On The Menu Week Of December 22nd- Christmas Week

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Need dinner ideas for Christmas week? Get 7 dinner menu plans plus 38 scrumptious recipes, from crowd friendly mains to easy sides, salads, and festive desserts.

It is Christmas Week, people. My very favorite week of the whole year. I love these days so much. This is the time when the house feels full, the lights glow a little softer, and the meals we share quietly become the backdrop to some of our sweetest memories. Instead of letting myself feel hurried, I choose to slow all the way down. What is not finished simply will not be finished, and that is perfectly fine. The busyness of Christmas does not get to take up space here. So pour a glass of wine, coffee, or hot chocolate, take a deep breath, and settle in to enjoy Christmas. And of course, enjoy wonderful food too.

A Gingerbread Man Story

This week, I will be making gingerbread houses and cookies with my grandchildren, a tradition that fills my heart to the brim. The gingerbread recipe we use is old, but my goodness, it is delicious. These cookies are full of bold flavor and have that perfect snap that makes gingerbread such a classic.

All of this cookie talk reminds me of a favorite Christmas story from years ago when our whole family gathered here at StoneGable. My sister Lisa, her family, and their dog Max stayed with us, and the house was overflowing in the very best way. In those days, long before blogging, we had three Christmas trees. One was our family tree filled with handmade and collected ornaments. One was my tree, decorated just the way I liked each year. And one was the kitchen tree.

For years, I made gingerbread men using that same recipe and decorated them with white puffy paint, then hung them all over the kitchen tree. The whole tree smelled like Christmas. One year, I noticed a gingerbread leg had fallen off one of “the boys”. A few days later, another one was missing an arm. Then a couple more lost their entire bottom halves. I started to wonder what on earth was happening. The biggest clue was that only the gingerbread on the lower branches seemed to be meeting this tragic fate.

The mystery was solved when I caught Max, Lisa’s dog, strolling by the tree and helping himself to a little snack. We laughed so hard. Thank goodness puffy paint is non-toxic, and apparently delicious.

I am sure you have Christmas stories of your own. These memories are treasures, and retelling them keeps the heart of our families alive for generations to come.

May you have many new Christmas stories to tell!

Here is what is on the menu for Christmas Week.

Our family arrived yesterday, and our home is already filled with the sound of little feet and happy voices. Pure Christmas joy. And that means I will be feeding a crowd all week long.

I love the Italian tradition of the Seven Fishes Christmas Eve dinner. It is not quite Christmas Eve yet, but it is close. And while I am not serving seven fishes, we are enjoying a gorgeous cod fillet that will easily feed my whole crowd.

I am especially excited about the gingerbread cake on today’s menu. Bobby absolutely loves gingerbread with hard sauce, and this one feels like a perfect Christmas week treat.

Baked Cod

Nani’s Sauteed Rice

Perfectly Roasted Asparagus

Gingerbread Cake with Hard Sauce

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This is a blast-from-the-past recipe my grown kids loved when they were little, and my little grandkids will love it too. It’s simple to make and feeds a crowd. I add extra stuffing to the casserole because this is most people’s favorite part of the dish.

A humble casserole becomes one that everyone gets excited about because it is tied to childhood memories. Christmas magic!

Chicken And Stuffing Casserole

Caramelized Brussel Sprouts With Bacon And Honey

Arugula Salad With Shaved Parmesan Cheese, Pinenuts, and Lemony Vinaigrette

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One easy and delicious way to feed a crowd, have leftovers for sandwiches, and save a bone for soup is to make a ham. I think I have tried just about every spiral ham out there, and the Costco spiral ham is absolutely delicious. It is full of flavor and not overly salty. Even if you are not cooking for a crowd, baking a ham is a smart move to have on hand for Christmas and the days that follow.

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This year, we are having a delicious holiday brisket for dinner. It is such an easy main dish when feeding a crowd, and making it ahead of time makes Christmas Day so much easier.

I will put the beef in the slow cooker on Tuesday, then tuck everything into the refrigerator until Christmas morning. After that, it is simply a matter of heating the brisket, sauce, and mashed potatoes in the oven for dinner. The directions in the recipe are straightforward and so easy to follow.

If you have not tried this wonderful make-ahead main dish, you really should. With just three ingredients, it delivers a rich, beefy flavor that feels special and comforting all at once.

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My little grandson Alexander is a big fan of Parmesan cheese, so I have a feeling he will love tonight’s main course. Even though I am making this dish for my family, it is truly company-worthy.

I like serving saucy dishes like this over polenta, mashed potatoes, or rice. It makes a pretty presentation, and the starch catches all that lovely sauce, so every bite is full of delicious flavor.

Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Chicken with Parmesan Sauce

Nani’s Sauteed Rice

Roasted Carrots And Parsnips

Our son loves Shepherd’s Pie, so I am making a big family style pan of it this week. And here is a little confession. I truly dislike peas. Really dislike them. When I was growing up, I spent a short time at an all girls Scottish boarding school, and peas were served at almost every meal. Not fresh peas, but mushy ones, usually alongside mutton. To this day, neither peas nor lamb will ever cross my lips.

So making a dish with peas in it is truly a labor of love for my son Christopher. But that is what this season is all about. Loving well, sharing generously, and finding joy in simple meals that bring our families together around the table.

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I have been prepping meals for my family for more than two weeks now. Some parts of the recipes on On The Menu were made ahead and frozen, like tonight’s lasagna, which makes dinner so easy. I made two large pans so there will be leftovers for Bobby and me to enjoy as simple dinners in the days ahead.

It is always hard to say goodbye to our precious family after such a fun, loud, and busy time together. Suddenly, the house feels too quiet, and I can get a little blue. But that feeling never lasts long. There are happy distractions ahead, planning a New Year’s Eve dinner with friends, putting away Christmas with next year in mind, and dreaming about what I will share with you in the New Year.

Life really is good like that. There is something so wonderful about the busyness of a full and happy life.

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Don’t you love things you make only at Christmas time? They are extra special! That’s why I love these beautiful cookies from my dear friend Ann On Sutton Place.

Christmas Pecan Tassies

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You might like to see my 20 FAVORITE CHRISTMAS RECIPES all in one place.

The flavors in CHICKEN BACON RANCH CASSEROLE sound delicious!

CRANBERRY ORANGE BUNDT CAKE is the most beautiful Christmas dessert!

I just may have to make this beautiful BLEU CHEESE, WALNUT AND THYME PULL APART PUFF PASTRY TWIRL for an appetizer on Christmas Day.

I’ve been looking for a scrumptious SAUSAGE TORTELLINI SOUP recipe!

These CRANBERRY PECAN GOAT CHEESE TRUFFLES look like little jewels!

I make CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST CASSEROLE every Christmas morning!

I was looking for a great breakfast recipe and found HASH BROWN CRUST BACON AND CHEDDAR QUICHE.

Seriously beautiful ROSEMARY AND SEA SALT RUSTIC BREAD LOAF.

I must make ITALIAN RAVIOLI WITH SPINACH, ARTICHOKES, CAPERS, AND SUN DRIED TOMATOES.

I’ll make these BAKED OATMEAL BREAKFAST CUPS with my grandsons this week.

Another gorgeous ROSEMARY BREAD!

I LOVE DUTCH BABIES! These are made in muffin tins! Ingenious!

SAVORY HERB SHORTBREADS are something I’ve always wanted to make.

I hope you will make some of these tried-and-true, delicious recipes on the menu during Christmas week!

May your Christmas week be full of good food, sweet moments, and the kind of simple joy that lingers long after the dishes are done. Thank you for being here, and for letting me share a little piece of our StoneGable table with you. I hope these seven dinner menus and 38 recipes make your week easier, cozier, and extra delicious. Merry Christmas, friend.

More Recipes To Enjoy

Easy Dinner Recipe Roundup– Get 45 quick and delicious recipes in our easy dinners roundup. From one-pan wonders to 30-minute meals, simplify your cooking while savoring mouthwatering flavors.