It wouldn't be the holiday season without some festive fare on the menu. This week, we have crowd-pleasing sides, mains and desserts that are so quick and easy to make that they'll stay in rotation for years to come. Even the prime rib roast only takes 15 minutes to prep — yes, seriously!
Photo: today.com
By mid-December, holiday festivities really start to ramp up. Between wrapping the gifts and decking the halls, this season doesn't leave you much time to cook for friends and family gatherings. Luckily, we've done the meal planning for you this week so you can focus on eating, drinking and being merry!
Porchetta is a traditional Italian dish that is typically made from a whole pig, which you must debone, season and slow-roast. This version is a slightly more approachable one because you start with a deboned pork belly. Porchetta is known for its classic roulade and interior spiral shape. To recreate this iconic dish at home, the best cut of meat to use is the pork belly, sometimes combined with the pork loin. The pork belly provides the ideal balance of fat and lean meat, ensuring the dish remains juicy while achieving a crispy skin. When making porchetta, it's crucial to score the skin to allow the fat to render during cooking and ensure that the skin becomes beautifully crackling. Though the preparation can be time-intensive, the flavors and textures of a well-made porchetta are richly rewarding.
There’s something about spending a chilly night that makes baking and devouring a cozy potpie so appealing. And bonus points if that potpie can be made in about an hour with minimal clean-up. This one-skillet meal is inspired by classic chicken potpie but has a vegetarian twist. Meaty mixed mushrooms stand in for cubes of chicken — they’re tender and hearty, and their texture shreds much like poultry. This recipe calls for one-and-a-half pounds of mushrooms, which might seem like a lot but don’t worry — they cook down quite a bit.
Beef tenderloin is a prime choice for a holiday main dish due to its tenderness, rich flavor and impressive presentation. As one of the most tender cuts of beef, it delivers a melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes it an instant crowd-pleaser. Its mild flavor pairs well with a variety of seasonings, but we’ve kept it simple with salt, pepper, butter, garlic and fresh herbs.
