Holiday Dinner Ideas to Impress Your Family, Even Grandma
As fall rolls in, the holidays are looming ever closer. Which means it’s time to get a head start on planning your holiday meals. If you’re looking for unique and festive holiday dinner ideas that are sure to keep your family talking through New Year’s, you’re in the right place. We’ve put together a list of main dish ideas to impress your whole family – especially Grandma.
Rosemary Lemon Pepper Rib Roast
Rib roast is classic when it comes to holiday dinner dishes. But, its memorable will have a lot more to do with the flavors than your choice of the meat cut. A beef rib roast, cooked to your preference (medium to medium-well is the most common), coated in olive oil or butter, rosemary, lemon pepper, and other basic seasonings, is sure to have people coming back for seconds.
Here’s how to make this fantastic dish:
- Preheat your oven to 450°F. While the oven preheats, mix together 5 Tbsp. olive oil with lemon pepper, rosemary, garlic salt, onion powder, and any other desired herbs.
- Coat your rib roast in the olive oil and seasonings mixture then place it in an oven-safe baking pan.
- Place on the bottom oven rack with an oven-safe thermometer and bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 45-50 minutes, or until your desired doneness.
- Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for a minimum of 15 minutes before serving.
Suggested Sides
The main course is important but what you pair with it is just as essential to any holiday dinner. Here are some great pairings with the Rosemary Lemon Pepper Rib Roast.
- Garlic Roasted Potatoes – Grab some small red or white potatoes, toss in olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and minced garlic. It’s that easy. Bake on 400°F for 45 minutes or uncle crispy. Pro tip: Also toss with smoked paprika. It just adds something special.
- Sauteed Green Beans & Carrots – Keep it simple with the veggies. Cut your carrots in length to match your green beans. Bring to a boil in a skillet. Keep covered until getting tender and uncover. Add butter, salt, and pepper to taste. Pro tip: Stir in some tarragon while you are at it.
- Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole – If you are ready to cook outside the box, here is a fun recipe to try. It’s something you didn’t even know you were missing. Add this to help break up the savory flavors with something sweet. Pro tip: Use pears and apples!
Cranberry Glazed Turkey Breast
For many families, roasting a turkey is a holiday tradition on more than just Thanksgiving. However, whether it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas, this Cranberry Glazed Turkey Breast is a dish that will please everyone. Plus, you get the bonus of using two holiday classics in one dish.
To make this delicious meal, follow these steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°F while you prep your seasoning mixture of 2 Tbsp. olive oil, paprika, garlic salt, onion powder, dried minced onion, fresh minced garlic, cayenne pepper, oregano, and thyme.
- Coat your turkey breast in the olive oil mixture and bake for one hour while prepping the cranberry glaze.
- In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, chopped ginger, orange zest, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, orange juice, water, and orange liqueur over medium heat. Once the mixture is combined and cranberries have burst, simmer on low for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Strain the glaze with a mesh strainer. Then, use a basting brush to glaze the turkey breast while baking for an additional 1-2 hours. Or, until the internal temperature is over 165° F.
Suggested Sides
We all know the classic sides, but here are some great matchups with this delicious Cranberry Glazed Turkey Breast.
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes – Use a mixture of potatoes types. Peel (optional) and add salt, a healthy helping of butter, some cream cheese (yes! trust us) and milk (almond milk makes it sweeter, heavy creamy works fine, and regular milk too). Pro tip: Pull them sooner than later so you don’t get watery potatoes.
- Cheesy Brussel Sprouts – These bad boys are making a come back this holiday season. While roasted Brussel sprouts are great, baking cheese on top is even better. Use any regular oven recipe, just add shredded cheese at the end to give it something extra. Pro tip: Use sharp white cheddar and some Gruyère. Fancy pants.
- Sweet Southern Cornbread – There is nothing quite like a good cornbread. If you have your own recipe great. If not try this one. Pro tip: Add a little spice with some sliced jalapeños. Yum.
Call On Garry’s for Holiday Catering
Sometimes there just isn’t enough time to make a delicious holiday meal that everyone will love. With everything else happening during the holiday season, hosting a dinner event may seem overwhelming. Not to mention, coming up with the holiday dinner ideas yourself. So, sit back and relax, and let Garry’s do the hard work for you. Garry’s has many catering packages to fit all of your holiday needs and individual tastes. Contact us or give us a call at 410-544-0499 for more information on catering your holiday dinner!
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