Putting together a traditional Christmas dinner in the midst of all of your other holiday activities may feel like a challenge, but not with the help of Mrs. Claus. Turn to this Christmas dinner menu full of holiday classics that are easy to put together and will satisfy even the pickiest eaters. If you don’t think one of the dishes will be met with smiles, feel free to substitute one of your other favorite Christmas recipes in its place. The goal is to end up with a menu that every single person around your dinner table will love!
Creamy Spinach-Artichoke Starters
You don’t want to spoil people’s appetites with your Christmas appetizers, but you still want to offer a little something for people to munch on before you serve dinner. These spinach and artichoke cups take dip to a classier level by putting it in individually baked cups. The use of store-bought wonton wrappers makes these look incredibly fancy without actually taking much of your time to prepare.
What You Need
· 24 wonton wrappers
· 1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, finely chopped
· 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
· 1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
· 1/3 cup mayonnaise
· 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
· 1/4 cup finely chopped red peppers
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
Make It
· HEAT oven to 350°F.
· PLACE 1 wonton wrapper in each of 24 mini muffin cupssprayed with cooking spray, with edges of wrapper extending over top of cup. Bake 5 min. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients.
· SPOON artichoke mixture into wonton cups.
· BAKE 12 to 14 min. or until filling is heated through and edges of cups are golden brown.
Stuffed Chicken
Everybody likes chicken, especially when it’s perfectly roasted so it’s crispy on the outside but nice and juicy on the inside. This recipe will be the main course on your Christmas dinner menu, but it only takes 10 minutes of prep time to get ready to go in the oven. What more could you ask for?
What You Need
· 1-1/2 cups hot water
· 3 Tbsp. margarine or butter, cut up
· 1 pkg. (6 oz.) stuffing mix for chicken
· 1 roasting chicken or capon (5 lb.)
· 1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves or dried tarragon leaves
Make It
· HEAT oven to 325°F.
· MIX hot water and margarine in large bowl until margarine is melted. Add stuffing mix; stir just until moistened. Set aside. (Do not stuff chicken until ready to bake.)
· STUFF chicken lightly with prepared stuffing; close openings with skewers and string. Place, breast-side up, on rack in baking pan; sprinkle with thyme.
· BAKE 1 hour 40 min. or until chicken is done (165°F) and stuffing is heated through (165ºF), basting occasionally with pan juices.
Easy Green Bean Casserole
You want your Christmas side dishes to complement your main course, and this is a perfect bet. It gets vegetables and dairy on the table to round out the food groups represented, in addition to being absolutely delicious. The topping on the casserole includes another serving of stuffing, too, because that’s often one of the first things to go on the holiday dinner table!
What You Need
· 2 pkg. (16 oz. each) frozen French-cut green beans, thawed, drained
· 1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
· 1/2 lb. (8 oz.) processed cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
· 1-1/2 cups hot water
· 1/4 cup butter
· 1 pkg. (6 oz.) stuffing mix for chicken
Make It
· HEAT oven to 350ºF.
· COMBINE beans and soup in 2-qt. casserole; top with processed cheese.
· ADD water to butter in medium bowl; stir until melted. Stir in stuffing mix just until moistened. Spoon over bean mixture.
· BAKE 35 to 40 min. or until heated through.
Creamy, Dreamy Tiramisu Cheesecake
When you want to serve a fancy dessert without stressing yourself out on the day of your Christmas dinner, a cheesecake is the perfect choice because you have to make it the day before. This one has all sorts of delicious flavors, including coffee, chocolate, and vanilla, all blended together in the perfect combination. It’s sure to be one of the Christmas desserts you turn to in coming years as well!
What You Need
· 40 vanilla wafers, finely crushed (about 1-1/3 cups)
· 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
· 4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened, divided
· 3/4 cup sugar
· 6 Tbsp. brewed strong coffee, cooled, divided
· 3 eggs
· 1/3 cup milk
· 1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding
· 2 cups thawed whipped topping, divided
· 1/2 square semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely grated
· 16 fresh raspberries (about 1/2 cup)
Make It
· HEAT oven to 325ºF.
· MIX wafer crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 13×9-inch pan.
· BEAT 3 pkg. cream cheese, sugar and 1 Tbsp. coffee in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
· BAKE 28 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely.
· BEAT remaining cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add milk and remaining coffee; mix well. Add dry pudding mix; beat 2 min. Stir in 1-1/2 cups whipped topping. Spread over cheesecake; sprinkle with chocolate. Refrigerate 4 hours.
· GARNISH with remaining whipped topping and raspberries just before serving.
Have you thought about your Christmas meal yet? What are you going to make?
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