Recipes for a Merry Christmas

Christmas is right around the corner, but it's not too late to plan a classic holiday feast for your friends and family. Christmas brings to mind comforting winter dishes with bursts of flavor and color from cranberries, persimmons and cherries.

The centerpiece of most Christmas meals is a holiday Ham, Turkey or Goose. Around that, we like complementary side dishes and sauces. Finish off your meal with a Christmas Trifle, Holiday Cookies and a little Chocolate-Peppermint Bark.

How can FoodPair help? For one, we have over a thousand recipes with the keyword "Christmas". You can also use the FoodPair Recipe Search Engine to select ingredients such as Ham or Goose and browse from there. To help you get started, we selected 5 recipes to create your dinner for a very merry Christmas.

Baked Brie en Croute with Apple Compote
This elegant appetizer is delicious and easy to prepare.
Ingredients: Apple, Butter, Sugar, Brie, Water, Puff Pastry Dough, Egg, Plain Water Crackers, Ground Cardamom

Frisee Salad with Persimmons, Dates and Almonds
This flavorful holiday salad features persimmon and frisee.
Ingredients: Almond, Olive Oil, Leek, Date, Persimmon, White Wine Vinegar, Kosher Salt, Salad Greens

Glazed Ham with Mango Salsa
This ham has a sweet glaze and tropical salsa.
Ingredients: Honey, Mango, Red Onion, Mustard, Clove, Ham, Sugar, Soy, Pepper, Sherry, Lime Juice, Red Chili

Maple-Glazed Turkey with Gravy
You can't go wrong with a perfectly cooked and glazed turkey.
Ingredients: Turkey, Maple Syrup, Flour, Black Peppercorns, Malt Vinegar, Turkey Stock

Lemon Curb Trifle with Fresh Berries
Trifle is a classic and delicious layered dessert.
Ingredients: Egg, Mint, Butter, Sugar, Lemon, Whipped Cream, Pound Cake, Fresh Fruit, Grand Marnier (optional)


Now that you have the blueprint for a great Christmas meal, pick your favorite dishes and start cooking!

Any other favorite themes, ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, Like us on Facebook for helpful updates in your news feed.