It may be hard to believe, but the holiday season is almost here. The holidays are all about getting together with friends and family, and enjoying good food. Hosting a holiday get together this season? You’ve got to try Hazelview’s 10 favourite holiday dinners.
Turkey with all the trimmings
Turkey with all the trimmings is the iconic holiday meal in North America. If you’ve never tried to tackle it, it’s important to have a plan. Figure out what can be made ahead of time so you can prioritize and even ask for help from your guests. People like to be helpful, especially at this time of year. Encourage your guests to bring a vegetable side dish or a dessert to reheat. Taking a few minor obligations off your plate can make hosting the holiday dinner more enjoyable.
Glazed ham and Couscous
Not everyone likes turkey. For guests who aren’t fans of fowl, we suggest serving this equally impressive Brown Sugar Mustard Glazed Ham with Couscous. This meal is a breeze to prepare compared to turkey and all the trimmings. It can be ready to serve in two to three hours.
Brisket and Latkes
Our favourite holiday dinner for Hanukkah is Braised Brisket and Latkes. It’s a deeply satisfying meal of meat and potatoes, done holiday style. Crispy, oniony, latkes pair perfectly with rich and savoury brisket. Brisket can be a tough cut of meat to master. If you’ve never prepared a brisket before, check out these tips on how to do it perfectly.
Christmas Roast Beef with Yorkshire Puddings
We love the classic British Christmas Dinner of Roast Beef with Yorkshire Puddings. You don’t have to hail from the UK to love enjoy tender and delicious roast beef with savoury pastries. Best of all, you get to drench everything in a rich brown gravy!
Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes
Pescatarians will love this Christmas tradition. On Christmas Eve (December 24th) Italian families serve fish instead of meat. There are no rules for preparing The Feast of the Seven Fishes, but the classic meal typically consists of a snack-sized seafood appetizer course, a seafood salad course, a meaty grilled seafood course, followed by a seafood pasta, a stew and vegetable course, and finally a fish-free dessert.
Beef Bourguignon with Parsley Potatoes
We love the rich textures and intense savoury flavours of Beef Bourguignon with Parsley Potatoes. Beef Bourguignon is a hearty classic French dish that involves a lot of umami loaded ingredients (wine, mushrooms and cognac, bacon etc.). This meal is elegant but substantial and can be ready to serve in less than two hours with about 45 minutes of hands on prep time.
Rack of Lamb with Roast Potatoes
Rack of Lamb with Roast Potatoes is a classic holiday meal that looks dramatic and tastes delicious. Don’t be intimidated by this one -- it only takes a few minutes to prepare (not including marinating time). The trick is to be restrained with the herbs. The flavour of the lamb is strong on it’s own so the seasonings should complement this flavour without overpowering it.
Roast Chicken with Wild Rice Stuffing
Roast Chicken with Wild Rice Stuffing has been a popular Christmas dinner since the 1990s. It offers a light and elegant alternative to turkey with bread stuffing. This recipe takes about three and a half hours total to prepare, but only about 45 minutes of that is hands-on prep time, so it's a perfect meal option if you have a lot on your plate.
Aloo Gobi (Potato and Cauliflower)
Spice things up this season with Aloo Gobi! This hearty spiced potato and cauliflower dish is popular across India and Pakistan and will impress your vegetarian guests.
Beef Wellington with Roasted Veggies
If you really want to wow the crowd this holiday season, serve Beef Wellington with Roasted Veggies. This classic show stopping meal is perfect for a special occasion like Christmas. If you’ve never tasted Beef Wellington, it is an incredible mix of textures. Prime cut filet mignon is wrapped in buttery puff pastry and baked -- the decadent result is unforgettable.
Happy Holidays from Hazelview Properties. We hope you enjoyedi our 10 favourite holiday dinners! For information on Hazelview Rental Communities across Canada, please visit our website.