Make Ahead Holiday Dishes

Photo by Jason An on Unsplash

With all of my family living in the U.S. (for fun I always tell people Glen found me in a catalogue and imported me - LOL) and Glen's family woefully lacking women (neither brother married or had children), holiday dinners are definitely at my house. Thanksgiving I do have a little more time as the season is not fully upon us. I usually bake a ham which is easy and add a few more complicated dishes for fun. Christmas is, however, totally crazy! 

Over the years I have honed my menu down to a science with at least two dishes plus stuffing being made the day before. The house is also cleaned and the table set the night before. Christmas morning I just stuff the Turkey, pop it in the oven and baste it occasionally. While the last 30 minutes before the dinner hits the table is always busy, I get to spend most of the time enjoying the company and working on the requisite jigsaw puzzle placed strategically on the coffee table.

I have several make-ahead dishes in my arsenal that are easy to pull together the day before. Three only need heating in the microwave and I think taste great (a very subjective thing as not everyone likes everything) and one is prepped the day before and then baked just before serving. I am not a fan of all the vegetable and yam recipes that have sweet sauces, etc., the normal holiday fare. The first savory recipes shared below are made the day before and then reheated in the microwave (or oven if you have room), they simple to put together and keep their flavor even though made the day before. 

The fourth can be fully prepped the day before, then assembled and thrown in the oven last minute. The only consideration here is oven space. If you have just one oven filled with a huge turkey, you could be in trouble as you have to bake the green bean casserole for about 30 minutes. The beet and yam recipes are so simple you can easily add an additional flavor, such as an herb or spice, to reflect your own culinary tastes but try not to mask their natural flavor. Try to compliment it.

Please note - all photos are stock photography, not actual pictures of the dishes I make.

 
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 Oven-Roasted Anise Carrots -

I have no idea where I found this recipe, but it's been a lifesaver! For my grown and extended family I have to make more - usually a recipe and a half (15 LARGE carrots), so you have to increase all ingredients by that amount. That usually will feed the 8-10 adults I have around the table with sometimes a little left over if you serve 2 vegetables. It initially looks like a lot, but even carrots get smaller when they are cooked, so be brave.

Ingredients - 

10 Lg. Carrots cut diagonally into 2" pieces (I like 1" as easier to eat)
3 T Butter
1 tsp Anise Seed (this has an unusual slight licorice flavour)
1/2tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 cup Orange Juice

Instructions - 

Preheat oven to 375. Put butter on baking sheet with sides (for a recipe and a half you will need 2 that fit side by side in your oven) and place in oven until melted. Add carrots and stir to coat (another option is to put the carrots in a large bowl, melt the butter, pour over carrots, stir until evenly coated and then place them on the baking sheet). Sprinkle with Anise, Salt and Pepper and then drizzle with orange juice. Bake approximately 60 minutes turning at least once (the baking time really depends on how thick the carrots are and the size you cut them so keep a keen on on them). Remove from oven and transfer to a shallow baking dish to cool. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.

The next day let stand at room temperature for one hour. You can then gently warm them in the microwave or re-heat uncovered in a 325 oven for 30 minutes. Be sure and stir once while warming.

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Savory Beets -

From the time I tasted my first pickled beets, I loved them. I used to home-can my own. When we had a vegetable garden I began to enjoy the taste of savory beets - sometimes called the vegetarian's steak. Now I love them cooked, with a little melted butter, salt and pepper so the taste really comes through. Unfortunately, in this day and age we have lost touch with a few of these really healthy, flavorful choices and it can be a hard sell the first time out. Here it is - easy and simple.

Ingredients - 

5 Large Beets (for a larger group, less for a smaller group)
Butter, Salt and Pepper.

Instructions - 

There are 3 ways to cook beets, but they all have one thing in common. It is best to cook them whole with the skin on. You then cool them, peel them and cut into cubes in a size you prefer  (if you don't want red hands use kitchen gloves). . If made ahead of time, Store in refrigerator in air-tight container. Bring to room temperature, add melted butter and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Gently re-heat in the microwave.

1.  Roasting - Pre-heat oven to 350. Prick beets with fork and place in oven on foil lined cookie sheet. Roast until paring knife slides through easily. 

2. Boiling - this was the first way I made them, but it takes a while and you have to keep an eye on the water in the pot so that the beets stay covered. Drain well.

3. Pressure cooking - This is my favorite way to cook them now and they always turn out great.  I have an all in one instant pot that includes air frying and pressure cooking.  I wash the beets and place them in the instant pot along with some water in the bottom. Probably about 1/3 to 1/2 cup.  Them I pressure cook them for 25 - 30 minutes depending on the size of the beets. Then  I turn the pot off and let the temp go naturally until the pressure lock is open and they are just warm.  

 
That's it. Super easy and keeps their flavor and texture even when made the day before. 

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Pureed Yams -

This is the easiest dish in my arsenal, but one of the more controversial ones as not everyone's likes yams or sweet potatoes, and the most common way to serve them is candied. I think that's the reason that most recipes are full of marshmallows, brown sugar and butter. I personally prefer yams to sweet potatoes. Yams have a rich orange color that has plate appeal and more natural flavor than a sweet potato. My family has learned they are just part of our family's traditional dinner as over time they have become something everyone enjoys.

Ingredients - 

Several LARGE Yams (depends on the number of people you're having over)
Salt and Pepper
Butter

Instructions - 

Pre-heat the oven to 350. Wash and prick yams with fork. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil (easy clean up). Bake in oven until the natural sugars caramelize. What this means is syrupy juices are leaking out onto the foil and the yams are VERY soft. Cool and peel. Puree in a food processor in small batches with butter to taste (DO NOT OVER PROCESS - pulse just until smooth!). Season with salt and pepper and put in the refrigerator overnight. Let stand at room temperature for at least and hour and then gently re-heat in the microwave.

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Green Bean Casserole -

I found this recipe on an internet search for a made-from-scratch version of the old Campbell's soup favorite I grew up with. Fortunately I printed it out as I can no longer find this specific link. It's fussier than the other recipes, but can be prepared the day before so that it takes no time on the day of your dinner. While the canned crispy onion rings are still there, all the other ingredients are fresh. The day before I make the mushroom sauce, blanch the green beans and process the fresh bread crumbs, then package everything up. It takes just a few minutes to assemble that day and pop in the oven.

Beans and Sauce -

 
2 lbs. Fresh Green Beans, trimmed and halved
3 T Unsalted Butter
1 lb. Fresh white button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
3 Medium Garlic Cloves, minced or pressed
3 T All-purpose Flour
1-1/2 C Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1-1/2 C heavy cream or half and half
Ground Black Pepper

Topping-

 
4 slices White bread pulsed in food processor into fresh bread crumbs
(I used multi-grain and only needed 2 slices)
2 T Unsalted butter, melted
1/4 tsp Salt
Dash Black Pepper
2 cans French Fried onion rings (79 grams / 2.8 oz each can)

The day before -

 
1. Blanch the green beans in 4 quarts of salted boiling water until crisp tender. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Spread beans on paper towel to fully dry. Store in air-tight container in refrigerator.

 
2. Make Sauce - Melt butter until foaming subsides. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook until mushrooms release moisture and the liquid evaporates - about 6 minutes. Add flour stirring constantly until well blended and then slowly add cream and chicken broth, mixing well as you go. Simmer until sauce is thick and reduced to 3-1/2 cups - about 12 minutes - and then season with salt and pepper to taste. Cool and store in air tight container in refrigerator.

The day of -

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees (I found it a bit high. The top browns before casserole is hot.  I now cook it at 375 until done, around 30 minutes, but keep an eye on it). Add green beans to mushroom sauce, mix until evenly coated and then layer in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over casserole. Bake until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around the edges. If top browns too quickly cover with foil until the casserole is done. Serve immediately.

If the family is coming to your house this holiday season, give yourself a break and do a few easy things so you have time to enjoy the company. The food will taste better if everyone is less stressed and you'll be happier you were the host if you actually get to enjoy the day.