Kristin Maxwell
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How to Plan a Simple & Elegant Christmas Dinner
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Christmas is coming and the planning has begun! Whether you’re a go all out kind of host or prefer to let someone else handle the hosting responsibilities, you’ll find something on this Simple & Elegant Christmas Dinner Menu.
Table of Contents
How to Plan a Christmas Dinner Menu
Let’s start with the appetizers. On Christmas Day, we usually have a big fancy breakfast and a big dinner. But in between, the munchies strike and we always have some fun snacks and dips on hand to curb our appetites while we’re waiting for the main event.
Kristin’s Picks for Christmas Dinner
- Appetizer: Goat Cheese & Marinara Dip
- Salad: Winter Salad with Tangy Homemade Vinaigrette
- Main Course: Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon
- Side Dishes: Twice Baked Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole
- Dessert: Spiced Gingerbread Bars
- Cocktail: Christmas Punch
Christmas Appetizers and Salads
Crockpot BBQ Little Smokies
The smoky and sweet cocktail weenies (or lil smokies, as some like to call them!) makes these an addictive snack. Heated and kept warm in the slow cooker makes this perfect for feeding a crowd.
Goat Cheese & Marinara Dip
Creamy, rich goat cheese is the perfect contrast to the bright, acidic tomatoes in this outrageously delicious baked dip. Topped with fresh basil, it's a perfectly festive appetizer.
Cranberry Walnut Pinwheels
Sweetened cream cheese, dried cranberries, fresh rosemary and crunchy walnuts are combined and stuffed into soft flour tortillas for an irresistible snack!
French Onion Dip
Caramelized onions in a creamy, dreamy that goes perfectly with potato chips, crackers, even bread dippers or veggies.
Cranberry Meatballs
An easy 3-ingredient appetizer recipe for cranberry bbq meatballs made with cranberry sauce, spicy bbq sauce, and fresh or frozen meatballs.
Winter Salad
A delicious and healthy salad that is the perfect accompaniment to any meal. It's full of sweet apples, salty goat cheese, and tangy pomegranate seeds.
Christmas Fruit Tray
This fruit and cheese platter is adorably festive, easy to customize and a healthy snack addition to your holiday.
Christmas Dinner Entrees
Best Turkey Recipe
You’ll be the talk of your family’s holiday get-togethers with this easy to make Best Roast Turkey Recipe!
Easy Baked Glazed Ham
So easy and practically hands off, this ham recipe bakes on how heat just enough to warm it all the way through. A sweet and tangy glaze is basted over the ham several times as it bakes.
Roast Turkey Breast
This Roast Turkey Breast has the most flavorful, juicy meat and crispy skin. It's the perfect alternative to a full-size turkey.
Easy Pork Roast
Slow Cooker Pork Roast with delicious gravy is perfectly tender and moist. Perfect for a no-stress holiday meal.
Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon
Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon is an impressive steakhouse dinner that you can make at home. It's an elegant entree for holidays and celebrations.
Christmas Side Dishes
Creamy Cornbread Casserole
This casserole is loaded with flavor, three kinds of corn. Sort of a bread, sort of a casserole, and you can eat it with a spoon!
Green Bean Casserole
Full of either fresh, frozen, or canned green beans, fresh mushrooms and a made from scratch cream soup and topped with french fried onions, this casserole is an easy crowd pleaser!
Buttery Rhodes Rolls with Garlic and Rosemary
Frozen Rhodes rolls are the easiest frozen dinner rolls! No kneading or mixing, just 3-4 hours of rise time for soft, and fluffy dinner rolls.
Candied Carrots
Perfectly tender and glazed in a brown sugar sauce, this Candied Carrots recipe an easy holiday side dish that takes 30 minutes to prepare.
Sweet Potato Casserole
My Sweet Potato Casserole with marshmallows recipe is a classic Thanksgiving side dish with fresh sweet potatoes, brown sugar and cinnamon.
Twice Baked Potatoes
Twice Baked Potatoes are a classic recipe with Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, and bacon. They are a great side dish for any holiday or meal!
Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes are rich, creamy, buttery and decadent. They are such an easy side dish for weeknight dinners or a holiday meal.
Cranberry Orange Sauce
Cranberry Orange Sauce is a delicious combination of sweet and tart, and the perfect accompaniment to all your holiday meals.
Turkey Gravy
Learn how to make the best homemade turkey gravy from scratch with just a few simple steps. You'll never resort to store bought again!
Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Easy, Cheesy Potatoes are par-boiled, then smothered in a creamy cheese sauce and baked to perfection.
Christmas Desserts and Drinks
Hot Chocolate Dip Recipe
Just 3 ingredients for this creamy dip that tastes like a cup of hot cocoa.
Butter Cookies
Homemade Christmas Butter Cookies are a must-make for the holidays! Soft and tender with amazing buttery flavor, and a festive presentation.
Iced Thumbprint Grinch Cookies
Perfectly "grinchy green" with a red heart to remind you to care for others.
Butter Cookies
Homemade Christmas Butter Cookies are a must-make for the holidays! Soft and tender with amazing buttery flavor, and a festive presentation.
Cranberry Bliss Bars
This Starbucks Copycat tastes just like the real deal with tart cranberries, sweet white chocolate and a buttery cookie base.
Gingerbread Bars
These Spiced Gingerbread Cookie Bars will definitely fill you with the spirit of the holiday season. They are slightly spicy, tender and sweet and just delicious.
Eggnog Cookie Recipe
Eggnog cookies are buttery tender and melt in your mouth. With just a hint of spiced rum flavor, these Christmas cookies will steal the show!
Cranberry Fluff Salad
Cranberry Fluff Salad is a creamy cranberry salad side dish or dessert with cranberry sauce, marshmallows, oranges, pineapple and Cool Whip.
White Hot Chocolate
This sweet, warm drink is perfect for cold nights, and with only a few ingredients, it's super simple to make.
Champagne Punch
Definitely a boozy cocktail, this delicious champagne, ginger and cranberry flavored drink will be the star of the festivities.
Christmas Punch Recipe
Christmas punch is what your holiday needs this year! Choose from adult and non-alcoholic versions of this light and refreshing holiday punch.
Eggnog White Russian Cocktail
This smooth and creamy Eggnog White Russian Cocktail is a festive twist on the classic vodka and Kahlua cocktail.
FAQs
What is a traditional Christmas Menu?
A traditional holiday menu usually includes a turkey or ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce and a vegetable.
How do you plan a Christmas menu?
Ask for help! That’s my best advice – Ask your family or guests to bring a dish, paper goods, drinks, etc. Whatever menu you plan, keep most of it simple.
Love this round up! So many great ideas for Christmas dinner! I’ll definitely be pinning and checking this to make my Christmas menu!