| Good Saturday morning. We're in a festive stretch, and people are getting ready for celebrations, travel and big meals. What will you be cooking? On Christmas Day, I'll be on pancake duty with my husband's family, flipping flapjacks in front of the electric griddle. For New Year's Eve, I'll be serving my parents Sausage, Spinach and Goat Cheese Lasagna and Triple Garlic Bread, both of which take well to advance prep so I can kick back and enjoy the evening without too much time in the kitchen. I've written about how at this point in my life, I like to be strategic about how and when I entertain, mostly because time is tight and the burnout is real. This summer, I spun that into a Pizza Pasta Salad (our No. 3 most-read recipe of 2025) that keeps in the fridge and lets me pack up a meal to tote over to the neighborhood pool. In addition to leaning on such make-ahead recipes, I've embraced another revelation: I often prefer hosting in the morning. Why? I am generally most energetic in the first part of the day. I love breakfast and brunch fare and, again, so much of it — coffee cake, quiche, baked French toast, strata, scones — is ideal for advance prep. Brew a pot of coffee or tea, maybe pour a Bellini or mimosa (nonalcoholic is great), and you're good to go. Of course, Christmas Day is one of those times you, too, may need to feed a morning crowd, without a lot of time to cook. That's why we designed a make-ahead, family-friendly menu for a holiday breakfast or brunch. First up: Sticky Ham, Turkey and Cheese Sandwiches from our local dining colleague Warren Rojas. These pull-apart sliders are filled to the brim with sliced meat, smoked Gouda and dill pickle chips. Before baking the slab, you'll pour over a zesty dressing made with horseradish, mustard, brown sugar and poppy seeds. At that point, you let the whole thing marinate for up to 12 hours, meaning you can assemble it the night before and bake the next day. Similarly, Victoria Caruso's Pan di Stelle Tiramisu needs time to settle before serving. This sweeter, fluffier version of the classic dessert is sometimes served for breakfast in Italy, and what a treat it is. In it you'll find Nutella and the namesake star-studded chocolate biscuits, which turn cakey after being dipped in espresso, sandwiched between layers of cream, and chilled for a few hours or overnight. Victoria also shared a recipe for Chaider, a delightful portmanteau that mashes up spiced tea and gently sweet apple cider. You can put this drink together up to three days in advance, then serve chilled or reheat as needed. I'd be more than happy to see a mug of it alongside Jessie Sheehan's Overnight Yeasted Waffles, a tweaked version of a beloved Marion Cunningham recipe. Sheehan also offers seasonal gingerbread, orange and pumpkin spice variations to add flair to the batter that is started overnight and finished in the morning before going into the waffle iron. Finished waffles reheat quite well in the toaster, so if fully making them the day before better suits your schedule, by all means go for it. Speaking of gingerbread, Ellie Krieger has a holiday-appropriate breakfast to try: Gingerbread Pancakes With Date Sauce. The pancakes get an extra boost of nutrition from whole-wheat pastry and almond flours, while a sauce made with just pureed dates and milk keeps things from getting too sugary. If you're hosting an evening holiday party, don't miss Carrie Allan's Harvest Moon Cocktail or Mocktail. This choose-your-own-adventure drink lets guests pick between a nonalcoholic, low-ABV and boozy version so that no one feels left out — and so you, the host, have to make only one base, a sweet-tart blend of apple cider, lemon juice and spiced pumpkin syrup. There are still plenty of non-holiday meals to cook, so in between your other plans, you're going to want ideas for quick, easy dinners. That's where Aaron Hutcherson's Skillet Chicken Parm comes in. This streamlined version of the Italian American staple skips the more laborious breading and frying process in favor of quickly searing chicken breasts, nestling them in marinara (homemade or store-bought) and showering them with a seasoned panko topping. Aaron and I are taking a holiday hiatus from our weekly live cooking chat, but we'll be back in action in 2026 with a new day and time: Thursdays at 11 a.m. Eastern, beginning Jan. 8. If you have something on your mind now, go ahead and send it along, then set a reminder to join us in a few weeks. Until next week, happy holidays and happy cooking. |
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