Holidays are a busy time for most people. Especially when it comes to meal planning and entertainment.
If you’re in a pinch before Christmas and need a quick last-minute menu, these cooking pros are here to help you with simple solutions.
Check out our holiday recipes below.
3 ingredients sweet and spicy slow cooker ham
Jason Goldstein, recipe developer and creator of Chop Happy, shared this simple three-ingredient entree.
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1 spiral ham
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup chili paste
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Mix the honey and chili paste together, add the ham to the slow cooker, and spread it all over the ham. 5 hours on low heat. You can also add pineapple to the bottom or add vegetables such as green beans or potatoes.
Use to make leftovers.
Tear off the excess ham and make fried rice.
Mix leftover ham and cheese and wrap it in pizza or pie crust to make a ham and cheese calzone for lunch that week.
Make ham grilled cheese.
Wrap the ham in an airtight bag and freeze for up to 6 months for future use.
sour cream and onion mashed potatoes
Photography by Isa Zapata, hood styling by Sean Dooley, prop styling by JoJo Li.
Bon Appétit food editor Shilpa Uskovic shared two easy holiday side dishes. First, mashed potatoes with a twist on the popular potato chip flavor.
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5 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons onion powder
2 tbsp diamond crystals, or 1 tbsp and 1/2 tsp kosher salt, other
1 cup fresh cream
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
Garlic powder 1 teaspoon
16 oz container sour cream
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, for other servings
12 scallions (about 2 bunches) dark green part only, thinly sliced
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Place peeled and quartered russet potatoes in a large pot and pour cold water to 1 inch. Add a tablespoon of onion powder and enough kosher salt to make the water taste salty like the sea. Reduce heat and simmer (do not boil) until potatoes are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Drain the potatoes. Return to warm pot. Remove from heat, uncovered, to allow excess liquid to evaporate while cream mixture heats.
1 cup heavy cream, 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal, or 1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon Morton kosher salt, and the remaining 2 teaspoons onion powder in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. . Stir for about 5 minutes to dissolve the salt.
Using a potato masher, mash the hot potatoes until smooth (you can also run a ricer or food mill through a large bowl, then return to the pan if desired). Add cream mixture; Mix vigorously. Add 1 16-ounce container sour cream and 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter at room temperature and mix again (return pan to low heat if necessary). Add 6 thinly sliced green onions (about 1 bunch), only the dark green part, and mix.
Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large bowl, brush with unsalted butter, and thinly slice the remaining 6 spring onions (about 1 bunch), just the dark green part.
Recipe reprinted with credit to Bon Appetit.
Radish Nori with Lemon Butter
Daikon radish with lemon seaweed butter.
Photography by Isa Zapata, hood styling by Sean Dooley, prop styling by JoJo Li.
Uskokovic also shared this “ridiculously easy” dish that uses top-notch butter and roasted or seasoned seaweed to add flavor to raw vegetables.
8 servings
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1 large lemon peel
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon diamond crystals or 1/4 teaspoon Morton kosher salt, other
2.35 oz salt-grilled seaweed snack
Mixed radishes, trimmed, halved, quartered, and/or sliced (for serving)
flaky sea salt
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Zest of 1 large lemon, ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, 1/2 teaspoon diamond crystal (1/4 teaspoon Morton kosher salt) Mix vigorously in a small bowl. join Place a 2.35 oz package of salted seaweed snacks in a bowl and mix well. Taste the nori lemon butter and add salt to taste, if desired.
Rub the nori lemon butter around the rim of the platter. Arrange the mixed radishes trimmed, halved, quartered, and/or sliced around and piled with a large pinch of flaky sea salt on the side.
Recipe reprinted courtesy of Bon Appetit.
peppermint hot chocolate icebox cake
Baker, blogger, and Food Network personality Dan Langan shared the recipe for this simple, seasonally inspired dessert.
make: 1 piece of 9 inch ice box cake
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4 ounces cold cream cheese
3 bags of hot chocolate mix
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
a few drops of peppermint extract
a pinch of salt
2 cups cold cream
20-25 crispy or not-so-fresh cookies such as chocolate chips, sugar, shortbread, gingerbread
crushed peppermint and chocolate chips to finish
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Place the cream cheese, hot chocolate mix, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt in a bowl and blend with a mixer until smooth. Add heavy cream and beat over low heat until combined, then increase speed to medium and whisk until medium peaks form.
Add a layer of cookies to the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan, breaking them to fit if necessary. Add 1/3 of the cream and spread until smooth. Finish with a layer of cream, spread the top until smooth, and repeat two more times. Chill for at least 8 hours or overnight.
To provide: Slip a knife between the mold and the rim of the cake to loosen and remove the mold ring. Place the cake on a platter and sprinkle crushed peppermint and chocolate chips on top. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
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