Beat the Clock with 1, 2 or 3-Hour Holiday Dinner Menus
Got three hours? Make our Southern-Style Ham & Biscuit Holiday Dinner!
3-Hour Holiday Dinner Menu
The Countdown
To make sure your menu hits the 3-hour mark, prepare the recipes in the order listed.
- 3 Hours Ahead: Get the ham into the slow cooker. Make the cake.
- 2 Hours, 25 Minutes Ahead: Mix the salad.
- 2 Hours Ahead: Make the dip.
- 1 Hour, 40 Minutes Ahead: Make the gratin.
- 1 Hour, 20 Minutes Ahead: Make the biscuits.
- 45 Minutes Ahead: Assemble the crudités and crackers, then set out the dip.
- 25 Minutes Ahead: Broil the ham. Warm the biscuits.
Spinach-Artichoke Dip with Crackers & Crudités
Add a little surprise to your crudités platter by steering away from the carrots and celery and grabbing yellow wax beans, radicchio leaves, and several kinds of radishes instead.
Slow-Cooker Pineapple, Pepper Jelly & Bourbon Ham
Making the ham in the slow cooker frees up the oven for the rest of the feast.
Black Pepper & Parm Biscuits
Try our Black Pepper & Parm Biscuit
Cheesy Sweet Potato Gratin
Try our Cheesy Sweet Potato Gratin
Kale & Collard Salad with Lemon Dressing
Hearty greens, like kale and collards, can be dressed and cooled in the fridge while you pull everything else together.
Cranberry Walnut Upside-Down Cake
Got two hours? Make our Salmon-tastic Supper!
2-Hour Holiday Dinner Menu
The Countdown
To make sure your menu hits the 2-hour mark, prepare the recipes in the order listed.
- 1 Hours, 30 Minutes Ahead: Start the soup. Make the frico.
- 1 Hour Ahead: Make the celery root mash. Simmer the green beans.
- 30 Minutes Ahead: Get the salmon in the oven. Make the sauce.
- 15 Minutes Ahead: Finish the green beans.
- 5 Minutes Ahead: Reheat the soup and the mash.
Mushroom Soup with Microwave Frico
This speedy version of frico (cheese crisps from northern Italy) uses the microwave. In just a few minutes, you can transform a pile of cheese into a crunchy garnish for our creamy soup.
Salmon with Green Olive-Caper Sauce
Sautéed Green Beans with Red Onion
If the green beans aren't just out of the skillet come dinnertime, don't fret. This is the kind of side that's great warm or at room temperature.
Celery Root Mash
Try our Celery Root Mash
Frangipane Pear Tart with Cherry Jam Glaze
Get the frozen stuff. It makes everyone look like a pastry chef, and, with just a little effort, you can pull off a showstopper like this pear tart. Try for all-butter if you can find it.
Got one hour? Make our Roast Beast Feast!
1-Hour Holiday Dinner Menu
The Countdown
To make sure your menu hits the 1-hour mark, prepare the recipes in the order listed.
- 1 Hour Ahead: Put the roast in the oven.
- 50 Minutes Ahead: Make the mousse.
- 35 Minutes Ahead: Roast the carrots.
- 25 Minutes Ahead: Assemble the grissini. Put the olive-bar medley in a bowl.
- 15 Minutes Ahead: Make the salad.
- 5 Minutes Ahead: Warm the rolls.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Grissini & Olive Bar Medley
Twirl thinly sliced prosciutto around grissini (crispy breadsticks) for a super-quick appetizer.
At the supermarket olive bar, fill up a tub with assorted olives, peppers, pickles, and other tasty nibbles. Transfer the mix to a pretty bowl. Starter, finished!
Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Sauce
Rosemary Roasted Carrots
Try our Rosemary Roasted Carrots
Green Salad with Persimmons & Feta
If you can't find persimmons, replace them with mango.
Store Bought Parker House Rolls
Blender Chocolate-Mint Mousse
Try our Blender Chocolate-Mint Mousse