Simple yet Satisfying Christmas Meals!

Ah, the holidays. A time for get togethers, events, and planning large meals for family and friends. If you’re like me, you rarely go to the grocery store this time of year unless it’s for a big holiday meal. In fact, my family ate Taco Bell twice last week because I didn’t want to shop for groceries. Ha!

I ordered some meals from Hello Fresh last week, which has been a lifesaver. I can’t even begin to explain how awesome it is having a meal delivery service brought to my doorstep, so I don’t have to worry about meal prep in between holiday get togethers.

Even as a busy mom of 4 (you know Santa will be sitting on our roof a long time this week!) I still host my extended family on Christmas Day. Before you start hyperventilating for me, it’s actually not as stressful as you think! I’ve mastered the holiday meals (breakfast AND dinner) like a well-oiled machine.

I actually love hosting Christmas for a couple reasons:

1. My kids want to play with their toys from Santa.
2. We leave for Arkansas soon after, hold up?! You leave town the next day and still host?? Yes, my friend, I do.

If you’re thinking ah, she’s a casserole girl… think again! I’m actually not a huge fan of them. Gasp! I didn’t grow up on casseroles, so I rarely make them today.

Here’s a breakdown of the meals I prepare for Christmas:

• Christmas Ham & Eggs + (optional) mimosas
• Christmas Lasagna (veggie + meat)
• Christmas salad
• Christmas cookies

The ham is the easiest thing I prepare for Christmas Day. I buy a small honey glazed ham a couple days before Christmas. I like the Cumberland Gap boneless brand at Kroger. I also like the local Saddleberk brand. No matter which kind you chose just make sure it isn’t precooked.

Next, you’ll want to grab a can or bottle of Sprite.

On Christmas Eve when all of the presents are wrapped and the children are snuggled in their beds, I get to work on:

The easiest Christmas breakfast, ever!

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
2. Unwrap ham
3. Cover baking sheet with a LOT of aluminum foil
4. Put ham on aluminum foil
5. Dump an entire can or bottle of Sprite on the ham and create a boat from the foil
6. Wrap the entire ham with aluminum foil and put in oven
7. Bake the ham overnight!!

That’s it! When you wake up in the morning your home will smell delicious and you will have a large part of breakfast (and lunch) complete.

We then serve our ham with scrambled eggs, fruit and homemade bread or Sourdough toast… and mimosas (of course).

We usually make ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch, if anyone is hungry.

I like prepare my Christmas Dinner on the 23rd. Christmas Eve is usually a busy day for us with wrapping up (literally and figuratively) gifts. We then attend Christmas Eve service and my aunt’s annual Christmas Eve party.

Every year for Christmas Dinner I serve two dishes of lasagna. I like make mine with homemade spaghetti sauce. You can find a recipe on Pinterest; I think my mom would kill me if I shared our family recipe on here. hahah, one day! Or if you’re not feeling up to it you can buy pre-made spaghetti sauce.

I then buy the Barilla Lasagna noodles and follow the instructions on the back of the box. I prepare the lasagna dishes two days before and then pop in the oven Christmas afternoon.

I like to add meat in my spaghetti sauce, for the meat lovers dish. The veggie lasagna substitutes spinach and a meatless sauce.

I then throw together a really simple salad, frozen garlic bread and viola! The perfect Christmas Day fixin’s. All 3 meals too!

Do you host Christmas Day at your home? What is your favorite dish to make? Comment below and give me some additional ideas!