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Ten of our favorite easy and elegant dinner ideas for your holiday celebrations. Prep them ahead and enjoy the day!
Easy, elegant and delicious sounds like a combination almost too good to be true, but it’s not! We’ve rounded up ten favorite recipes that are worthy of all your holiday celebrations, even Christmas dinner.
You can make or prep them ahead of time and enjoy the time with friends and family! There are delicious stews, comforting Italian dishes and elegant seafood and chicken dishes. These are tried and tested recipes that our family loves and we think you will too. Enjoy!
Slow Braised Italian Beef Stew
In addition to tender chunks of beef and carrots and a deeply flavored sauce, this Slow Braised Italian Beef Stew also features fire-roasted tomatoes, briny olives, pearl onions and lots of fresh rosemary for a delicious taste of Italy!
Brown Butter Tomato Shrimp and Grits
With a creamy, brown butter-tomato-wine sauce, this Shrimp and Grits recipe is easy enough for weeknights but also VERY dinner party-worthy! This fabulous meal in a bowl also features barely cooked fresh cherry tomatoes, sweet, tender shrimp and smoky Andouille sausage served over a bed of white cheddar grits.
Make-Ahead Italian Sausage Puttanesca
This Italian Sausage Puttanesca is a delicious entree for a dinner party, but it’s also great for a weeknight meal. It can be made ahead, freezes well and its a big hit with young and old alike!
Weeknight, Dinner Party Chicken Marsala
This fabulous Chicken Marsala with super tender, pan-seared chicken, caramelized mushrooms and a succulent, silky sauce is a delicious way to make a weeknight special and elegant enough to serve for a fancy dinner party!
Make-Ahead Chicken Andouille Gumbo
Dinner party-worthy and super flavorful, this Chicken Andouille Gumbo can be made ahead for easy, relaxed (and delicious) entertaining!
Make-Ahead Homemade Manicotti
This make-ahead, Homemade Manicotti is beyond delicious with an Italian sausage marinara and tender melt-in-your-mouth pasta.
French Mustard Chicken Breasts (Poulet à la Moutarde Française)
This French Mustard Chicken Breasts recipe will make you feel like a fancy chef, but it comes together quickly and can be prepped in advance. You’ll want to eat the luxurious mustard sauce like it’s soup!
Honey Coriander Make-Ahead Salmon
This Asian-inspired, Honey Coriander Make-Ahead Salmon is perfect for everyday-easy meals but also makes a fabulous entree for a dinner party.
Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (Tom Kha Gai)
With super tender, melt-in-your-mouth chicken and a silky smooth sauce loaded with fresh veggies and tons of bright, fresh flavor, this Thai Coconut Chicken Soup ticks all the boxes!
Braised Pork Shoulder Pozole (Pozole Rojo)
A rich, brothy chili-tomato stew with tender pork shoulder, hominy corn, and roasted red peppers, this Braised Pork Shoulder Pozole, served with an assortment of garnishes, is always a huge hit!
Thought for the day:
For God so loved the world
that He gave His only Son,
that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish but shall have
eternal life.
John 3:16
What we’re listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoy any of these recipes, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations, and ideas for variations.
