December is a month brimming with holidays and delicious food, making it arguably the best time of the year! But the holiday season also means a hectic pace. With parties, travel, and work schedules packed full, it can be hard to find the time to carefully prepare a home-cooked meal and then comfortably sit down to enjoy it.
Fortunately, I’ve curated a selection of holiday recipes that let you indulge in delightful food without spending all day in the kitchen. From traditional roast turkey and honey-glazed ham to hearty cocktails and chocolate lava cake, these recipes are guaranteed to leave you wanting more!
Oven-Roasted Turkey
Let’s start with the classic: turkey. I love roasting a juicy bird in the oven, and my method is stupidly simple: Pat that turkey dry, rub it all over with softened butter, season it aggressively and stuff the cavity with onions and herbs. Roast it breast-side down for the first hour to keep the white meat juicy, then flip it for the final hour to crisp up the skin. The result? A beautifully golden, juicy turkey that’s all about simplicity, plus the smell alone is enough to get everyone excited.
Copycat Honey Baked Ham
If you’re a ham person but don’t want to spend a fortune on the crazy expensive Honey Baked Ham, I have a simple solution. I just grab a pre-cooked, spiral-cut ham from the grocery store, and the real magic is in the glaze. While the ham warms through low and slow in the oven, I simmer down honey, Dijon and a few ingredients until it gets thick and syrup. When the ham is almost heated, I crank up the oven, pour that glaze all over it, and let it bake until it bubbles and caramelizes. The result is absolutely identical to the fancy version!
Sous Vide Ribeye Steak
This is the real “set it and forget it.” If you’re feeding a smaller crowd, a stunning steak is definitely the way to go. Sous vide sounds fancy, but it’s actually the easiest thing ever. Just season your ribeyes, bag them, and let a sous vide machine to cook them to the exact doneness you want (you’ll find a handy time and temperature chart in my recipe). After that, all you need to do is pat the steaks dry and sear them in a hot cast-iron skillet for a minute per side. It’s almost impossible to overcatch, and every single bite is even better than you’ve had in steakhouses.
RELATED: What is Sous Vide?
Easy Beef Wellington
Well, I know beef wellington seems like a project for chefs like Gordon Ramsay, but I promise, my simplified version cuts the fuss, not the flavor, and is much easier than you think. Only use store-bought puff pastry, seared beef tenderloin, mushroom duxelles, and prosciutto. Wrap them all layer-by-layer and then bake until the pastry is golden and the internal temperature hits your perfect doneness. It looks like a million bucks and tastes even better, but the steps are totally approachable.
Smoked Pulled Pork
Conversely, if you’re planning to feed a big crowd and don’t want to be overwhelmed, this large pork shoulder is an excellent option. It’s all about patience, not skill. Simply insert a WiFi meat thermometer into the meat, and you don’t need to babysit it. The long, slow cook will break down all the tough tissues, leaving you with meat so tender it literally pulls apart with a fork. Shred it, toss it in the remaining gravy or your favorite BBQ sauce, and pile it on buns. It’s hearty, and feeds an army.
Roast Whole Chicken
When a whole turkey feels like too much commitment, a simple, beautiful roast whole chicken can sometimes beat all the fancy stuff. My trick is to rub it all over with a mix of olive oil and butter, then season it generously inside and out. I like to stuff the cavity with lemon, onion, garlic, and herbs before trussing the legs. Bake it until 165°F - the safe internal temperature for chicken. It’s budget-friendly, easy, and always hits the spot. Plus, the leftovers are great for sandwiches or salads the next day.
Sous Vide Prime Rib
This sous vide prime rib is absolutely stunning as a main course for a holiday feast, and the best part is, you can walk away for hours. Similar to sous vide ribeye, just cook the steak in a water bath set to your desired temperature for several hours. Mine is 130°F, which gives it a medium-rare. Then, give it a quick sear in a skillet or a grill, which results in a prime rib with a caramelized crust while keeping the inside beautifully pink, juicy, and tender.
Filet Mignon
If you don’t have a sous vide machine or a grill, you can still make a seriously elegant dinner using a cast-iron skillet and an oven. Try this recipe and enjoy steakhouse-quality filet mignon without breaking the bank. Just seaon the steak, sear it in a hot skillet until golden brown on all sides, and then transfer it to the oven to roast slow and low until it reaches your desired doneness - depending on the filet mignon internal temperature. You end up with a tender, buttery, and impressive festive main.
Sous Vide Cocktails
Here’s a fun one, yes, cocktails. These are a delightful treat to warm up on chilly winter days. Instead of the traditional boiling method that can evaporate the alcohol, using sous vide not only keeps the alcohol intact since everything is sealed in the bag, but also infuses spirits with herbs, spices, or fruit for hours, then serve up some smooth, complex, flavorful drinks. Here you can find three sous vide cocktail recipes, including gin and tonic, vermouth, and even a shrimp cocktail twist.
Chocolate Lava Cake
No holiday meal is complete without dessert, and this one’s a winner. Chocolate lava cake is rich, gooey, and surprisingly easy to make. Just melt chocolate, butter, and a few ingredients together, seal the batter into greased mason jars, and cook them in a water bath. This guarantees every single one comes out with perfectly set outer cake and that flowing molten center. You just can't mess it up.
