A Make-Ahead Winter Dinner Party
That is ideal for holiday entertaining...
When you wake up (likely too early) on Christmas Day your tank might be running on empty, despite the fact that you have an entire day of hosting ahead of you. Cue this brilliant menu. Everything on this menu can be made in advance, some recipes can even be made WEEKS in advance, and what can not be made in advance takes just a few minutes to assemble. Promise! We are here to help keep you out of the kitchen and enjoying this magical day with friends and family. Not hosting Christmas this year? This is also a great winter dinner party menu!
Our ‘Elegant yet Easy’ recipe this month is Parmesan Crusted Chicken Thighs over Creamed Spinach with Pancetta, and while it sounds like a recipe you would only make for company, it’s actually a simple one-dish pan that you will make over and over when you see how quickly your kids devour spinach! Remove the chicken from the recipe and it’s also just the perfect side for your holiday table.
Christmas Dinner Party Menu:
Pomegranate Cosmopolitans
Melty Brie
Warm Olives
Beef Bourguignon
Truffled Mashed Potatoes
Salad with French Vinaigrette
Peppermint Mousse
‘Elegant yet Easy’ recipe (subscribers only): Parmesan Crusted Chicken Thighs over Creamed Spinach with Pancetta
Make-Ahead Winter Dinner Party Tips (and Christmas Day entertaining tips):
Both of our china is blue, and one of my favorite ways to style it for Christmas is to pair it with a holiday plaid tablecloth or napkins - you can see our table from past years here.
Christmas is a late start - we like to serve Christmas breakfast after gifts, and then a big Christmas supper around 3 or 4 o’clock.
Make the kids table fun and entertaining so you can enjoy your dinner! Set the table with these Christmas placemats and paper Santa hats filled with trinkets and activities.
Need to take something off your plate? Order a caramel cake or bouche de noel - I did last year and was so very happy with that decision!
Winter Dinner Party Essentials:
For Subscribers Only:
NEW ‘Elegant yet Easy’ Recipe- Parmesan Crusted Chicken Thighs over Creamed Spinach with Pancetta
Make-Ahead Winter Dinner Party Shopping List & Prep Timeline
This one-pot dinner is perfect for the holiday season! If you are looking for a dish to make while hosting, something for Sunday Supper or a great way to get you kids to devour their veggies on a week night, this is the dish for you! The chicken thighs are perfectly seasoned and crispy, and the spinach is the perfect amount of creamy, without being too rich. Looking for the perfect side for your holiday table? This spinach is it! Just make the spinach without the chicken thighs and you will have your new go to Creamed Spinach recipe.