How to Make Christmas Food Ideas

Each year I love to learn how to make new Christmas food ideas. Usually I decide on the main entrée and build from there.  I have about six or seven basic ones which I “kind of” rotate from year to year. I say “kind of” because I often change the process or ingredients in which I cook them.


This year I will be cooking a goose. If you know how to cook a goose, it makes a very delicious moist meat to center your meal around. It also makes a beautiful presentation. Because this bird contains a lot of fat, the flavor is excellent but it must be cooked correctly; it never needs basting. This is one bird which I do not like stuffed because it holds the fat in instead of allowing it to drip away.

HOW TO COOK A GOOSE

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Calculate the roasting time by allowing 25 minutes for each pound.  Remove the giblets and neck from the goose. Rinse it with cold running water and drain well; pat dry with paper towels. Place goose on a rack in a roasting pan. Prick it all over with a sharp skewer to allow the grease to escape. Turn the bird breast side down on the rack and place it in the hot oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F degrees. 


Remove the pan from the oven and pour off all the fat in the roasting pan. Return roasting pan to the oven and continue roasting the goose. About thirty minutes before the end of the roasting time, turn the goose breast side up in the pan and continue roasting.


When you are learning how to make Christmas food ideas a good one is a goose weighing about thirteen pounds which will feed about six people. The pan drippings can be used to make gravy or if you like stuffing, add some of the drippings to it for flavor and bake the stuffing separately.


I always favor as a good Christmas food idea some type of potatoes for special dinners. Both of these recipes for dill new potatoes and the one for sweet potatoes make good choices to go with goose. The new potatoes are lighter in starch than regular potatoes and much lighter than the “potatoes of choice”, creamy mashed potatoes. Sweet potatoes always enhance a holiday meal.

HOW TO COOK NEW POTATOES in dill butter The dill butter makes these simple new potatoes a good Christmas food ideal.

how to make christmas food ideasHow to make Christmas Food Ideas like these New Potatoes in Dill Butter

For about 6 servings , cook 1 ½ to 2 pounds of new potatoes in 1 inch of boiling water in a covered saucepan for about 10 minutes. Drain the water from the potatoes and place them in a shallow baking pan. Brush the potatoes with about 3 tablespoons of melted butter and then sprinkle all over with salt and paprika. Broil about 6 inches below the heat turning frequently for about 10 to 15 minutes or until tender; potatoes should have a golden outer crust. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped dill to 3 tablespoons melted butter; spoon over potatoes and toss until coated. Serve immediately while hot.

GLAZED SWEET POTATO RECIPE

Glazed Sweet Potato RecipeGlazed Sweet Potato Recipe

These sweet potato recipe is always a great Christmas food idea to include in your list.

  • 2 ½ Pounds sweet potatoes (cut in chunks)
  • Boiling water
  • ½ Cup butter
  • ¾ Teaspoon salt
  • ¾ Cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • ½ Cup chopped pecans

Wash potatoes and place in a large cooking pan; cover with water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer; cover and cook until tender about 30 minutes.
Drain potatoes (reserve a slight ½ cup of liquid) and let cool; peel and cut in chunks.
Combine in large skillet butter, salt, sugar and reserved ½ cup water.
Stir mixture over low heat until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted; boil about 3 minutes.
Reduce heat and add potatoes chunks and pecans.
Simmer uncovered 5 minutes basting often with syrup.
To serve spoon syrup and pecans over the top.

HERB BUTTERED CARROTS AND ZUCCHINI

For many it is difficult to find a special vegetable recipe to serve as a good Christmas food idea. The following is good tasting and also a pretty presentation.

  • 1 ½ Pounds small carrots
  • 1 ½ Pounds small zucchini
  • ½ Cup boiling water
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 2 Tablespoons butter

Scrub carrots and zucchini well with a vegetable brush.
Peel carrots; slice carrots and zucchini 1/8 inch think on a diagonal.
Add salt, thyme and carrots to boiling water in a saucepan; bring to a boil and cover tightly.
Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until carrots are slightly underdone.
Add zucchini tossing to mix well; return to a boil covered tightly.
Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and water has evaporated.
Add butter tossing to coat vegetables.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Now that I have settled some of the main course for the holiday, I am searching my special Christmas food ideas for breakfast. Every year I choose some type of sweet rolls and I love the many great make-ahead casserole recipes. This year I have decided on a German Christmas stolen recipe and this is a very good breakfast casserole. Add some breakfast meats like sausage, ham or bacon and you will have a great holiday breakfast.

  • 12 Slices white bread
  • 4 Cups chopped ham
  • ½ Cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 5 Eggs
  • 2 Cups milk
  • 1 Teaspoon prepared mustard
  • Sauce for the top:
  • 1 Can mushroom soup
  • 1 Cup sour cream
  • 1 Cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 1 Can (3 ounces) sliced mushrooms

Butter the slices of bread; place 6 slices with butter side down in a 9X13 inch baking pan.
Layer half of the ham over the bread; layer half of the cheese (1/4 cup) over the ham.
Add the remaining bread slices buttered side up; finish layering ham and cheese.
Beat together the eggs, milk and mustard; pour over the layers.

NOTE: At this point it is best to refrigerate overnight.
Bake in a preheated oven at 325F degrees for 40 minutes.
While it is baking mix together the sauce; combine soup, sour cream, remaining cheese and mushrooms.
Remove casserole from the oven and pour the sauce over the top.
Return casserole to oven and bake 20 minutes longer; serves 8.

GERMAN CHRISTMAS STOLLEN RECIPE

German Christmas StollenChristmas German Stollen Recipe

This Christmas food idea is a traditional German recipe.

  • 1 Cup milk
  • ½ Cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • ½ Cup solid shortening
  • 2 Packages active dry yeast
  • ¼ Cup warm water (110to115 F degrees)
  • 4 ½ Cups sifted flour
  • ½ Teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 Teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ Cup seedless raisins
  • ½ Cup diced mixed candied fruit
  • ¼ Cup slivered almonds

Frosting:

  • 1 Cup powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 8 to 10 Candied cherries

Heat milk until bubbles form around the edges in a large saucepan.
Remove from heat; stir in sugar, salt and shortening and cool to lukewarm.
Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a large bowl; stir until dissolved.
Stir milk mixture into yeast mixture; beat in 2 cups of flour until thoroughly combined and smooth.
Cover bowl with damp towel; let dough rise in warm draft free place until double in bulk (about 30 min).
Sift remaining flour with nutmeg and cinnamon.
Stir raisins, fruit and almonds into dough; stir in flour spice mixture until well blended.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead 10 minutes or until smooth.
Place dough in greased bowl, cover with damp towel and let rise until double in bulk. (1 hour)
Punch down dough and turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead 5 minutes.
Place dough in greased Bundt pan
Cover with damp towel and let rise in warm place until double in bulk. (About 1 hour)
Bake in preheated oven at 400F degrees for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350F degrees and bake an additional 40 minutes; remove from pan and cool on rack.
To make frosting combine sugar and milk until smooth.
Frost top of cool stolen and decorate with cherries.

German Christmas StollenChristmas German Stollen Recipe