The holiday season is indeed the best time of the year. It provides you with opportunities to bond with your friends and family. In simple words, it brings along the much-needed off-time everyone needs.
The question is, how do you spend the holiday season. For me, it’s mostly about food. I invite everyone over and we have a blast. It’s food galore with lots and lots of gossip and hugs. Whether it’s enjoying cheesy twice baked potatoes during dinner or indulging in a slice of homemade apple pie with a berry sauce from Hungry Squirrel, there’s something extra special about cooking and eating food during the holidays. It truly is amazing.
If it’s the same for you, you’ve come to the right place. In this article today, I’m going to highlight five amazing recipes for this holiday season. It’s time to upgrade that old menu!
Quiches
Whether it’s brunch, dinner, lunch, or an afternoon tea, quiches are a must-have item on the list. It is my go-to delicacy whenever I’m short on time. Following are a few ingredients that you need for this crowd-pleasing recipe:
- Pre-made pie crust
- Milk and eggs
- Fresh vegetables
- Cubed ham or chicken
- Pepperoni or shredded beef
- Small pieces of cheese
Quiches are adaptable to whatever you have at home as there are no particular toppings that you need to have. You can choose the toppings according to the meal.
For example, if you’re preparing quiches for breakfast, you can use scrambled eggs and cheese. Similarly, you can use shredded beef or ham if you’re preparing quiches for the dinner.
Adding to it, please keep an eye on the quiches when they bake. It is to ensure that the crust doesn’t burn or become too hard.
Macarons
Another French delicacy that can make you stand in the crowd is macarons. It’s a French dessert that whoever eats falls in love with. I must say it’s going to be a great addition to your holiday season food fest.
Although macarons are a little trickier to make compared to brownies, cookies, or cake, sometimes it’s good to get a little fancy. Here’s what you need in order to prepare macarons:
- Egg whites and salt
- Finely grounded almond flour
- Powdered sugar
- Food color and vanilla extract
- Granulated sugar
Prepare the macaron batter first by taking a food processor and processing salt, almond flour, and powdered sugar. After that, take the egg whites, granulated sugar, and salt, and beat them in a separate bowl. Then combine both the mixes, and add the food color and vanilla extract to it.
Once done, it’s time you prepare the buttercream. Following are the ingredients that you’re going to need:
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Unsalted butter
When prepared, transfer the buttercream to a piping bag. Add it to the baked macarons as per requirement, and enjoy.
Chicken Parmesan with Linguine
Here’s my favorite recipe of all time! When hosting a bunch of people, what could be better than linguine? I personally love it. It makes the best combination when served with chicken Parmesan.
Although you can serve it with anything of your liking, be it meatballs or eggplant curry, I simply like it with chicken Parmesan. It’s an easy-to-prepare recipe that has been with me for more than ten years now. Let me share it with you, but first, you need to get the ingredients mentioned below:
- Refrigerated linguine
- Creamy Mozza cheese
- Chicken breast pieces (I prefer skinless)
- Garlic powder and parsley flakes
- Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil and water
- Basil and tomato pasta sauce
Take a saucepan, and add olive oil, water, and pasta sauce to it. Stir it a little and bring it to a boil. When done, take a baking dish, add linguine to it and quote it with the prepared sauce.
Top it with pieces of chicken, and sprinkle shredded Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Cover it with aluminum foil and let it bake for 30-40 minutes in a preheated oven.
Beef Jerky
If you’re sick and tired of the old chicken dishes, this is the perfect recipe for you. Beef jerky is an all-time winner when it comes to a holiday feast. When making beef jerky, the first thing that you need to ensure is that the beef is well-trimmed, cut into lean pieces.
Yes, you must have a beef slicer for beef jerky. Besides that, a few other things that you’re going to need are:
- Boneless pieces of beef
- Garlic powder and seasoned salt
- Onion powder and liquid smoke
- Black pepper and Worcestershire sauce
- Low-sodium soy sauce
Once you have the thinly sliced beef and all the ingredients mentioned above, take all other ingredients and mix them together in a mixing bowl. After that, coat the beef slices with mixed ingredients.
Make sure to refrigerate the beef slices for a day after coating them with the given ingredients. A day later, let them cook in a dehydrator at medium heat for at least 7-8 hours, and you’ll have your perfect meat jerky.
Roasted Turkey
Who says roasted turkey is reserved only for Thanksgiving? It’s a holiday season meal, so you can enjoy it whenever you have your family together. It’s simple to prepare and can be used for all meals, at any time of the day.
Whether it’s a brunch, lunch, supper, or dinner, roasted turkey is a delicacy no one can refuse. Below are a few ingredients you need to have when roasting turkey:
- One full-size turkey
- Garlic cloves and finely chopped onions
- Sliced lemons and a bunch of fresh thyme
- Back pepper and kosher salt
- Lemon juice
- A bar of unsalted butter
Now that you have all the ingredients, add a few thyme leaves, lemon juice, and unsalted butter in a saucepan, and stir it well. Meanwhile, wash the turkey thoroughly and remove any excess pin feathers or fat leftover.
After that, coat the inside of the turkey with salt and pepper. When done, stuff it with garlic, onion, lemon, and remaining thyme leaves. Oh, and don’t forget to spray the outside of the turkey with the prepared butter mix.
Once you’re done with the coating, tuck the wings of the turkey, tie its legs, wrap it in aluminum foil. Then roast it for 2-3 hours or until it’s completely dry and juice-free.
Simple, isn’t it? If you want to know further details, a dozen tutorials of the above-mentioned recipes are available on YouTube. You can always watch and learn. Rest assured, your loved ones will love you for the incredible feast. Happy holidays, everyone!
