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Home for the Holidays: Easy Holiday Recipes

You were good all year (mostly). You deserve a special gift this holiday. How about an extra helping of friends and family—without all the added responsibility? Make the most of your time in the kitchen and follow some of our easy recipes. And remember, the best way to enjoy the peace of the season is simplify, simplify, simplify: you'll have more quality time to spend with the ones you love. After all, they are the reason for the season!

Cookie Exchange

If you love having a variety of Christmas cookies on hand but can't devote a whole weekend to baking, host a cookie exchange. Invite all your friends to bake a large batch of just one recipe, and bring enough for each party guest to take a dozen home. Be sure to allow extras for "sampling," and serve cinnamon coffee and eggnog.

Gingerbread Men

Kids love this gingerbread; it's sweeter and chewier than the traditional recipe.

1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1 pkg. instant butterscotch pudding mix
1 1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Favorite frosting
raisins & candies
Cookie cutter

Mix together egg, shortening, and brown sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Roll out dough and cut into gingerbread men shapes with a cookie cutter. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Decorate using favorite frosting and candies. It's fun to make these after reading the classic tale of The Gingerbread Man.

Holiday Brunch

Most baked goods keep well in the freezer for several weeks, if wrapped tightly. Bake or buy breads and muffins in advance, so all you'll have to do is defrost them. Serve them with this easy make-ahead French toast, and you can even sleep an extra 10 minutes!

Baked Apple French Toast

The French call this dish pain perdu, or lost bread; it's a sweet way to use day-old leftover bread. Be sure the bread isn't too fresh or this will be soggy.

1 large challah or egg bread loaf
2 tart apples (Granny Smith or Gala)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 2/3 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Peel, core and slice apples. Toss with cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Arrange in one layer in a buttered 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Cut bread into thick slices and arrange on top of apple slices, squeezing them slightly to fit if necessary.

Whisk together eggs, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined well, then pour evenly over bread. Chill, covered, until bread has absorbed all of custard, overnight.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Bring mixture to room temperature and sprinkle bread with remaining sugar. Bake, uncovered, in middle of oven until bread is puffed and top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Potluck Dinner

If you're expecting a houseful for the holidays, don't shoulder the burden for the entire meal. Assign everyone a dish—appetizers, side dishes, salads and desserts—and make the main course yourself. Try something that doesn't require constant attention, like this tasty pork roast.

Roast Pork with Maple and Mustard Glaze

2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
1 cup real maple syrup
4 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
2 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste

Stir together the maple syrup, mustard vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set glaze aside.

Place pork roast in a shallow roasting pan. Spread glaze evenly over pork roast.

Roast pork in a 350°F oven. Cook until internal temperature measured with a meat thermometer reaches 160°F, about 45 to 90 minutes. Remove from oven, and let rest about 10 minutes before slicing to serve.