HOLIDAY RECIPES: An Inspiring Menu for Your Holiday Celebrations
November 8, 2024
Welcome to our annual Rizzoli Holiday Meal Planner.
As a thank you for your support over the past year, we’re sharing a decadent menu of recipes to help you prepare for your holiday celebrations. Taken from our most recent cooking & entertaining titles, we present recipes for delicious Main Courses, Appetizers & Sides, Desserts, and Brunch dishes, plus an array of festive cocktails and fun seasonal crafts.
We thank you, as always, for your continued support.
HOLIDAY CRAFTS
Wreathes & Centerpieces
There’s something magical about bringing the beauty of the outdoors inside for the holidays. Download the three festive wreath and centerpiece designs at the link below to add that perfect natural touch to your holiday decor.
Fall Foliage
Whether you’re crafting DIY holiday decor or creating organic seasonal art, this time of year offers a bounty of beautifully colored leaves perfect for pressing and reusing in enchanting ways. Download our guide to discovering, pressing, and crafting with these natural treasures.
Cozy Cardigans
Have you been dreaming of snuggling into a plush winter cardigan? Or perhaps you are looking for a personalized homemade gift idea? Get inspired by the three cozy Nordic cardigan patterns at the link below perfect for both seasoned knitters and beginners.
PARTY PLANNING
The Checklist
“[A party-planning] checklist will keep you organized and prevent overlooking any important details. Embellish yours by mentally strolling through the evening—attuned to the smells, sights, tastes, sounds, and textures at each stage. Make sure that all elements connect back with the initial fantasy.”
Festive Fêtes
“Regardless of the holiday you celebrate, it seems like the whole world is in a festive spirit in December. A lovely way to revel in the season is by hosting a holiday meal. The meal in this chapter is inspired by classic Christmas dishes but is also generally festive.”
Disco Wonderland
“No theme gets me in the party mood more than disco. Even though its heyday has passed, everyone enjoys a disco-themed party. I especially love it for New Year’s Eve; in my mind, it is everything the last night of the year should be.”
THE MAIN COURSE
Seared Filet Mignon with Roasted Maitake Mushrooms & Fennel
Fresh herbs not only look elegant as garnishes for this traditional filet mignon, but their flavor enhances it greatly. Sweet fennel and earthy mushrooms round out this satisfying dish.
From MarieBelle Entertains: Savory and Sweet Recipes for Every Occasion from the Master Chocolatier
Roasted Duck Breast
Although the first published recipe for duck à l’orange is found in Louis Eustache Ude’s 1813 cookbook, The French Cook, the dish continues to evolve. This delightfully creative and Asian-inflected interpretation is flavored with honey, mustard, ginger, soy sauce, and vinegar.
From MarieBelle Entertains: Savory and Sweet Recipes for Every Occasion from the Master Chocolatier
Pork Loin Stuffed with Prunes, Walnuts & Bacon
Elevate your holiday table with a show-stopping pork loin stuffed with prunes, walnuts, and bacon—a savory-sweet dish that’s as elegant as it is flavorful.
Osso Buco
Bring warmth and richness to your holiday meal with osso buco, a tender, slow-cooked dish infused with deep flavors that’s sure to impress your guests.
Shoulder of Lamb à la Provençale
Celebrate the season with Shoulder of Lamb à la Provençale, a rustic holiday dish slow-roasted with cherry tomatoes, pink garlic, olive oil, thyme, and rosemary for a flavorful, aromatic centerpiece.
Osteria Fish Stew
(Brodetto Di Pesce Di Osteria)
Brodetto Di Pesce Di Osteria is a delightful fish stew that captures the essence of the Adriatic coast, where you’ll find variations of ‘brodetto’ in every coastal town. Loosely inspired by a recipe from a tavern (osteria) in the town of Ancona, this dish is the perfect way to enjoy The Feast of the Seven Fishes all on one plate.
APPETIZERS & SIDES
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Baccalà Crema
Impress your holiday guests with this delectable recipe from New Orleans’ Chef Nina Compton that pairs perfectly with Krug’s Grande Cuvée champagne.
Baked Camembert
Impress your holiday guests with a show-stopping Baked Camembert. This warm, crowd-pleasing appetizer is perfect for dipping and sharing, and is oozing with creamy decadence.
Squash Soup
(Soupe au Potimarron)
Brighten up your holiday table with a cozy squash soup. This elegant starter brings together the earthy sweetness of squash with a hint of ginger, setting the perfect tone for a festive feast.
Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese is a beloved staple on many holiday tables, bringing a comforting blend of creamy, cheesy goodness to any festive meal. This rich, crowd-pleasing side dish adds warmth and nostalgia, making it the perfect accompaniment to holiday feasts.
Latke Platter
Among the city’s iconic Jewish dishes are latkes. The potato pancakes are traditionally served at Hanukkah, latkes’ magic lies in their deeply golden crisp exterior and soft shoestring-like center—achieved by squeezing the grated potato and onion well to remove the excess moisture, and adding just a touch of matzo meal or flour to bind.
Potatoes with Herb Butter
The humble potato comes in numerous varieties. Steamed potatoes with parsley are a beloved staple throughout France and the perfect accompaniment for a rich meat entree.
DESSERT
Spiced Fried Dough for Epiphany
(Zalabye)
“These fried dough rings are a speciality that Palestinians prepare on the night of Epiphany (January 5th), the night that commemorates the baptism of Christ in the River Jordan…We make the dough and let it rise, but before starting to fry the dough, we wrap small portions of it and place them outside on a tree that’s not a fig or mulberry. The dough portions will sit there throughout the night with a candle or a light on it in the belief that Christ passes around midnight, with trees bowing to Him, to bless the dough that people will use for the coming year. To me that sounds like a basic sourdough starter–a blessed one, though.”
Baklava Fingers
(Baklawa Asabea’)
“Baklawa is an umbrella term–so many types of sweet treats go under it. Most of them, if not all, feature a form of dough with one type, or a mixture, of nuts as a filling. For a beginner, this is a perfect baklava to start with. This baklava is not usually baked but fried in ghee, then drowned in aromatic syrup for sweetness, but I bake it in the oven for ease.”
Spiced Pears Poached in Red Wine
(Peri Petorai)
Savor the rich flavors of Spiced Pears Poached in Red Wine, a warm and aromatic dessert featuring tender pears infused with cinnamon, cloves, and citrus zest in a luxurious red wine reduction, perfect for topping with creamy mascarpone or vanilla ice cream.
Molten Chocolate Cakes
Thick and decadent, these molten chocolate cakes, made with MarieBelle Aztec Hot Chocolate, can be baked individually or as one luscious large cake for a rich, indulgent treat.
NY Cheesecake
“Cheesecake certainly wasn’t invented in New York, but the style now synonymous with the city is famous the world over. Accounts trace the New York cheesecake back to the early 20th century, when curd cheese was replaced with sour cream and newly mass-produced cream cheese (also out of New York State), giving it the smooth, silky texture and rich, just-tangy flavor it’s now beloved for.”
From EAT NYC: The Iconic Recipes that Feed the City
Tiramisu
Layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, and a dusting of cocoa come together in this classic tiramisu, offering a perfect balance of rich, bold flavors and velvety texture—an elegant finish to any holiday meal.
From How They Entertain: At Home with the Tastemakers
Egg Tarts
“Egg tarts are a Western-influenced Cantonese dessert, which was first introduced into Hong Kong in the 1940s by chefs from Guangzhou, in southern China. Unlike the English or Portuguese custard tarts, this Cantonese pastry is traditionally made with lard rather than butter. The tart is filled with a soft, rich egg custard and can be made with two types of crusts: a flaky puff pastry crust or shortcrust pastry. The shortcrust is a little easier to make, so that’s what I’ve done here, but each version has its own group of fans.”
From A Day in Hong Kong
COCKTAILS
Fallen Leaves
The warm tones of Fallen Leaves will remind you of an afternoon stroll through the Luxembourg Gardens, watching the yellow and orange leaves gently fall to the ground. Oh, and those orange accents are so Celine this season.
Champagne Cocktail
Bubbling and fizzing as the chilled champagne hits the sugar cube resting at the bottom of the flute, this classic French cocktail will remind you of the Eiffel Tower twinkling in the evening. A perfect cocktail for celebrating with friends and family.
Earthquake
We can’t be sure how much of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s loose style of post-Impressionist painting is due to the consumption of many Earthquake cocktails, a drink of his own creation. The heady mix of cognac and absinthe may be just the inspiration needed to can-can your way through New Year’s Eve.
BRUNCH
Nutella Babka
“Ask a New Yorker to list the city’s sweets and babka will undoutedbly be among them. An Ashkenazi Jewish delicacy, the baked good is famous for its eye-catching swirls of layered dough and ripples of sweet additions from cinnamon to chocolate…This babka is inspired by the celebrated Nutella babka from Breads Bakery. One decadent bite and you can’t stop.”
Bagel Schmears
“How do you eat a bagel in New York? According to locals, the first step is choosing the type. Next, untoasted or toasted. If it’s fresh—and the best bagels are consumed within five hours of baking and, ideally, still warm—you don’t need to toast. Finally, the topping. Following Jewish kosher tradition, dairy and meat can’t be combined, which gave rise to the classics: simply butter, cream cheese “schmear” (Yiddish for “spread”), and cream cheese with “lox” (Yiddish for “salmon”).”
Smoked Scamorza Frittata
These festive frittatas, made with smoky Scamorza cheese, offer a savory, melt-in-your-mouth delight that’s the perfect centerpiece for a holiday brunch.
Ricotta Pancakes
These light and fluffy ricotta pancakes bring a creamy richness to your holiday brunch, perfect for topping with fruit coulis, jam, maple syrup, fresh seasonal fruit, or a dusting of confectioners’ sugar.
Eggs in Avocado with Goat’s Cheese
*Keto-friendly recipe
This keto-friendly recipe features creamy baked avocado halves filled with perfectly cooked eggs and tangy goat’s cheese—a delicious, nutrient-packed addition to your festive breakfast table.
From 28 Days Keto
Walnut and Raisin Spiral
(Presnitz)
“Presnitz was first made in Trieste in honor of Sissi, the beloved Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. Buttery puff pastry encases a filling of boozy sultanas, ground nuts, chocolate, honey and orange zest. The filling is so delicious, I’ve been known to eat a good many spoonfuls while preparing it!”
From Adriatico: Recipes and stories from Italy’s Adriatic Coast
Challah French Toast
“As Ashkenazi Jews made their way across Central and Eastern Europe, challah—a term for bread used as an offering—combined with local baking traditions to become the yellow-tinted, sweet, yeasted, six-strand braided beauty known and loved by American Jews. In New York, this style of challah is cherished by all and is a favored alternative to traditional bread—especially in the brunch icon, French toast.”
From EAT NYC: The Iconic Recipes that Feed the City
Candied Pumpkin Jam with Pumpkin Spice
(Jazariye)
“Despite the fact that the name refers to jazar (carrots), this sweet preserve is made with pumpkin–the name could be a reference to the finished product, which resembles grated carrots. It comes in two forms: a regular jammy, sticky preserve, which can also feature nuts, or a shredded type that is more crunchy. The crunchy type is made by soaking the shredded pumpkin in pickling lime, which helps preserve the texture and prevents it from disintegrating into jam. I have suggested either way here, but the preserve made with pickling lime is certainly my favorite!”
Top image from Swing By!: Entertaining Recipes and the New Art of Gathering.
