Simple, Delicious, and Fancy Christmas Eve Dinners for Busy Families
At this time of year, life is so busy with parties, children’s concerts, gift buying, etc., and it can be overwhelming. You want a fancy and memorable Christmas Eve Dinner, but it needs to be simple and easy to make. So today, I am sharing my top picks for Simple yet “Fancy” Christmas Eve Dinner Ideas for Busy Families. From dinner ideas prepped the day before to a “fancy” breakfast casserole, there is a variety to choose from to make the night special.
Amazing Stuffed Shells
- The spaghetti sauce on my site makes them sooooo good! This recipe can be prepped the day before. Once you have prepared it, store it covered in the fridge until you are ready to bake it. Serve with a salad and really good garlic bread.
The Best Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe
- Readers rave about this recipe! This recipe can also be prepped the day before. Once you have prepared it, store it covered in the fridge until you are ready to bake it. Serve with a vegetable or salad and store-bought rolls.
Pesto Parmesan Chicken
- Always a crowd-pleaser. Serve with Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic and Parmesan and a salad or vegetable. Not only is it easy to throw together, but it can be on the table in under an hour. While the chicken bakes, make the angel hair pasta, so it’s ready to serve with the chicken.
Pesto Parmesan Pork Chops
- Three ingredients, 45 minutes to bake, and dinner is done. This is one of my easiest dinners ever and is also a crowd-pleaser! Serve with pasta or baked potatoes and a salad.
Stuffed Meatloaf
- One of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE meals. People love it! This recipe can be made up to 36 hours before cooking and serving it. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge. Serve with baked potatoes or mashed potatoes and this Sunshine Salad.
Easy Quiche
- Readers love it! This recipe is easy to make, especially when you use a store-bought pie crust. With this Easy Quiche recipe, you can use all meat, all veggies, all cheese, or a combination. SO MANY OPTIONS! Serve with sausage or bacon and fresh fruit.
Down Home Biscuits and Gravy
- Tony’s Creole Seasoning takes these biscuits and gravy over-the-top! If you have the time, you can make homemade biscuits. If you don’t, store-bought refrigerator biscuits work. Serve with scrambled eggs and fresh fruit.
Cheesy Ham and Potato Breakfast Casserole
- It is just soooo delicious! Cooking the cheese and ham with the potatoes before adding the egg mixture gives it a slightly “fancy” feel. Serve with bacon or sausage, fresh fruit, and English muffins.
Easy Side Dishes for Simple and “Fancy” Christmas Eve Dinners
Cranberry Fluff Salad
- This salad is AMAZING! With just five ingredients, it’s a no-fuss, quick recipe… You must only remember to prepare the cranberries the night before–crush them in a food processor, sprinkle them with sugar, and refrigerate overnight.
Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic and Parmesan
- A simple and easy side dish with some serious pizzazz! It’s a 10-minute recipe that goes well with many of your favorite dishes. You can use any pasta you like–penne, rigatoni, spiral, fettuccine, spaghetti…whatever your family likes.
Sunshine Salad
- One bite of this salad and I was like, “WOW!” Not only is it “fancy,” but it’s also an awesome salad for pretty much any occasion. Make sure to cook the walnuts ahead of time so they have time to cool.
How to Make the Perfect Baked Potato
- Salty and perfectly roasted on the outside and fluffy on the inside. These simple tips will be your new favorite way to make baked potatoes.
Spinach Poppy Seed Salad
- Sometimes all it takes to make a dinner “fancy” is a nice salad. Pickling red onion slices in the dressing results in the most incredible flavor. Cook the bacon and make the dressing several hours in advance on the day you plan to serve the salad.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- You will love how no-fuss they are! After you smash them, leave them in the Instant Pot (with the lid on), and set them to “Keep Warm” for up to 3-4 hours or until you are ready to serve.
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
- My favorite way to cook bacon is in the oven. This simple technique will be your go-to way to cook bacon.
Layered Salad
- A “fancy” and delicious salad perfect for special occasions. The dressing tastes amazing! You can make the salad up to eight hours in advance.
Five Minute Orange Fluff Jello Salad
- Only five minutes to mix up four ingredients. Instead of mandarin oranges and orange jello, use raspberries and raspberry-flavored jello for a festive and bright holiday side dish.
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