Of course, you can’t have a cocktail party without some wow-worthy holiday appetizer recipes. Start with a tray of Mini Cranberry Meatballs—sweet, tangy, and gone in a flash. Pair those with Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms, which are warm and savory with just the right pop of flavor. And for a touch of elegance, serve up Paula’s Walnut Praline Brie and Fruit Platter that features the most decadent sweet and crunchy topping—plus, it’s just plain pretty!

Now, for the sippers! Mix up a batch of Paula’s Christmas Martinis for a festive and fruity holiday cocktail recipe. Bonus—they look downright magical with a little sugar rim and a beautiful garnish of rosemary and cranberries. And if you prefer to serve up something cozy, a mug of Hot Buttered Rum will warm everyone right down to their boots.

Round out your Christmas cocktail party menu with a sweet bite or two. Paula’s Peppermint Pinwheels are as cute as they are tasty, and a tray of Old-Time Chocolate Fudge adds a nostalgic quality that we just adore this time of year.

Pull out your prettiest platters, light some candles, and crank up those carols. With this mix of finger foods and festive drinks plus plenty more options below, your holiday gathering will be the talk of the town. Happy holidays, y’all!

The post 20 Recipes for a Christmas Cocktail Party appeared first on Paula Deen.

Follow our paper lanterns how-to and add some sparkle and decorative fun to your night.

The post How-To: Paper Lanterns appeared first on Paula Deen.

This recipe is perfect to prep on Christmas Eve and bake off in the morning! To get started, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 8 thick slices of country white bread, buttered and cubed
• 1 pound of loose pork breakfast sausage
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
• 1 cup yellow shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 7 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• Paula Deen’s Hot Sauce or a hot sauce of your choice

Once you have your ingredients gathered, use a non-stick cooking spray to grease an 8×8 glass baking dish.

Then, cook the sausage over medium-high heat until browned, about 5 or 10 minutes. We like to use a wooden spoon to break the sausage up into medium-sized crumbles, but Paula always prefers larger chunks of meat in her soups and casseroles. Once it’s cooked, fold in the chopped sage.

While the sage is cooking, add the buttered and cubed bread to the baking dish, and then sprinkle the sage and sausage mixture over the bread, ensuring it is evenly distributed.

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cayenne, dry mustard, and salt and pepper, whisking together to ensure it’s mixed well; then, pour this mixture over the bread and sausage. Now, just cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until morning.

On Christmas morning, simply preheat the oven to 350˚F, remove the plastic wrap from the casserole dish, sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake it for about an hour, or until it’s hot and bubbly. We like to do this right as the kids are waking up to open presents so that it’s ready to go when the gift-opening festivities are done.

Now, serve it hot, and watch those eyes light up with delight all over again.

Merry Christmas, happy eating, and happy holidays from the whole Deen Team!

The post Paula’s Favorite Christmas Breakfast Casserole Recipe appeared first on Paula Deen.

While there are many recipes that can be made ahead (and we’ve supplied quite a few here in this blog), we know that sometimes it’s just helpful to have a little guidance on what kinds of recipes work best to make ahead and then either freeze or refrigerate, what parts of a recipe can be made ahead, and what would be best to leave until the day-of.

1. Make doughs ahead of time and freeze them, unbaked. We’re talking cookies, pie crusts, rolls, you name it. We recommend letting the dough thaw in the refrigerator before baking them in the oven. Want to save even more time? You can bake breads completely before serving, and just allow them to thaw prior to dinnertime.
2. Prep your fruits and veggies. This is often one of the most time-consuming and messy parts of cooking. Save yourself a little clean-up and a lot of time by chopping your fruits and veggies a couple days in advance.
3. Similar to the point above, chop or toast nuts ahead of time. Paula uses nuts in everything—dressings, desserts, salads, and sides. You can safely prep them ahead of time, and they’ll be just as flavorful when it comes time to use them! Just make sure they’re stored in an airtight container.
4. Make your soup, and freeze it. To maximize storage space in your freezer, put it in zip-top storage bags, and lay them flat in the freezer. Simply thaw in the refrigerator and then re-heat it on the stove top before serving.
5. Pre-make dips and dressings. We recommend assembling these a day or two before, popping them in the refrigerator, and baking them off the same day. Just skip the cheese until they’re ready for the oven.
6. Avoid freezing raw eggs or dairy. While sour cream, yogurt, and buttermilk should never be frozen, you technically can freeze milk; however, most experts advise against it to avoid a change in texture. This includes freshly whipped cream, as it won’t hold for long. And raw eggs? Don’t think about freezing them either. If you have a recipe that calls for eggs or dairy, we recommend assembling up to that point and freezing it, adding the eggs and dairy the day-of, or baking it off completely, saving the cheese topping for the day-of.
7. Let casseroles thaw in the refrigerator for a day or two, then bring to room temperature prior to baking. This speeds up the baking process, freeing up valuable oven time for other menu items. And while times and temps do vary, a good rule of thumb is to reheat casseroles at 325˚F or 350˚F for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until they are hot and bubbly.
8. And last, but certainly not least, make sure you have enough bakeware and serving ware ahead of time. After all, you don’t want to find yourself in a pickle on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day with no stores open. If possible, invest in some disposable aluminum bakeware so as not to tie up all yours in the freezer for the days or weeks leading up to Christmas.

Did we miss anything? Share your tips for prepping recipes ahead in the comments below. Happy prepping, y’all!

The post Make-Ahead Christmas Recipes appeared first on Paula Deen.

Christmas appetizers work perfectly, as most guests prefer to graze on snacks rather than eat a big sit-down meal due to the vast number of soirees they have to attend! So for your event, consider Christmas party appetizer recipes, like Paula’s Salmon Dip, Air Fryer Fried Ravioli, and Mini Cranberry Meatballs. Plus, she has more easy Christmas appetizers, like her Sugar-and-Nut Glazed Brie, which is fabulous served with some fancy crackers and fruit, and her popular Bacon Pinwheels.

Even without a big feast, your guests and loved ones will eat well with a little help from Paula’s Christmas party appetizers! Will you be making any of these for your holiday gatherings? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Festive Party Starters: 9 Christmas Appetizer Recipes appeared first on Paula Deen.

We have easy Christmas dinner recipes for everything from drinks and appetizers to the main course, side dishes, and desserts, and we’re giving them to you now to help ease the stress of planning your Christmas dinner menu. After all, ‘tis the season for giving, and we can’t think of anything better to give y’all than a bunch of deliciously easy Christmas recipes.

Do you have any easy Christmas dinner ideas to share with us? We can never have enough! Leave a comment below with your easy Christmas recipes.

However you choose to celebrate the season (and whatever you choose to cook), we wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

The post Easy Christmas Dinner Ideas appeared first on Paula Deen.

Of course, making cookies doesn’t have to be (and, truthfully, shouldn’t be) overcomplicated—kids will have fun whether you decide to bake off a store-bought dough or give one of Paula’s easy Christmas cookie recipes a try. From traditional Christmas cookies to unique Christmas cookie recipes, Paula has so many easy Christmas cookies for kids and adults alike. So whether you prefer a Red Velvet Crinkle or a Cornflake Cookie, we know you, your kiddos (or grandkiddos), and Santa will all be happy this Christmas!

Do you have a favorite Christmas cookie recipe to make? We’d love to hear about it—just leave us a comment below.

Merry Christmas and happy baking, y’all!

The post Easy Christmas Cookies for Kids appeared first on Paula Deen.

If you’re planning on hosting your friends and family for a gourmet Christmas dinner, we’re here to help streamline your menu-planning process. We’ve compiled an assortment of gourmet Christmas recipes for each category of food you’ll likely need. You’ll find Christmas appetizer recipes, soup & salad ideas, Christmas main course recipes, holiday side dishes, and fabulous Christmas dessert recipes.

Simply pick as many as you like from each category for a beautiful meal.

Appetizers:

Sugar and Nut-Glazed Brie

Easy Lamb Meatballs with Cucumber-Dill Dipping Sauce

Fig-Balsamic Blue Cheese Crostini

Sun-Dried-Tomato and Arugula Bruschetta

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms en Croute

Soups & Salads:

French Onion Soup

Oyster and Brie Champagne Soup

Curried Squash and Apple Soup

Wedge Salad

Roasted Beet Salad with Cocoa Vinaigrette

Caesar Salad with Parmesan Crisps

Entrées:

Roast Prime Rib of Beef with a Rich Pan Sauce

Vanilla and Peppercorn-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Vanilla Bean Butter Sauce

Braised Turkey Shanks

Turducken

Roasted Turkey with Maple-Cranberry Glaze

Foolproof Standing Rib Roast

Side Dishes:

Green Beans with Walnuts, Cranberries, and Blue Cheese

Mrs. Hoggle’s Stuffed Cranberry Sauce

Apple-Cranberry Stuffing

Spinach and Mushrooms

Green Bean Bundles with Bacon-Vinaigrette

Mashed Potatoes with Sautéed Mushrooms

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Desserts:

Chocolate Bundles with Chocolate Ganache

Gingered Caramel Pear Shortcakes

Chocolate Cream Puffs with Hazelnut Filling

Never-Fail Chocolate Soufflé

Paula’s Cherries Jubilee

Crème Brûlée

So what dishes made the cut for you? Share your dream menu from this list in the comments section below.

We wish you a beautiful, blessed, and very Merry Christmas, y‘all!

The post A Gourmet Christmas Dinner appeared first on Paula Deen.

If ever there’s a time to enjoy rich and decadent desserts, it’s at Christmastime. After all, Santa isn’t the only one who deserves a sweet treat! We work hard too—after decorating, shopping, wrapping, baking, and cooking, we deserve to reap the rewards of the holiday season. And if those rewards happen to come in the form of cakes, cookies, or cupcakes, then so be it.

Which of these sweet Christmas dessert recipes have you feeling a little extra holly-jolly? Be sure to share with us in the comments below!

The post A Dozen Decadent Christmas Dessert Recipes appeared first on Paula Deen.

We may not be able to supply your home with holiday magic, but we can certainly provide some Christmas culinary inspiration! From stunning entrées for Christmas dinner and the sides to go with it to decadent cakes, cookies, and candies and from warm & cozy fireside sips to Christmas morning must-haves, we’ve got wonderful traditional Christmas recipes that harken back to those old-fashioned Christmases of years past.

Do you have a special dish that says “holidays” to you and yours? We’d love to hear about it! Share your favorite traditional Christmas recipes in the comments below, and your family tradition might just become a new tradition for our families.

Now, let’s get cooking so we can start spreading some Christmas cheer—Merry Christmas, y’all!

The post 15 Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes appeared first on Paula Deen.