Christmas Eve dinner does not necessarily have to be the outcome of months of planning menus, procuring the best ingredients or lengthy, time-consuming recipes.
Use these amazing dinner ideas to put together a last-minute Christmas dinner guaranteed to wow your friends and family.
2016 Christmas Eve Dinner Ideas
Appetizers: With plenty of varieties of mushrooms available during this time of the year, keep it simple with sautéed mushrooms with a sprinkling of fresh herbs. Prosciutto is another favorite ingredient, which pairs up pretty well with sweet fruits and cheese. Garnish it with pomegranate to add a touch of Christmas!
You can also make oysters in white wine for a unique appetizer. The recipe only requires fresh oysters, salt and white wine, and is ready in minutes! Or make bruschettas with leftover baguette, anchovies, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives.
Alternatively, you can make some fun dips like brie-pimento and mustard, roasted artichoke dip or a cream cheese and sweet-chili dip to serve with lavash (thin unleavened flatbread) and croutons for some healthy Christmas food to serve.
Main Course: Opt for traditional roast turkey and use plenty of fresh herbs in the stuffing for a delicious twist and aroma. For pork lovers, a braised pork with apple cider, pumpkin spice and fresh apples is lovely and filling. Or go for slow-cooked pulled pork (use leftovers from this to make sliders), pork chops with scallop potatoes, or a really hearty meal of simple roast pork.
For those who prefer white meat and fish, choose a pan-seared trout with a nutty pecan butter sauce, grilled turkey with onions and black pepper, traditional Latin-American style shrimp scampi or balsamic flavored chicken.
Pair these with yummy sides and salads and of course a glass of chilled white wine to wash it down!
Salads and Side Dishes: Make glazed veggies like carrots and beetroots differently by using maple syrup instead of butter to add a sweet glaze. Potatoes can be prepared in any way—tossed with bacon, classic potato gratin with nutmeg and spices, roast potatoes or a rich, buttery mash.
Simple salads like Brussels sprouts with kale or a green beans salad goes well with almost any Christmas food preparation.
Desserts: Chocolate barks are trending and are one of the simplest desserts! Simply spread melted chocolate thinly on a butter paper and sprinkle crushed peppermint candy, nuts, fruits, spices or pretty much anything you fancy. Allow it to set and crack into pieces.
For a different spin on traditional Christmas desserts, go for cake pops made with chocolate, red velvet or spiced cake and dip into frosting. Simple candy cane popcorn, pretzels, marshmallow pops or Swedish vanilla cookies with hot coffee or hot chocolate is simply marvelous!
Drinks: Mix and match and experiment with your favorite syrups and juices! Combine red or white wine with a dash of fruity syrup or nectar to come up with something different.
You can also mix guava nectar or fruit juice with dark rum served on ice, which makes for a lovely Christmas drink. Also, try your hand at liqueurs (just a hint) in cocktails for a nice Christmas touch.
Sources:
“LAST MINUTE RECIPES FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER,” Saveur web site, December 22, 2011; http://www.saveur.com/article/Kitchen/Last-Minute-Recipes-for-Christmas-Dinner, last accessed December 13, 2016.
Venetos, S., “10 Last-Minute Christmas Dinner Recipes,” Recipe 4 Living web site, http://www.recipe4living.com/articles/10_last_minute_christmas_dinner_recipes.htm, last accessed December 13, 2016
