I love everything Christmas.  I love Christmas sooooo much that it’s earned me the nickname “Christmas Kelly”.    I try to be mindful and slow down long enough to be thankful for all the many blessings in my life and to look for the blessings in the less than perfect situations, but there is always that “one more thing”.

But let’s be honest the weeks leading to Christmas are filled with lots of running around – Christmas parties, get-togethers with friends, Christmas shopping, presents to wrap and church activities.

I have so much fun leading up to Christmas!

Christmas Eve we do the traditional Feast of Seven Fishes to honor our italian-American Grandparents.  Then it’s off to midnight mass and either a late night dessert party or an early morning breakfast.

By the time Christmas dinner rolls around I’m exhausted and want to join the party with a nice glass of wine or a mojito.

These menus are tested and proven by our family.  They are packed with wonderful flavors and guaranteed to get you out of the kitchen and into the party.

The key to a stress-free Christmas meal that everyone will enjoy (including you) is to have a plan, cook ahead and make sure you have lots of good, fresh nibbles available all day long so everyone stays satisfied.

We all love Christmas Dinner but no one loves spending the day in the kitchen while everyone else relaxes and noshes on pre-dinner goodies.

Each one of these easy Christmas recipes (and menus) are designed to taste great and wow your guests, plus they are super easy to cook, fail-proof, and guaranteed to get you out of the kitchen and into the party.

This Christmas you WILL join the party and eat food while it is still hot.

Try one of these party-perfect, easy Christmas Menus.

Cheers,

K—

?‍♀️ ❤️

Christmas Recipes and Menus

+ Entertaining Ideas

Quick and Easy

Fresh & Healthy Christmas Day Breakfast Menu

This is the perfect menu to celebrate Christmas.  It’s perfect for Christmas morning, since you make everything ahead of time and it’s light and healthy, so you’ll have plenty of room for Christmas dinner.  Featuring fresh juices, homemade granola, and yogurt.  Serve with fresh lemon-blueberry scones.

Fresh Fruit juice Bar (featured)

Homemade Granola with Yogurt

Homemade Lemon-Blueberry Scones 

Make-ahead Christmas Day Brunch

Mimosa Bar

Simple Scrambled Eggs and Roasted Peppers

French Toast Casserole

Peppered Bacon

Cracker Barrel Copycat Hash Brown Casserole 

Mid-day Tapas Christmas Recipes and Menu

After our trip to Spain last year we’ve really embraced the idea of serving a bunch of small plates and nibbling for hours with a pitcher of Sangria.

It’s a very casual and relaxing way to spend a Christmas afternoon or evening.

Classic Spanish Sangria

Cambozola, with pistachio and almond drizzled with honey

Dates Wrapped with Bacon

Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese and Fried Sage

Spanish Garlic Prawns (Gambas Al Ajillo) with Crusty Bread

Slow Cooker Mojo Pork Sliders 

Grilled Corn or Sweet Ancho Chili Grilled Corn

Blue Cheese Potato Chips

Mediterranean Crudités and Tapas  or Charcuterie Platter

Fail-proof Traditional Christmas Recipes and Menu

Dreaming of a perfectly cooked Christmas Turkey surrounded by stuffing, mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, finished off with a pumpkin pie?  This easy version should satify all the holiday food purists in your life.

Citrus Brined Turkey

Slow Cooker Artichoke and Spinach Dip

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Apple Cranberry Chutney

Rum-Spiked Mulled Apple Cider

Warm Cinnamon and Apple Crumble

Steak and Classic Cocktails | Thanksgiving Menu

Choose one of these awesome steak recipes.  This is such a simple classic meal that will satisfy the meat lovers.

Grilled Cajun-spiced Brisket 

Filet Mignon in Red Wine Shallot Sauce

Whole Grilled Beef Tenderloin (Filet Mignon) with Roasted Garlic and Blue Cheese

Potatoes Au Gratin Tart

Honey Orange Green Beans

Bourbon Bread Pudding

Sazerac

Honey Mint Julep

The Perfect Old Fashioned

French 75

Vegan(ish) Christmas Feast Recipes + Menu

Veggies don’t have to be boring.  A variety of fresh veggies with vibrant colors and different textures are the key to creating this hearty and satisfying vegan feast.

Baguettes with Wild Mushroom Ragout

Curried Apple And Butternut Squash Soup

Honey Orange Green Beans

Homemade Hummus and Vegetable Platter

Quick Simple Roasted Potatoes

Grilled Zucchini, Squash, and Asparagus  

Easy Vegetable Tart

“Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler” Créole  Christmas Recipe + Menu

“Laissez les bon temps rouler” (pronounced “Lay-say le bon tom roo-lay”) just means “let the good times roll.”

Crabmeat Au Gratin

Jambalaya

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

Shrimp Étouffée

Red Beans and Rice

Grilled Corn with Toppings

Southern Skillet Cornbread with Bacon, Spinach and Cheddar

Grilled Corn with Toppings

Classic New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding

French 75 | Classic Champagne Cocktail

Sazerac

Mexican Flavors | Christmas Fiesta Recipes and Menu

Substitute a boneless turkey breast tenders or a split turkey breast for chicken in this mole recipe for a spicy complex Mexican Christmas dinner. 

This is now a family favorite meal for holidays.

Serve with warm flour tortillas, pico de gallo, guacamole and black bean salsa and Mexican street corn.

If you want a dessert try an easy to make Mexican Hot Chocolate Bread Pudding.

Slow Cooker Chicken or Turkey Breast Mole

Fresh Pico De Gallo

Spicy Guacamole

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Grilled Mexican Street Corn

Mexican Hot Chocolate Bread Pudding

Classic Margarita, Strawberry Basil Margarita or Blue Moon Margarita

Simple and Elegant Grilled King Crab Christmas Dinner

Sometimes the best days are spent lazing around the backyard or the pool and firing up the grill.  Try a twist on the traditional burgers and hot dogs and grill up some lobster.

It’s lobster season here in Florida and there is nothing better than fresh-caught Florida Lobster for a Labor Day or late summer feast.

If you can’t get reasonably priced lobster look for Florida Keys Pink Shrimp at Whole Foods and use that as a substitute

Pitchers of Bourbon Smash

Simple Grilled King Crab Legs with Dipping Sauces

Simple, elegant and delicious.  Perfect.

The Perfect Baked Potato

Apple, Brie, and Pistachio Tossed Salad

Easy Hazelnut Chocolate Fondue

or

S’mores

Southern-style Thanksgiving Menu

Cajun Beer Can Chickens or Smoked Turkey Breast on the grill

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Toppings Station

Hot Crab Dip Recipe

Spinach, Bacon and Cheddar Cornbread

Warm Cinnamon and Apple Crumble

Taste of the Islands + Jerk Pork Thanksgiving Reciupes and Menu

Lime Daiquiris,  jerk pork, caramelized sweet plantains.  A simple and easy Christmas menu filled with just the right balance of sweet and spicy.

Lime Daiquiri or Zombie Cocktail

Jerk Pork or Jerk Turkey

Caramelized Sweet Plantains

Coconut Rice with Curried Bananas and Cashews

Pina Colada Bread Pudding

Simple, Casual Appetizer Extravaganza | Christmas Recipes and Menu

Sometimes the best Christmas dinner isn’t dinner at all…try serving this appetizer menu and let everyone graze, share laughter and a Bourbon root beer float.  Fun and casual.  Perfect for a Christmas Day open house.

Grilled Chicken Wings

These are so easy to make and since they are naked, just whip up a couple of dipping sauces so everyone can enjoy dunking the wings in the sauce of their choice.

Try one of these wing sauces:

Anchor Bar Buffalo Sauce (the original)

Sweet & Spicy Orange Glaze

Tropical Coco Loco

Honey BBQ

Chili Sesame Soy Sauce

World Famous Tony Luke’s Philly-style Italian Roast Pork

Artichoke and Spinach Dip

Blue Cheese Potatoes Chips

Buffalo Chicken Beggars Purse

Heirloom Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

Root Beer Ice Cream Bourbon Floats

to make these kid friendly just leave out the bourbon.

22 Gourmet S’more Recipes

Christmas Dinner Recipe for a Simple Low Country Shrimp Boil

Simple and easy and oh so good.  This is a party in a giant pot.  A shrimp boil is fun for young and old alike and it’s super easy to cook, so you’ll have time to enjoy the party.

Everything goes in one pot, the table is covered with newspaper, and rolls of paper towel are you napkins.

The hardest part about a shrimp boil is finding a place to keep the giant pot.

Easy Stress-freeShrimp Boil

How to Throw a Simple, Easy Shrimp Boil

Simple Strawberry Salad 

Follow the recipe, but don’t worry about the fancy presentation, just toss it all together.  It’s the perfect salad for a Labor Day Shrimp boil.

Easy Mixed Berry Cobbler 

Stress-free Tip: just grab your favorite dessert from the bakery or market.