Christmas

A partially carved ham on a platter with a bottle of ginger beer and a jar of sauce in the background.

Instant Pot Ham with Ginger Peach Glaze

We love this ham not just for its peachy keen glaze that’s sweet but not too sweet but for the fact that the entire thing can be made in an Instant Pot (or pressure cooker) in less than an hour.

A red bowl with Christmas Eve calamari--calamari, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes in a tomato sauce.

Christmas Eve Calamari

The much-ballyhooed Italian Christmas classic, Feast of the Seven Fishes, stars one fish in Domenica Marchetti’s home. Calamari. And it’s the centerpiece of her Christmas Eve dinner.

A tall glass mug filled with Irish coffee with whipped cream on top and a tumbler or whiskey in the background.

Irish Coffee

A better way to start your day. Uh, we mean, end your day. That’s what we meant. Yes. End it. Ahem.

A panettone studded with dried fruit on a silver platter with a couple of wedges cut from it.

Panettone

Panettone, which makes its traditional Italian Christmas appearance, is gussied up here with any dried fruit you fancy. An ever so slight twist on a classic.

A whole gingerbread cheesecake on a white platter with a slice missing from it.

Gingerbread Cheesecake

This gingerbread cheesecake tastes like the classic Christmas spices of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove in each and every bite of this simple yet stunning dessert.

Cheese danish braided and sprinkled with sugar, on a sheet of parchment paper.

Cheese Danish

A startlingly spectacular made-from-scratch cheese Danish that is going to forever change your notion of what a cheese Danish ought to be.

Make-ahead cinnamon coffee cake in a large rectangular pan, with two squares cut out, beside two cups of coffee and a bowl of drizzle with a spoon.

Make-Ahead Cinnamon Coffee Cake

No need to get up hours ahead to produce a cinnamon-y sweet coffee cake, still warm from the oven. Mix it all ahead and pop it in the oven when you wake up. It’s that easy, ya’ll!

Two wrapped tamales on top of an open corn husk.

Red Chile Pork Tamales

These red chile pork tamales are the real authentic Mexican deal and taste like they were carefully crafted by the loveliest abuela imaginable. Here’s how to make them.

A round white plate with six slices of eggnog pie and a dish of whipped cream.

Eggnog Pie

Essentially a slightly tipsy cheesecake, this bourbon-enhanced eggnog pie is something we’re classifying as “holiday desserts for parties where people like to party.”

Sweet and spicy roasted nuts in a large green bowl on a wooden table.

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Nuts

These sweet and spicy nuts are addictive, so serve with care. The sweet comes from sugar, the spicy is the result of red pepper flakes. Use any kind of nut.

A perfect roast turkey on a rack in a roasting pan.

Perfect Roast Turkey

This iconic roast turkey is, we sorta have to admit, perfect to behold. And it ought to be after being brined, stuffed with chestnut stuffing, and all but smothered in a ridiculously rich, real-deal gravy.

A partially covered Dutch oven filled with cooked Parmesan potato gratin.

Parmesan Potato Gratin

We used to get our gratins and scalloped potatoes confused. But then we tried this gratin. Guess which one is now our favorite?!

A whole smoked turkey in a metal serving dish on a bed of fresh herbs and cranberries.

Smoked Turkey

It’s not just about how lovely a turkey imbued with smoke would be. It’s also about how lovely more space in the oven on Thanksgiving would be.

A round baking dish filled with scalloped potatoes and two stacked white plates topped with a serving of the scalloped potatoes.

Scalloped Potatoes

Essentially creamy easy cheesy side dish awesomeness., these are as welcome on weeknights as they are on holidays.

A loaf of braided cinnamon bread drizzled with vanilla glaze resting on a wire rack.

Braided Cinnamon Bread

This Dutch oven braided loaf is swirled with cinnamon and topped with vanilla glaze and toasted pecans. It’s perfect anytime of the day, breakfast included.

A chocolate stout cake topped with brown butter cream cheese frosting on a green plate with a green mug in the background.

Chocolate Stout Cake

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day (or any day) with this Guinness-infused chocolate cake that’s smothered in swirls of browned butter cream cheese frosting.

a white casserole dish of roasted fennel with rye crumble

Roasted Fennel with Rye Crumble

Getting your five servings of vegetables per day is easy when you can feast on tender caramelized fennel that’s smothered in toasted rye-Parmesan crumble.

A dozen nutella truffles on a blue tabletop; a person's hand sifting cocoa over them

Nutella Truffles

Orbs of Nutella, chocolate, and cream, all dusted in cocoa powder. Need we say more?