Here are four casual holiday meal ideas so you can spend more time with your family. the meal ideas are simple, yet you can dress them up and customize all of these options. Pair them with my apple walnut Bleu Cheese Salad or build your own with some of my favorite winter salad ingredients.
1. classic holiday glazed ham
serving a glazed ham for a family get together is simple and you can get creative with serving ideas. add a few sauces to accompany the ham like cranberry chutney, horseradish cream sauce or jalapeño jelly. Serve with soft rolls and everyone can build their own slider sandwich.
2. a chili bar
my family served a chili bar for years and years on Christmas Eve. use your favorite chili recipe, (my dark cherry chili with bacon would be fabulous), and set out a plethora of fun toppings in little bowls. Everyone can assemble their own festive chili bowls. Some of my favorite toppings to set out include: fresh diced avocado or guacamole, minced red onions, fresh sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro, crumbled queso fresco, freshly-grated sharp cheddar cheese, corn chips and pico de Gallo.
3. cozy soup station
I served this little soup station for a gal’s christmas party. It was a scratch-made butternut squash soup and it stayed piping hot in a slow cooker all evening long. Add some smaller bowls, servingware and a fun garnish for the soup. You could simply serve the soup of your choice with a charcuterie board or my even simpler classic ploughman’s lunch.
4: scratch-made tamales
serving holiday tamles is another tradition we grew up enjoying. my mother purchased delicious tamales from a local family and we served them with our chili bar as well as a festive salad. Pro tip: leftover tamales crisped up in a pan and topped with a fried egg was a holiday favorite of myself and my father. Which option above is your favorite? xoxo.
