When you’re figuring out what to cook for Christmas dinner, a good rule of thumb is to serve popular dishes that are palette-pleasers. Featured here are a few top-rated Christmas dinner ideas that will surely have your guests wowed.
While your guests might have some dietary restrictions (such as gluten or dairy) or other personal preferences (like being a Vegan), to make life simple for yourself, serve traditional classics that the majority of people love. For any Vegans or Vegetarians that might be joining your Christmas dinner party, offer them an alternative to any meat dish.
Christmas Dinner Ideas
Roast Prime Rib with Thyme au Jus (Recipe by Bobby Flay via FoodNetwork.com) – Yields 6-8 Servings
Ingredients:
1 bone-in prime rib (6 to 7 pounds)
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
2 cups red wine
4 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Directions:
1. Thirty minutes before roasting the prime rib, remove from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Make small slits all over the prime rib and fill each slit with a slice of the garlic. Season liberally with the salt and coarse pepper, place on a rack set inside a roasting pan and roast for about 2 hours until medium-rare, or until a thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 135 degrees F. Remove the meat to a platter, and tent with foil to keep warm.
4. Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over 2 burners set on high heat. Add the wine to the pan drippings in the pan and cook over high heat until reduced, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the stock and cook until reduced by half. Whisk in the thyme and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Slice meat as desired and serve with thyme au jus.
Ultimate Twice Baked Potatoes (Recipe via AllRecipes.com) – Yields 8 Servings
Ingredients:
4 Large Baking Potatoes
8 Slices Bacon (do not use if someone is Vegetarian/Vegan)
1 Cup Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Milk
4 tablespoons Butter
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
8 Green Onions, sliced
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
4. When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins. To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
5. Bake for another 15 minutes.
Creamed Spinach (Recipe via Epicurious.com) – Yields 10 Servings
Ingredients:
3 lb baby spinach
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Directions:
1. Cook spinach in 2 batches in 1 inch of boiling salted water in an 8-quart pot, stirring constantly, until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until cool. Squeeze small handfuls of spinach to remove as much moisture as possible, then coarsely chop.
3. Heat milk and cream in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until warm.
4. Meanwhile, cook onion in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes.
5. Whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes.
6. Add warm milk mixture in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, and simmer, whisking, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Stir in nutmeg, spinach, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until heated through.
[Image Credit: Shutterstock]
