5 Christmas Day Food Recipes

Here are 5 Christmas Day food recipes to make your holiday easier. In many households, it is customary to leave a selection of baked goods and other snacking foods out all day long for the  Christmas crowd.  Here are five Christmas Day food recipes:

1. Holiday Punch

Ingredients:

• 2 cups orange juice
• 2/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 4-ounce jar maraschino cherries
• 1 fluid ounce triple sec liqueur
• 1 (750 milliliter) bottle light rum
• 1 orange, sliced into rounds
• 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
• 1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
• 1 liter carbonated water

1. Recipe calls for a large punch bowl or pitcher.
2. Combine orange juice, lemon juice and sugar,stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Add entire jar of cherries, including juice. Stir in triple sec, rum, orange slices, lemon slices and pineapple. Refrigerate for one to two hours.
3. Prior to serving add carbonated water and ice.

2. Christmas Pastels

Ingredients:

• 2- 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup & 1/3 cup white sugar, divided
• 1 3-ounce package Jell-O
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt,mixing thoroughly. Set aside.
3. Beat butter, sugar and Jell-O until well blended. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Gradually, add dry ingredients to wet, stirring until just blended.
4. Form 1-inch balls and arrange on ungreased baking sheet. Dip a round cookie stamp in white sugar reserved for decoration, and flatten cookies. Bake for six to eight minutes.

3. Christmas Stollen

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups warm milk or water (110º F)
• 2 ¼-ounce packages active dry yeast
• 6 -1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 -1/2 cups butter
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon lemon peel, grated
• 1/2 pound raisins
• 1/2 pound blanched almonds, chopped
• 1/2 cup candied fruit, chopped
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• Glaze: 1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a baking sheet.
2. Whisk together confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and vanilla to make the glaze.
3. In a bowl, mix milk and yeast, and let stand for five minutes. Mix in 1 cup of flour and then rest for one hour in warm location.
4. Beat butter and sugar, adding one egg at a time, until smooth. Mix in salt and lemon peel.  Gradually, mix yeast mixture into wet ingredients. Then, gradually add in the rest of the flour until just blended.
5. Knead dough for ten minutes, then return to warm location. Cover and allow to rise for one hour.
6. Punch dough for two minutes and then knead in raisins, nuts and fruit. Divide dough into two equal parts and shape into an oval.
7. Fold each loaf in half, and transfer to baking sheet. Brush dough with melted butter and leave to rise for one hour.
8. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool prior to applying lemon glaze to tops of loaves.

4. Christmas Spread

Ingredients:

• 1 6-ounce package cranberry raisins
• 1 cup pistachio nuts, chopped
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
• 2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
• 4 ounces Brie cheese, rind removed
• ½ teaspoon maple syrup

1. This is a No Cook Recipe. 
2. For garnish, reserve 1 tablespoon of pistachios and cranberries.  Line a bowl with plastic-wrap.
3. Beat cream cheese, butter, blue cheese, Brie and maple syrup. Stir until smooth.  Gently fold in remainder of cranberries and pistachios.
4. Transfer cheese mixture to plastic-wrap lined bowl. Wrap plastic wrap tightly around ball, compressing it. Refrigerate overnight.
5. Remove plastic wrap prior to serving. Garnish with reserved fruit/nut mixture. 
6. Serve with gingersnaps or pita chips.

5. Christmas Cheese Ball

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 2-ounce jar diced pimientos
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1. This is a No Cook Recipe.  Drain pimientos and set aside.
2. Beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Stir in Cheddar cheese, green onions, pimientos, butter and Worcestershire. Transfer to a serving bowl and cover. Refrigerate for at least an hour prior to serving.
3. Serve with an assortment of crackers.