Christmas Recipe Categories to Help Plan Your Holiday Meals

The holidays usually mean more parties, dinners, and other social events when we need to plan special holiday meals. We sometimes run out of ideas for making Christmas meals special so here are just a few helpful hints about the Christmas recipe categories to choose from when planning your holiday meals.

There are so many choices when it comes to first courses and appetizers. You can choose from snack recipes, soups, stews, salads, Christmas beverages and punch recipes.

First Courses and Appetizers

In this category Christmas favorites are cheese balls, fondue, cheddar spreads, cheese dips, baked brie, bean and cheese wraps, brats in blanket, hand pies, pastries, cheese sticks, and mushroom appetizers. Don't forget fruit and cheese combinations and nuts.

Everyone loves a good Christmas Cheese Ball. This recipe is quick and easy to make.

Ingredients:

12 oz. of Philadelphia Cream Cheese that has been softened

6 oz. of your favorite blue cheese

6 oz. of Cheez Whiz

4 oz. of Velveeta that has been grated

1 jar of Old English Kraft Cheese

1 tsp. of Worcestershire sauce

2 TBS. of grated onion

1 cup of ground pecans

1/2 cup of chopped parsley (use fresh)

Step #1 Combine all of the cheeses with the grated onion, and Worcestershire. Beat this mixture until it is well blended.

Step #2 Stir in the parsley and pecans.

Step #3 Shape into a large ball or you can make several smaller balls.

Step #4 Wrap Ball(s) in wax paper, then cover with foil.

Step #5 Refrigerate ball(s) overnight.

Steps #6 One hour before ready to serve roll the ball(s) in the remaining pecans and parsley.

You can freeze these if you omit the parsley.

These make terrific gifts.

Christmas Entree Category

The main course at Christmas varies from family to family but some of the favorites are Christmas Turkey, Christmas Ham, Pork and Beef.

Christmas beef favorites include Prime Rib, Beef Fillets, Beef Rib Eye Roast, and Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom, Beef Wellington, and Brandied Beef Roast.

Favorite Christmas Ham and Pork recipes include Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze, Cherry-Glazed Pork Loin Roast, Citrus Glazed Ham, Cranberry and Pecan Crusted Rack of Port and Cranberry Glazed Ham.

Folks who did not get enough of Turkey at Thanksgiving may enjoy Asian Style Deep-Fried Turkey, or Cajun Deep-Fried Turkey, Grilled Whole Turkey or Holiday Turkey with Stuffing and Gravy.

Side Dishes

Side Dishes for Christmas Meals include dressing and stuffing, sauces and relishes, salads and bread recipes.

Favorite side dish recipes for Christmas include Ambrosia Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, Apple Fritters, Apricots and Wild Rice, Au Gratin Spinach, Baked Mushroom Rice, Baked Pineapple Casserole, Baked Sliced Apples, and Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

Desserts

The crowning glory of any meal is the decadent desserts. Favorite Christmas desserts include brownies, Christmas bar cookies and other Christmas cookie favorites, pies and cakes.

Do these Christmas Recipe favorites bring back memories?

Apple Cranberry Crisp, Cheesecake Cookie Cups, Cherry Crisp, Chocolate-Almond Yule Log, Chocolate Fig Pudding, Christmas Cheesecake, or Cranberry White Chocolate Parfaits.

Festive Christmas Recipe categories are made for tempting palettes and initiating conversations around a family table. The holidays just would not be the same without traditional Christmas recipes. Let this listing of Christmas Recipe Categories help you to plan your holiday meals.