5 Easy Christmas Meal Ideas

These 5 easy Christmas meal ideas can be a lifesaver. Especially when you remember how hectic Christmas time usually is. Why further complicate your life with fussy, hard to make recipes? When prepared properly, these simple recipes can easily taste gourmet. Keep these recipes in mind if you're hosting any kind of Christmas holiday party.

Braised Lemon Pheasant

Unconventional, yet delicious Christmas meal.

• 2 pheasants, cut into pieces
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (For dredging)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 10 1/2 ounce can condensed beef broth
• 1 1/4 cups water

1. Prepare pheasant. Season pheasant with salt and pepper. Dredge with flour and shake off excess.
2. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Sear pheasant pieces until browned.
4. Stir in garlic and cook for a few seconds.
5. Pour in lemon juice, broth and water.
6. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to medium-low.
7. Cover and cook for about one hour, or until pheasant is tender.

Baked Ham

Ham is the traditional entree on many Christmas dinner tables. This recipe makes preparation very simple.

• 10 pounds pre-cooked ham
• 1/2 can (12 ounces) cola flavored soda
• Turkey roasting oven bag

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees
2. Prepare ham for baking. Trim any visible fat from the ham, and place in the roasting bag.
3. Add cola. Pour the cola in the bag and remove as much air as possible before sealing the bag. Poke some holes in the bag to allow steam to escape, however.
4. Bake. Bake for four to five hours.

Herb Roasted Turkey

Turkey is also a traditional Christmas meal.

• 1 12 pound whole turkey
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups water

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Clean turkey. Discard giblets and organs, and place turkey in a roasting pan with a lid.
3. Combine olive oil, garlic powder, dried basil, ground sage, salt and black pepper in a small bowl.
4. Apply the mixture to the outside of the turkey with a basting brush.
5. Pour water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Cover the dish.
6. Bake for three to three and a half hours, or until temperature of the thickest part reaches 180 degrees.
7. Before carving, allow the turkey to rest for about 30 minutes.

Easy Orange Duck

Duck isn't quite as traditional as ham or turkey, but still quite common for Christmas.

• 1 12 ounce jar orange marmalade
• 4 duck breast halves
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced
• 1 small orange, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees and grease a one and a half quart baking dish with a lid.
2. Prepare duck breasts with marmalade. Spread about quarter cup of the marmalade in the bottom of the dish. Set breasts on top of marmalade. Poke holes in breasts with a fork and spread about one tablespoon of marmalade on each breast. 
3. Sprinkle garlic over top of the breasts and add onion and orange slices around the breasts.
4. Bake. Cover the dish and bake for about fifteen minutes. Remove lid, spread more marmalade on breasts and return to oven, uncovered, until duck reaches desired internal temperature.

Foolproof Rib Roast

A roast is something to consider if you'd like something different, yet simple to prepare for your Christmas meal.

• 1 5 pound beef rib roast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Let roast stand at room temperature for at least one hour at room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. Season roast. Combine seasoning. Place roast so that fatty side is up and rib side is down. Rub seasoning all over roast.
4. Roast for one hour in oven. Turn oven off and allow roast to stay in oven for three hours. Do NOT open the oven door. About 30 minutes before serving, turn oven back on to 375 degrees to reheat roast.
5. Rest. After removing roast from oven, allow to rest for ten minutes before carving.