Gathering the kids around the table for a holiday meal should be a easy, not a chore. Adding fun, kid-friendly dishes to the meal is a surefire way to ensure that they'll be running for their seats come dinnertime. This Christmas, why not shake up the menu a bit to include some festive side dishes — they're sure to bring out the kid in everyone at the table!
YumSugar Community member lauren hendrickson hosted Christmas dinner this year, and shared photos of her beautiful appetizer spread in our Savory Sights group:
I hosted my first Christmas, and it was a great success! Of course, I forgot to snap a couple shots of the dessert and the main course since everyone was already having so much fun. I did snap a photo or two of my appetizers. Enjoy!
Christmas dinner traditions in the US are all over the map — there really is no such thing as "traditional"! From tamales to pastas to gravlax and stollen, every family does Christmas a little differently. On the YumSugar team, some of us will be enjoying pepper-crusted beef tenderloin and homemade mac and cheese, while others are digging into honey baked ham and buttery roasted potatoes. What are you eating for Christmas dinner?
Source: Flickr User kevygee
Ever since I made homemade Nutella, I haven't been able to get the delicious combination of chocolate and hazelnuts out of my mind. That's why, when I found this spectacular-sounding cake recipe, I knew it must be served at Christmas dinner.
Both the batter and the frosting have Nutella, and chopped toasted hazelnuts add a lovely texture and crunch to the cake. The best thing about this recipe is that the entire cake can be assembled up to three days in advance — you just have to make room for it in the fridge!
Interested in the decadent recipe? Get it, after the jump.
I'm hosting Christmas dinner for the first time this year, and I want to serve a meal that is traditional but uncomplicated to make. To start, I'll offer my signature appetizer: shrimp. This time I'm salt-roasting them and pairing them with a lemon-pesto.
For the main course, I'm skipping the honey-baked ham and roasting a whole beef tenderloin. It's served alongside a roasted red pepper and black olive sauce. On the side? Fresh citrus and cranberry salad and a giant casserole dish of classic macaroni and cheese. Interested in these recipes? Keep reading!
The holidays are all about large extravagant meals full of tasty traditional foods that most of us are taking the opportunity to indulge in and enjoy.
If you do eat a large meal high in fat, the best thing to do for yourself and your arteries is to go for a 45-minute walk. Even if you've put counting calories on the back burner during the holidays, you should still try to keep your health in mind. So invite your friends and family to join you — not only will you be doing something good for your health, but it's also a great way to catch up while getting some fresh air.
If you have a formal dining room, eat Christmas dinner there. If you don't, set up a table beside the glowing Christmas tree. Next, focus your attention on creating a beautiful table setting. Cover the table with a holiday print tablecloth. Top this with gold chargers and your best china. Shiny green napkins rolled with jingle bell napkin rings are festive and fun.
Serve the food on shiny red platters and the drinks in amber hued red and green stemware. Place red amaryllis flowers in low vases and run them down the middle of the table. Add glowing light by scattering golden votives and candles between the vases. Tie green and gold ribbons to the back of your chairs.
Finally, have a leisurely, unhurried meal and enjoy your exquisite surroundings!
My elegant Christmas dinner calls for equally-sophisticated cocktails. I'll have distinct wine pairings for each course and one festive signature cocktail to get the night started right.
With the oysters and crab crostini, pour a sparkling Prosecco; it's a lovely and affordable varietal. With the main course offer a spicy red Pinot Noir or Zinfandel. Have a white varietal that complements the gorgonzola gnocchi. An American Chardonnay or Italian Fiano are excellent choices.
Make the signature cocktail a red-hued concoction by using frozen berries. Get the recipe for this festive drink, just read more
Follow up a decadent Christmas dinner with a spread of just as delectable desserts. Boxes of chocolates, candy canes, and truffles look gorgeous among a pair of stunning homemade treats. For the chocolate traditionalists, serve Emily Luchetti's variation of German chocolate cake. For the fruit lovers, offer a pear and cranberry crisp. To get these recipes, read more
In my opinion, Christmas dinner should be an absolutely delicious, fragrant meal. At my house, we always begin our Christmas with seafood. Oysters on the half shell and crab crostini pair perfectly with bubbly, sparkling wine. At the table, serve a show-stopping pan roasted beef tenderloin with rosemary and garlic as the main course. A decadent potato gnocchi with gorgonzola cream sauce is luxurious along side it. Finally, round the menu out with a winter salad and pomegranate dressing. For these savory and stunning recipes, read more
