Top 10 Christmas Dishes to WOW Your Guests

Thanksgiving wasn’t that long ago, and some of our guests might still have a turkey leg lurking in their fridge.  That means you need to serve Christmas dishes that offer something better.

Your special Christmas meal can be something you wouldn’t normally think to enjoy, it can be something that you make to be able to stay out of the kitchen a little, or it can be an entire spread of food that your family and friends will absolutely adore.  What will you serve?  Here are some ideas that can truly impress your guests.

1. Dessert Should Include Chocolate and Peppermint

How can you include both chocolate and peppermint in your dessert?  This is pretty easy, actually.  Make some peppermint bark candies with chocolate, peppermint hot cocoa, mint chocolate chip ice cream, or some cookies that use candy canes and chocolate together.  The difference in flavors makes these two items taste wonderful together.  Here’s a recipe for Mint Chocolate Cookie Dough to make some wonderful cookies that your family will love.  This will become a cookie recipe that everyone begs you to make during future holiday seasons.

2. Serving Prime Rib Can be Wonderful

Did you make a ham at Thanksgiving?  Was there turkey?  Many of us rely on these two traditional foods to offer large portions and traditional holiday feasting, but what if you offered a different type of meat?  Instead of turkey or ham, serve some prime rib and let it be one of the most important Christmas dishes of your holiday season.  Yes, you’ll need to slow-cook this meat the day before to make sure it comes out perfect, but your family and friends will love it.

3. Yorkshire Pudding Adds Something Special

If some of your guests have never had real Yorkshire Pudding, it’s time for them to enjoy something special.  This is a great way to get away from the traditional biscuits, which tend to turn into hockey pucks throughout the day, which means your kids could play outside with the biscuits after dinner.  Serving Yorkshire puddings will add a bit of something new and special to the meal, especially if you serve them with wonderful beef gravy.  Put these on your menu and blow your guests’ minds this year.

4. Make Sure You’ve Got Some Eggnog on Hand

Eggnog is an important part of the holidays in America, and it’s used in many different ways.  Although you won’t find this traditional drink served in other countries, we love to do different things to this drink.  Eggnog is made from eggs, milk, and honey or syrup to taste. It might be a stretch for you to make your own eggnog, but you could serve a special version that’s just for the adults that attend your holiday gathering.

5. Lasagna Allows You to Enjoy Christmas Day

Are you tired of being stuck in the kitchen all day long because you’re cooking and serving up a traditional holiday meal? One of the most important Christmas dishes can also be the one that doesn’t require you to stay in the kitchen during the entire holiday.  Make some pans of lasagna ahead of time and freeze them to serve on Christmas Day.  When the time is right, pop the lasagna in the oven and let it cook for a couple of hours before serving.  That’s it.

6. Provide a Charcuterie Board for Your Guests to Nibble

Most holiday gatherings include a table full of cheeses, meats, crackers, and vegetables to give your guests something to enjoy before the actual meal.  This is a great alternative to all the cookies and treats that become part of the holiday tradition.  Let your guests enjoy a well-planned charcuterie board with some wonderful items that they wouldn’t necessarily think of putting there.  The mixture of flavors can be a wonderful way for them to enjoy mingling and nibbling throughout the day.

7. Gingerbread Christmas Cookies are Traditionally Wonderful

Another flavor that we often associate with the holiday season is gingerbread. You can make some wonderful gingerbread Christmas cookies and offer them to guests that want something tasty and sweet to enjoy during their holiday.  Many times, these cookies have a layer of icing on top or use flat portions of the cookie to build houses.  This can be a fun activity that you all enjoy eating afterward.

8. Roasted Potatoes Make the Perfect Side Dish

Regardless of the meat you serve at Christmas; roasted potatoes belong on the table.  This is one of the Christmas dishes your family will ask for regularly and want you to have at any meal.  These potatoes are pretty easy to make and offer a difference in textures with crispiness on the outside while being soft and fluffy on the inside.  Roast them in the oven and get ready to serve up something warm and wonderful during your Christmas dinner.

9. Offer a Special Dessert of Plum Cake to Finish the Christmas Meal

Plum cake is a traditional Christmas dessert that’s been a favorite in Ireland and England for centuries.  This cade is made from dried fruit and spices and is covered in a thick glaze.  Some might think of this as a fruitcake, but it’s a little bt different.  This cake represents the celebration and being indulgent after a time of not indulging during the time leading up to Christmas.  Your family and friends can dig in and enjoy the plum cake you offer them.

10. Make Christmas a Day for Enjoying Chinese Takeout

Most of us have seen the movie “A Christmas Story” and noticed the family goes out for their Christmas dinner.  Not everyone celebrates this holiday, and often, Chinese restaurants are open on Christmas Day. If you want to avoid the trouble of cooking and offer your family something enjoyable during this special day, make it a Chinese takeout holiday.  You could put on the movie and enjoy the fun of the show while eating Christmas dishes that you didn’t have to make yourself.

Which of these Christmas dishes will make it to your table this year?  Are you looking for a new tradition or something that could keep you out of the kitchen?