingredients, you need to know that making the pie will be different steps. For a single-crust pie, you need to prepare the dough first and get your sugared cranberries ready. Now, let’s jump back to the recipe.
Ingredients –
- Dough for single-crust pie
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 6 medium tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- TOPPING:
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons cold butter
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Directions –
First, let’s form the dough. To make the dough, take 1-1/4 cups of all-purpose flour and combine it with 1/4 tsp. of salt. Take 1/2 cup cold butter, mix it with the flour, and gradually add 3-5 Tbsp. Ice water. Toss everything together with a fork until a dough forms, shape it into a ball, and knead it well. When your dough is ready, wrap it and refrigerate.
The next step of the recipe involves making the sugared cranberries for the pie. Take a bowl and put three tablespoons of corn syrup, place it in a microwave, and heat it until they are warm. Take 1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries, put them in the syrup, and gently toss it until the excess syrup is dripped off. Now toss in 1/3 cup sugar to coat, place the cranberries on waxed paper, and set them to sit for at least an hour.
Now, let’s move on to the actual recipe for the pie. Preheat the oven to 350°. Take the dough and it to a 1/8-inch.-thick circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a 9-in. pie plate and trim the crust to 1/2 in. beyond the rim of the plate. Take a bowl and combine sugar, flour, butter, nutmeg and salt. Add the cranberries and apples to the mixture and stir gently. After your fruits are ready, pour the mixture into the pie. Take another small bowl and combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Now, cut in butter until all crumbly, and then stir in almonds. Sprinkle this over the filling and bake the entire pie until the apples are tender. The baking will take you about an hour in total. Remove from the oven and serve it immediately!!
- Mulled White Wine
Since holidays are the season that never lets you shy away from drinks, why not make your drink a fun one with this special and rich recipe? This recipe for mulled white wine will surely make your guests enjoy every sip of the cocktail and especially appreciate you for making that! Let’s see what ingredients you need to prepare the drink and how you can make it.
Ingredients –
- 2 (750 ml) bottles of dry white wine
- 2 oranges, sliced into rounds
- 1/2 cup brandy (optional)
- 1/2 cup honey or sugar
- 16 whole cloves
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 4 star anise
- Citrus slices (orange, lemon, and/or lime), extra cinnamon sticks, and extra star anise for garnishing
Directions –
To make the mulled white wine, you need a non-aluminum saucepan and combine all the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Remember to just bring it to a simmer, not a boil; otherwise, the alcohol will be boiled out. Now, reduce the heat to medium-low and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes. You can also keep up the simmer for up to 3 hours. Now, strain the wine and serve it warm with your choice of garnishes. There is another way to do this, you can also place the oranges, cloves, cinnamon, and star anise in a cheesecloth together. When you are ready to serve, simply strain and pull out the bundle.
- Big Festive Salad
Well well, we know not everyone is a fan of salad but we have a theory. People usually do not like salad because they have not tasted a good one yet! A lot of people on our team previously were not a big fan of salads until they tried the ones we recommended. If you are someone who does not like them, maybe it is time to try a homemade one with a really good dressing. Why don’t you start with your upcoming big holiday party where you can surprise your guests with this homemade and delicious recipe of the Big Festive Salad? Let’s get to the ingredients now and check how you can make it quickly.
Ingredients –
The ingredients are divided into three parts, one is for the salad, one is for the nuts, and another is for the dressing.
Salad ingredients –
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 2 cups baby kale
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 2 cups quartered and sliced radicchio
- 3 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Nuts ingredients –
- 1/4 cup shelled raw unsalted pistachios
- 1/4 cup chopped raw unsalted hazelnuts
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Dressing ingredients –
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions –
When it comes to making this Big Festive Salad, you will have to follow several steps to get the nuts, the dressing, and then the salad ready. So first, let’s start with the nuts. To make the candied nuts, take a nonstick skillet and put it on medium-high heat. Take the hazelnuts and pistachios to toast them until they are fragrant, which will take you at least 4-5 minutes. Add brown sugar vanilla, salt, and 1 tbsp. of water to the pan and stir to coat the nuts. Cook for an additional minute until the sugar has dissolved. Now, when the nuts are fully coated, remove them from the pan and transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet to let them cool for at least 12-15 minutes.
Now, it is time to set the dressing straight. Combine maple syrup, olive oil, vinegar, and mustard with salt and pepper in a mason jar. Don’t forget to secure the lid before shaking the jar to combine the ingredients. After the ingredients are combined, set the Mason jar aside.
It is now time to make the salad. Take a large round platter or bowl and spread the kale, arugula, and spinach over the plate. Take the radicchio, top the greens with it, and arrange the mandarin segments over your greens. To make the salad complete, sprinkle cranberries, pomegranate seeds, and blueberries along with the candied nuts over the greens. To make it festive, sprinkle Parmesan over the plate, resembling snow. Take the Mason jar and shake it one more time before finally pouring it into the serving bowl. Place the dressing bowl with the salad platter and let your guests absolutely devour!
- Honey Gingerbread Trifle
Remember when Rachel from the show F.R.I.E.N.D.S tried to make trifle and she accidentally put beef in it? Well, while beef does not really go on a trifle we have got a recipe for you that will surely make your guests visit your house for the holiday every year just to try this! This recipe of the Honey Gingerbread Trifle is equal part easy to make and equal part tasty to eat. The best part of this recipe? By the time your guests take a bite of this, they will not just complement your efforts but will surely ask for the recipe too!
Ingredients –
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup honey
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In the trifle, the recipe calls for two layers, one is for the pudding and the other one is for the pumpkin mousse.
To make the pudding layer, you need –
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 package (3.3 ounces) instant white chocolate pudding mix
To make the pumpkin mousse layer, you need –
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant pumpkin spice pudding mix
- 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping that should be thawed
Directions –
The gingerbread used in this trifle has a coarser crumb than other gingerbreads. It also stands up well to the moist layers of pudding. So, the longer that you let the trifle sit, the more tender it will become! Now, let’s get into the recipe and learn how you can make this amazingly tasty trifle for the upcoming holiday party. The first step would be to preheat the oven to 350°. Take a bowl, pour sour cream, honey, egg, and oil, and beat them together until everything is well blended. Take another bowl, take the rest of the 6 ingredients, and combine them together. Now, beat them gradually into the mixture of sour cream.
Now, take a 9-in. square baking pan, grease it well, and transfer the mixture to the pan to bake for at least 25-30 minutes. You can easily check whether the baking is done by inserting a toothpick in the center and checking whether the toothpick comes out clean. As the baking is done, take out the cake and let it cool for 5 minutes. You can also remove the wire rack to cool completely.
As your cake baking is done, let’s move to make the pudding layer. Take white chocolate pudding mix and milk and whisk them together for 2 minutes. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes until it is soft-set and then refrigerate. To make the mousse layer, whisk pumpkin spice pudding mix and milk together for 2 minutes in another bowl and fold in whipped topping. Refrigerate this as well.
Now, it is time to assemble the cake and prepare the final trifle. Cut the cake into 1-in. Cubes. Take a 3-qt. Trifle bowl or any glass serving dish and start layering. First layer with the third of the cake cubes, then put the white chocolate pudding, and lastly, add a layer of pumpkin mousse. Repeat every layer twice. Cover the entire thing and refrigerate the dish for at least 4 hours.
- Mince Pies
Mince pies are one of the most hit dishes at any party. With this quick and easy mince pie recipe, you can be the favorite party host for your guests this holiday season. Although most people used canned mice meat to make mince pies at home. However, the old-fashioned way that is recipe brings you will make the pie even more delicious. This is a sweet treat, appropriate for the holiday that will satisfy your and your guests’ cravings!
Ingredients –
- CRUST
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1-1/3 cups shortening
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons ice water
To make the filling you would need –
- 1/4 pound ground beef
- 3 medium apples, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium apricot, peeled and chopped
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 cup rum
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 to 2 tablespoons coarse sugar
Directions –
This mince pie recipe will require you to prepare it in several steps. In the first step, take a large bowl and mix flour and salt. After cutting in and shortening it until crumbly, add ice water to it gradually. Now, toss it with a fork until a dough forms. Once the dough forms, divide it into two different parts. Shape each dough into a disk shape, wrap them, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Let’s move on to the filling. Take a Dutch oven or a large skillet and cook beef in it over medium heat until the meat is pink. Crumble the meat and then drain. Now, add apples, apricots, brown sugar, raisins, apple juice, vinegar, orange zest, and the seasonings in the pan. Bring everything to a boil and reduce the heat afterward. Simmer the mixture until the apples are soft and tender, which will take up to 15-17 minutes. Stir in the rum and then remove it from the heat. Let everything cool slightly.
Now, preheat the oven to 375°. Roll half the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch. Thickness. Cut the dough into 20 circles with a floured 2-3/4-inch round biscuit cutter. Take 1 tablespoon filling and top half the circles with it. Take the remaining circles and press the edges with a fork to seal the pies. To complete the pie, cut the slits at the top, brush the top with egg, and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Now, repeat the process with the remaining dough as well. When your pies are formed, place them in the oven to bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. This will take you about 20-25 minutes and then you can take out your mince pies and cool them on a wire rack before serving them to your guests.
What are you waiting for? Choose any recipe you like the most and let’s start cooking!!!
