Christmas Dinner Ideas and Recipes - Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dishes and Dessert

Are you seeking inspiration for Christmas dinner ideas?

One of the highlights of Christmas is the wonderful family dinner. The Christmas dinner is a great time for families to gather and enjoy good food and great company. However, it can also be a stressful time if you are not sure what to serve for your holiday meal.

Here are some great Christmas dinner ideas that are sure to please the palate of everyone at your table this holiday season.

Appetizer

Appetizers are a great way to kick off any meal, and Christmas dinner is no exception. If you want to make cute (and appetizing) Christmas hors d'oeurves, you can serve Christmas Mice to your guests. For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients: 1 jar maraschino cherries with the stems still attached, 1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (you can use milk chocolate or white chocolate chips if you want something a bit sweeter), 1 small bag of almond slivers, 1 bag Hershey kisses, 1 tube of white gel icing, and 1 tube of red gel icing.

For this Christmas dinner idea, first melt your chocolate chips according to package directions and then dip your cherries 3/4 of the way up the stem. Next dip the flat surface of the Hershey kiss in the chocolate and attach it to your covered cherry with the kiss in the front and the stem in the back (this makes the head and body of your mouse).

Take your almond slivers and break them into smaller pieces to look like ears. Dip one end of the "ears" in the melted chocolate and fasten them to the head of your mouse. Using icing, make eyes with the white icing, adding a dot of red icing in the center. Place in the refrigerator so the chocolate will harden, then serve. These are great appetizers if you will have a number of children at your Christmas party - they will be enchanted by the cute, tasty mice.

Main Course

How about Christmas dinner ideas for the main course?

For your main course, the meat you serve is very important. Many people opt to go with the traditional meats at Christmas, including turkey and ham; however, you don't have to stick with the traditional preparation even if you go with a tried and true meat choice.

Turkey has long been a standing tradition at the Christmas table because turkeys have always been plentiful in America. For a wonderful variation on the baked turkey, you can add some dash to your bird by preparing an herb crusted turkey, a deep fried turkey or you can opt to cook a chicken instead of turkey.

Ham is also a favorite meat at the Christmas table and the ways to prepare the ham are very diverse. You can fry slices of country ham for a salty kick to your meal, or you can opt to bake a ham with pineapple slices or a maple glaze.

Roast beef is another great Christmas dinner idea for the table. To prepare a wonderful roast beef and gravy mixture, follow this simple recipe: one roast (chuck roast works great) 2-3 pounds, one large can cream of mushroom soup, and one package Lipton onion soup mix.

Instructions for this Christmas dinner idea - first stir the onion soup mix into the cream of mushroom soup until they are completely blended. Place roast in a slow cooker and add soup mixture. Set at high and let cook for 2 to 3 hours or until the meat is done. When your roast is finished, you have a great cut of beef along with a wonderful gravy.

Side Dishes

When it comes to Christmas dinner ideas, side dishes are also a very important part of your meal. If you want to move away from the very pedestrian mashed potatoes and green bean casserole, you can try this wonderful side dish recipe - Steamed Vegetables with Buttered Italian Seasoning.

For this Christmas dinner idea, you will need the following ingredients: one stick butter or margarine, dry Italian dressing mix, one bunch broccoli, one large cauliflower, one cup carrot chips, and one onion cut into slices.

Take aluminum foil and lay a large piece on a flat surface. Cut broccoli and cauliflower into florets and place on the foil along with the carrots and onion slices. Put four or five small ice cubes in various places among the vegetables. Sprinkle dry Italian dressing over the vegetables. Cut butter into 1/4 inch slices and place slices in various places throughout the vegetables. Pull sides of the foil up and create a packet around your vegetables. Place in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 minutes or until vegetables are beginning to soften (check after 20 minutes to make sure your vegetables are not getting mushy).

Dessert

Dessert is the crowning glory of Christmas dinner ideas. For an unforgettable dessert, consider making a chocolate eclair cake. For this recipe, you will need the following: one package French vanilla pudding (prepared according to directions), one tub of French vanilla cool-whip, graham crackers, and chocolate candy melt.

Instructions for this Christmas dinner idea - first mix your pudding and cool-whip and set aside. Place one layer of graham crackers at the bottom of a 9x13 inch rectangular baking dish. Melt chocolate according to package and pour 1/2 over the graham crackers in your dish. Top with another layer of graham crackers. Pour your pudding / cool-whip mixture over the bottom layer of crackers / chocolate and top with a layer of graham crackers. Top with the remaining melted chocolate and put in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.

Conclusion

When planning your holiday dinner, there are many Christmas dinner ideas you can chose from to make your meal the highlight of the family gathering. These are just a few recipes and ideas guaranteed to make your meal a success.

Happy preparing, and bon appetit!

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