Simple and Must-try Holiday Recipes

The Christmas season is the time of the year when family and friends get together over joyful Yuletide meals. If you need new sumptuous ideas for your holiday spreads, here are some recipes you'll want to add to your Christmas dinner menu.

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Shallots

Roasted vegetables are a tastier way to include a no-fuss casserole dish recipe on your menu. Replace your usual Christmas casserole dish because this Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Shallots is an easy vegetable recipe that should make an appearance on your table this season. Start any feast with this delicious holiday side dish.

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1½ pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

4 shallots, peeled and sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).  Line the casserole dish with parchment paper.
2. For the oil mixture: Stir together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and mustard in a small bowl, then set aside.
3. Pile the brussels sprouts and shallots onto the prepared casserole dish, then pour the oil mixture on top. 
4. Toss everything together using your hands to ensure each vegetable is coated. Spread the vegetables into a single layer, with the brussels sprouts cut side down.
5. Season the veggies with salt and pepper, then transfer to the oven. Roast and stir once until sprouts are caramelized and fork-tender for about 40 minutes. Serve when done.

Brown Sugar and Mustard-Glazed Ham

A family holiday dinner is not complete without the showstopping main dish—a glazed ham. Nothing beats a juicy, tender smoked ham covered in a sweet yet tangy glaze as the star of your spread. Serve it on a simple yet stunning board in the center of the table and it’ll be a sure hit. Your guests will definitely have second servings.

Republished with permission from crateandbarrel.com, by Kate McMillan 

Ingredients

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

½ cup Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Juice of 1 orange

1 6–7 lb. fully cooked smoked ham (either boneless or bone-in)

For garnish (optional): Pea shoots and watermelon radishes

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (162.7°C).
2. For the brown sugar glaze: Stir together the brown sugar, Dijon mustard, cayenne, and orange juice in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
3. Remove skin from the ham, then score it in a zigzag or crosshatch pattern with a knife. Place ham on a baking sheet to bake in the oven for 1 hour.
4. After 1 hour of baking, take out the ham and brush it with half of the brown sugar glaze. Return it to the oven and roast for 10 more minutes. Repeat this step and brush the ham again with the remaining brown sugar mixture then bake for an additional 20 minutes.
5. Allow the mustard-glazed ham to sit at room temperature until you are ready to carve, garnish, and serve.

Peppermint Mocha Brownies

Holiday-themed desserts are a staple for every Christmas feast. A serving of decadent chocolate brownies with a hint of mocha and crisp peppermint to share and give away is a sweet way to end any meal. 

You’ll never go wrong with an easy-to-make holiday dessert such as this fudgy Peppermint Mocha Brownie recipe. Mix in both wet and dry ingredients, then bake in a versatile Crate and Barrel silver half-sheet baking pan.  

Republished with Permission from Even Better Brownies, by Mike Johnson (Page Street Publishing, 2020)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp boiling water
• 1½ tbsp espresso powder
• 1 cup unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ tsp peppermint extract
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• Crushed peppermint candy, for topping (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9 x 13-inch (22 x 33cm) brownie pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray and then line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Measure ½ cup (120 mL) of water and bring it to a boil. In a separate bowl, measure 1 tablespoon of the boiling water and mix with espresso powder until a thick liquid or paste forms, then set it aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: cocoa powder, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar. 
4. Add the melted unsalted butter and espresso mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk all until combined. 
5. Put the eggs in the batter one at a time while beating the mixture in between each addition. Blend in the vanilla and peppermint extracts. Lastly, fold in the salt and flour until combined. 
6. Spread the batter evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. 
7. Halfway through baking, sprinkle the crushed peppermint candy on top of the brownies.
8. Once done baking, remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. Wait until the brownie is completely cool before cutting it into squares. 

Eat and be merry this holiday season with a perfect spread, made quick and easy, and prepared with the right kitchen tools, bakeware, and more. 

Shop now at crateandbarrel.com.ph and get a 15% off on Bakeware & Ovenware from November 1 to 15, 2022 only.