Recipes for a Very Merry Christmas
Lynley Jones
All my recipes for the most wonderful time of the year. Throw a fancy dinner, eat the seven fishes, make treats for Santa and drink something warm. Then, it’s PJs and presents all day long. Here’s to your joyous and generous Christmas!
Christmas Dinner
Fancy and festive mains for a special Christmas dinner.
Chicken thighs browned then simmered over rice perfumed with rosemary, garlic, cinnamon, white wine and herbs. Check out the Notes section at the bottom for detailed tips for success, ideas for leftovers and more.
Short ribs, mushrooms and kale in a rosemary-red wine gravy, baked into little individual pot pies.
This Moroccan poultry pie combines sweet and savory flavors in one amazing dish. Traditionally served as a starter at festive occasions such as weddings, it can also make for a really special main dish.
The classic French dish, with succulent chicken bathed in a rich, golden broth. All those cloves of garlic turn creamy, mild and spreadable in the slow oven braise. Be sure to have lots of crusty French bread nearby to sop up every last drop.
Why it works: a wine-and-butter soaked cheesecloth keeps the turkey breast moist and flavorful during cooking, and adds lots of flavor to pan juices to make delicious gravy. See notes at the end of the recipe for more details.
Feasting on Fishes
Are you doing the Feast of the Seven Fishes? (Or some other number of fishes?) Here are some recipes to help you round out the menu.
Tender sea scallops seared golden brown and served with a buttery white wine pan sauce. Delicious, elegant, and done in about 15 minutes.
Artichoke leaves are an appetizer-delivery device, cooked until tender then topped with salmon, garlic-mascarpone and crispy fried rutabaga straws (my new favorite thing).
Fish marinated in lime juice and tossed with chiles, onions, tomatoes, avocados and orange juice.
Grilled swordfish with a topping of grape tomatoes and sea beans, a fresh, crunchy-salty seaweed found at farmers markets and specialty shops. See recipe notes for more about sea beans, and how you can still make this if you can’t find them.
One of the quickest and simplest ways to make a truly nice dinner, any night of the week.
Treats for Santa (and for you!)
Santa can only eat so many cookies, so that means the rest are for you! Here are some cookie and non-cookie ideas to make merry.
Dress your cookies to impress with a sophisticated cookie glaze and candied hibiscus crumbles. (Bonus, you can also make cocktails while you’re at it!)
Four mini-galettes (or one big one!) with spiced pumpkin filling and lemony macerated apples, wrapped in crisp homemade pie crust pastry and drizzled with bourbon-maple sauce.
The classic dessert, with warm caramelized bananas and vanilla ice cream, topped with rum flambe sauce.
My go-to cookie recipe. Very simple, not overly sweet. Delicious. A nice blank slate for you to gussy up as you choose.
Dark and white chocolate layered with the subtle salty crunch of pretzel crisps and spiked with peppermint.
Super chocolate-y, decadent pudding. Sure, you can serve it to the kids. If you can keep yourself from eating it all first.
Drinks for the Season
Recipes for traditional drinks, warming drinks and festive cocktails to toast the season.
Hot apple cider infused with hibiscus flowers and mulling spices. Serve as-is or take it up a notch with a splash of bourbon or brandy.
Hot chocolate sweetened with Mexican piloncillo sugar and spiked with Ceylon cinnamon to evoke Mexican champurado, the classic chocolate atole beverage. Add a splash of bourbon for a boozy version.
Champagne poured over hibiscus-allspice syrup and Calvados, and rimmed with Mexican brown sugar and cinnamon. Cheers!
Milk sweetened with a touch of honey and infused with cinnamon, warmed and frothed for a cup of soul-satisfying comfort on a cold day.
My homemade eggnog recipe with fully cooked eggs! The perfect drink for Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. Very nice spiked with brandy, bourbon or rum, or just on its own. So good!
Christmas Morning
Stay in those PJs, friend! Let the gift-opening madness begin. Here’s what to make for breakfast.
A grown-up sauce to elevate waffles or pancakes with aromatic juniper berries. Floral and intriguing, a little sweet (but not too much), with hints of pine and lots of natural charisma. Check out the Notes section for more about juniper berries and tips for success.
Half the flour in this recipe is whole wheat flour. This makes for a more substantial breakfast, without dramatically changing the taste. You can make a big batch and rewarm them for a quick, nourishing breakfast during the week.
Quick, simple and delicious. These are muffins, not dessert masquerading as a breakfast food.
Served with Grand Marnier cream sauce, this is an elegant and delicious way to welcome strawberry season.
Coconutty rolled oats topped with blueberries and bananas make for one of the most delicious (and healthiest) ways to start your day. Best of all, it cooks in 5 minutes.
Nubby steel-cut oats spiked with cinnamon, drizzled with maple syrup, and topped with fruit and nuts of your choice.
How to spice up your Christmas
Some of my go-to spices for a warm and tasty Chrtistmas:
Mexican Sweet Blend is our own original blend of sweet Mexican flavors: piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar) and canela (Mexican cinnamon). Bake with it, sprinkle it over fruit, stir it into coffee or hot chocolate, or combine it with savory spices for a barbecue rub. Locally made by us in small batches.
A traditional combination of mulling spices for hot spiced cider or warm mulled wine. Cassia cinnamon sticks, green cardamom, allspice berries, whole cloves and anise for a classic warm drink. Locally made by us in small batches.
Our original savory seasoning, created by our founder Lynley. You can use this super-versatile blend on chicken, meat, veggies, pasta, potatoes and more! Herbal and citrusy, it combines the depth of sage with the bright acidity of sumac. Use it in place of salt and pepper, or alongside other seasonings to taste. Made with organic and fair-trade ingredients. Locally made by us in small batches.
1/2 cup -sized jar.
Last minute gift ideas
It’s not too late!
If you’re still in need of gifts for curious cooks, they’ll love either one of these:
Starting at $15/month
You’ll learn new skills, cook with new ingredients, and spend time with fellow members who are just as passionate about leveling up in the kitchen as you are. Come on in!
Not sure what to get them? We have gift cards! May be used toward any physical products (eg spices and merch) in the Adventure Kitchen online shop.
More recipes from Adventure Kitchen:
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