Week Five: Holidays!

It might not be December yet, but if you’re anything like me, you’re already planning your holiday cooking and baking. With that in mind, I thought I’d share a roundup of some of my favorite holiday-appropriate recipes from the blog! From drinks through dessert, I’ve got you covered.

1. Creamy Caramelized Onion Soup

This luxe, creamy soup makes the perfect start to your holiday dinner. Serve it alongside a loaf of crusty home-baked bread for extra deliciousness!

2. Nutty Quinoa-Stuffed Delicata Squash

Serve individual squash halves as the main course, or halve them again to serve smaller portions as a side dish. Heck, if you don’t have squash on hand, just make the filling and serve it alone as a warm side dish.

3. Warm Lentil and Brussels Sprout Salad with Roasted Radicchio Wedges

If the combination of lentils, Brussels sprouts, and pomegranate seeds doesn’t scream “filling winter dish!” then I don’t know what does. Feel free to double the dressing if you’re serving someone who loves a big pop of flavor.

4. Butternut Squash Risotto with Sage and Toasted Hazelnuts

It is a scientific fact that you cannot fail to impress your guests if you serve risotta. Your secret? It’s incredibly easy to make! This version features pureed butternut squash, and its golden hue makes for a beautiful presentation.

5. Caramelized Onion and Broccoli Quiche

Hungry houseguests clamoring for breakfast the morning after a holiday? Bake up this rich quiche. Who needs eggs when you’ve got aquafaba? You could also go rogue and serve this with your holiday dinner — why not?! It’s your house; you make the rules.

6. Espresso-White Chocolate Chip Cookies

My favorite part of the meal: dessert! For chocolate-y, caffeine-y decadence you can bake in advance, these cookies can’t be beat. Bring them to your annual cookie swap and you’ll be everybody’s favorite swap partner.

7. Chocolate-Orange Chia Pudding

Chocolate and orange: the quintessential Christmas flavor pairing? They come together in this creamy, healthier version of chocolate pudding. You could even eat it for breakfast!

8. Sweet Potato Pie

I know I keep talking about this darned pie — but it’s just so good! Whether you serve it in a gluten-free nut crust or a more traditional pastry crust, the creamy, pumpkin-like filling will make your guests salivate.

9. Chocolate-Hazelnut Buckwheat Bites

Sure, buckwheat doesn’t exactly sound like the most indulgent of ingredients. But trust me — these rich, chewy buckwheat bites do indeed taste indulgent! Buckwheat offers a beautiful crunch and a little bit of savoriness to counteract all that rich chocolate.

10. Chai Hot Toddy

Wrap up your holiday evening the way it’s meant to be ended: on the couch in front of a crackling fire, wrapped in a cozy blanket, with a mug of something steaming hot. I recommend this hot toddy, but if you want something non-alcoholic, you could do worse than my hot molasses mug!

So — what are you making for the holidays?