5 Best and Easy Christmas Dinner Recipes

This Christmas season you have ton of recipes to cook for your home. It is a difficult decision to make though. Let’s make it easy for you, and here are 5 best and easy Christmas Dinner recipes gathered from different renowned cooks and chefs.

Caramelized Onion Tarts With Apples

This recipe is from Kate Merker(twitter) from realsimple.com

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  

  Photo by Con Poulos

• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 2 red apples (such as Braeburn or Gala), cut into small pieces
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3-ounce package), thawed
• 1/2cup creme fraiche or sour cream

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400º F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the apples, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until just tender, 2 minutes.
2. Place each sheet of pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Spread with the crème fraîche, leaving a ½-inch border. Top with the onion mixture and bake until the pastry is crisp and browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Cut into pieces before serving.

Roasted Goose with Crispy Skin

This recipe is from Jacques Pépin at foodandwine.com

Ingredients

• 

  Photo Credits Frances Janisch

  One 12-pound goose, neck and giblets reserved, visible fat removed

• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 1/4 cups warm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco
• 1 teaspoon potato starch dissolved in 2 tablespoons red or white wine

Directions:

1. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE JUS Beginning at the neck end, work your fingers under the goose skin, snipping any fibers and sinews with kitchen scissors; work your fingers as far down over the thighs as possible. Using a sharp knife, cut halfway through the wing and leg joints to help the bird cook evenly. Generously season the goose inside and out with salt and pepper.
2. Set the goose on a rack in a heavy roasting pan, breast side up. Add the neck, gizzard, heart and 4 cups of the water to the pan. Cover the goose with foil and seal the foil all around the edge of the pan. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and steam for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer the rack with the goose to a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered overnight, until the skin is very dry, like parchment. Strain the pan juices and refrigerate. Bring the goose to room temperature before roasting.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a bowl, mix the honey with the Tabasco and the remaining 1/4 cup of water. Return the rack to the pan and roast the goose for 1 hour, basting occasionally with the Tabasco mixture. Carefully turn the goose breast side down. Roast for about 30 minutes longer, basting occasionally. The goose is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 170°. Turn off the oven and let it cool to 160°. Transfer the goose to a heatproof platter, breast side up. Return the goose to the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes.
4. Pour off the fat in the roasting pan. Scrape the solidified fat off the refrigerated pan juices and refrigerate for another use. Add the juices to the pan and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Pour the juices into a small saucepan. Stir in the potato starch slurry and simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Season the jus with salt and pepper and strain it into a gravy boat. Carve the goose and pass the jus at the table.

Herb-Roasted Turkey with Wild Mushroom Gravy

This recipe is from By David Tanis at foodandwine.com.

Ingredients:

Turkey

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped thyme, plus 4 large sprigs
• 1 tablespoon chopped sage, plus 4 large sprigs
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• One 12- to 14-pound turkey, neck and gizzard reserved
• 1/2 large apple
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
• 1 large carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large celery rib, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for rubbing

gravy

• 1 tablespoon small dried porcini pieces
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound golden chanterelles or a mix of cremini and oyster mushrooms, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 3 medium shallots, minced
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

Directions:

1. prepare the turkey Preheat the oven to 400°. In a small bowl, beat the butter with the garlic, chopped thyme and chopped sage and season with salt and pepper.
2. prepare the turkey Season the turkey inside and out with salt and pepper. Rub two-thirds of the herb butter inside the cavity and under the neck flap. Place the remaining butter in the cavity along with the thyme and sage sprigs. Tuck the wing tips under the bird and tie the legs together with kitchen string. Tuck the apple, rounded side out, under the neck flap. Fold the neck skin under the body and secure with a skewer.
3. prepare the turkey Put the onion, carrot and celery in a large roasting pan. Set the turkey in the pan and add the neck and gizzard. Rub the turkey all over with olive oil. Roast the turkey in the lower third of the oven for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325° and continue to roast, basting occasionally, for 2 hours and 35 minutes longer, until an instant-read thermometer registers 165° when inserted in an inner thigh. Transfer the turkey to a carving board and let rest in a warm place for at least 25 minutes and up to 1 hour.
4. meanwhile, make the gravy In a small bowl, cover the porcini with 1/4 cup of hot water. Let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. In a large skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the chanterelle mushrooms and the shallots and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown and tender, about 8 minutes. Lift the porcini from the soaking liquid and add to the skillet. Cover and remove the skillet from the heat.
5. meanwhile, make the gravy Set a coarse strainer over a medium bowl. Pour in the juices and vegetables from the roasting pan and press on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Skim the fat off of the juices and reserve 2 tablespoons. In a large saucepan, stir the reserved fat with the flour until smooth; cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the strained juices and the stock and bring to a simmer, whisking. Stir in the mushroom mixture and simmer over low heat, whisking often, until no floury taste remains, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. meanwhile, make the gravy Carve the turkey and serve with the gravy.

Lamb Braised in Pomegranate

This recipe is from Chef John at allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds lamb shoulder blade chops
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 pinch salt
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• 1/3 cup aged balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 8 fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon honey, or more to taste
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
• 1 tablespoon sliced fresh mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Generously season lamb chops with salt and black pepper.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Place lamb chops in Dutch oven and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer lamb to a plate and reduce heat to medium.
3. Stir onion and a pinch of salt into the Dutch oven; cook until onions are slightly golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Pour pomegranate juice into the Dutch oven and scrape any browned bits off of the bottom of the pot. Pour in balsamic vinegar, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil.
5. Stir rosemary, mint leaves, and red pepper flakes into pomegranate juice mixture. Continue to boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Return lamb and any accumulated juices to Dutch oven, spoon pomegranate mixture over lamb, and cover.
6. Cook in the preheated oven until meat is fork tender, about 2 hours. Transfer lamb to a plate and set Dutch oven on the stovetop over high heat. Bring pomegranate mixture to a boil; cook, skimming any fat that accumulates, until liquid is reduced by 1/3, about 5 minutes.
7. Stir in honey and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Return lamb to the Dutch oven; stir to combine. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, sliced mint leaves, and pumpkin seeds.

Lobster Colorado

This recipe is from Tina Nicotera at allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 4 (8 ounce) beef tenderloin filets
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 slices bacon
• 1/2 cup butter, divided
• 1 teaspoon OLD BAY® Seasoning
• 8 ounces lobster tail, cleaned and chopped

Directions:

1. Set oven to Broil at 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
2. Sprinkle tenderloins all over with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Wrap each filet with bacon, and secure with a toothpick. Place on a broiling pan, and broil to desired doneness, about 8 to 10 minutes per side for medium rare.
3. While tenderloins are cooking, melt 1/4 cup of butter over medium heat with 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay(R) seasoning. Stir in chopped lobster meat, and cook until done. Spoon lobster meat over cooked tenderloins, and return them to the broiler until the lobster meat begins to brown.
4. While the lobster is in the oven, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, cook until it browns, turning the color of a hazelnut. To serve, spoon the browned butter over the steaks, and sprinkle with the remaining Old Bay(R) seasoning.

Above are 5 best and easy Christmas dinner recipes. Check more in coming days for more Christmas Dinner Recipes.