10 Easy Christmas Recipes

A classic Roast Chicken is a must at the table in most homes during the Holidays. Don’t let the size of the bird scare you. It’s actually easy to make and can be eaten later in salads or sandwiches. This dish makes the yummiest leftovers! INGREDIENTS: 1.2 - 1.5 kg chicken, salt, freshly-ground black pepper, 1 onion cut in to large pieces, 3 medium carrots (peeled and cut), 2 stalks of celery, 400 grams baby potatoes (quartered), 1 head of garlic (halved), 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp. melted butter, 1 lemon, 1 bunch of fresh thyme. DIRECTIONS: Pat the chicken dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Tie the legs and tuck the wings under the body. Refrigerate for an hour. Preheat the oven to 210 to 220 C. Place all the vegetables on the baking tray along with garlic, salt and olive oil. Place the chicken on top and brush with melted butter. Stuff the lemon and some of the thyme inside the cavity. Roast in the oven for 50 minutes to an hour or until the juices run clear. Allow the chicken to rest in a tented foil for about 20 minutes before carving.

Most of us drool at the sight of a good pork roast on the table. But this time, we’re taking it up a notch. If you have guests over this season and you want to serve some yummy, bite-sized pork roast pieces, this is the recipe for you. INGREDIENTS: 1.25 kg skinless pork belly, 150 g marmalade, 1 tsp dry chilli flakes, 2 tbsp soy sauce, juice of 1 orange. DIRECTIONS: Heat the oven to 170 C. Place the pork in a tightly closed foil and roast for 2.5 hours. Cool to room temperature. Heat the oven to 200 C and place the belly squares into a tray and roast, while turning regularly for 30 minutes. Put the marmalade, chilli flakes, soy sauce and orange juice in a pan and reduce until it forms a thick syrup. Pour this over the pork belly. Roast for a few minutes and serve.

When choosing a fish, there’s nothing better than Salmon. It provides all the good nutrients you need, is tender, flaky and has lovely silver skin, which is perfect when pan-seared. Here though, we’re going to poach this fish and serve it on a bed of salad or potato mash with lemon butter and capers. INGREDIENTS: 4 pieces skinless salmon fillets, salt, freshly-ground black pepper, 1 cup white wine,1 cup water, some fresh dill, 3 cloves garlic, lemon wedges for serving. DIRECTIONS: Season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a pan over medium heat and bring the garlic, dill, wine and water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to simmer. Add the salmon in and let it simmer, covered, and cook for 10 minutes or until done. Remove the fish and serve with fresh lime and dill.

A flavourful casserole is comfort food. The good thing with this dish is that you can make it as elaborate or as simple as you please. Add in your favourite protein and vegetables to make a combination that you or your family desire. INGREDIENTS: 1 stick of butter, 2 large eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, black pepper, 1/4 sweet onion, 225 grams sharp cheddar, 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, 2 cups leftover rice, 1 package broccoli. DIRECTIONS: Heat the oven to 180 C. Grease a baking dish with butter. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, mayonnaise, soup, 1/2 tsp pepper, stir in the onion and 1/4 cup of cheese. Add in the chicken, rice and lastly, the broccoli. Transfer to the baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

A comforting quiche is a great accompaniment at the table, for those who enjoy some cheesy, creamy goodness. Add it to a main course along with a salad, and voila, you have yourself an awesome meal. INGREDIENTS: 5 green onions, 1 tomato, 12 slices of bacon, 1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms, 12 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. DIRECTIONS: Heat the oven to 160 C. Cook bacon in a large pan until crisp. Reserve the bacon drippings. Cook mushrooms in the reserved drippings. Crumble the bacon and add to a skillet with most of the onion and tomatoes (reserve a little of both). Beat eggs and sour cream and pour into a greased baking dish. Pour in the bacon mixture and cheese. Bake for 30 minutes until the centre is set. Top with the tomatoes and onions kept aside. Let is rest for 5 minutes before serving.

If you’re looking to serve a side dish which is both appetising and appears to be fancy too, bacon-wrapped asparagus is a great choice. INGREDIENTS: 8 slices of bacon (sliced), 400 grams asparagus (trimmed), freshly ground black pepper, caesar dressing for dipping (if you feel like it). DIRECTIONS: Preheat the oven to 200 C, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a cooling rack on the tray. Wrap the asparagus in the sliced bacon. Season with pepper. Bake until crisp, for about 30 minutes. Serve with Caesar dressing (optional).

Once you’re done with a hearty Christmas dinner or ANY dinner for that matter, we’ve all known to wait for the dessert. Here’s a simple one you could rustle up when you have people over, and its bound to be a hit! INGREDIENTS: 1 pack of Oreos 1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (340 grams) 1 pack of cream cheese 1 - 2 tsp canola oil DIRECTIONS: Place the Oreo cookies in a resealable bag and smash them up as small as possible. You could use a food processor for finer results. Mix in the cream cheese and roll the mixture into quarter-sized balls. Place the balls in the fridge and chill for about 30 minutes. In a bowl, add the chocolate chips and canola oil and microwave in 25-second intervals, stirring, until the chocolate is fully melted. Dip the naked truffle balls in this chocolate and place on a parchment sheet. Place back in the fridge for about 20 minutes to harden. Serve!

The ever-popular gingerbread man/cookies, house or even just plain cookies is a must-have during the Holidays. It warms the home with an aroma of ‘Christmas’, we can’t explain it, but you get what I’m talking about, right? INGREDIENTS: 1/2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup molasses. DIRECTIONS: Make a basic cookie dough by mixing 1 stick of butter, brown sugar, add an egg , molasses and vanilla essence. Beat in the flour and baking soda and blend. Add all spices and mix. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 175 C. Roll the dough between 2 sheets of wax paper and roll out thin enough to cut with a cookie cutter. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and store as needed.

While we all enjoy the convenience of picking up a tin of cookies at a store, there’s nothing like baking cookies at home. Especially with shortbread, melt-in-the-mouth cookies. Add frosting of your choice, and voila, you have yourself special Holiday/Christmas cookies too. What’s great with this cookie is you could add in a variety of flavours and have something to suit different tastes. INGREDIENTS: 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 egg white mixed with a tbsp water, coarse sugar to sprinkle over. DIRECTIONS: Preheat your oven to 160 C. Beat together butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Add flour and salt and beat until well combined. Press the dough to form a ball. Place in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut out squares. Place on a prepared pan and brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake for 18 to 20 minutes.

An all-time favourite, apple pie is truly a dessert that comforts the soul. Along with a hot cup of coffee, there’s no better combination to keep you company on a winter’s evening. INGREDIENTS: 1.5 kg pf peeled assorted apples, peeled and sliced, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 tbsp all purpose flour, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tbsp butter, egg wash, coarse sugar for sprinkling. DIRECTIONS: Freeze your pie crust for 30 minutes before baking. Bake at 200 C. Toss apples with sugar, lemon juice, flour, vanilla and cinnamon. Transfer to the crust-lined pie dish. Dot with butter all over. Drape over the pie pastry in tour desired design, covering the pie filling. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Place pie on to pre-heated baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 160 C, and bake for another 40 minutes. Cool before serving!