Christmas Dinner—Choosing the Best Sides

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With Christmas just around the corner, now’s the time to start planning your holiday menu if you’ll be hosting this year. At Nick’s of Clinton, we have everything you need for Christmas dinner, from the main dishes to the perfect desserts. If you’re struggling to decide which sides to serve, we have you covered with a variety of premade side dishes that just need to be popped into the oven As you ponder over what to prepare, consider this rundown of common main dishes, favorite Christmas sides, and popular desserts.

Christmas—The Main Dish

For those who aren’t vegetarians or vegans, Christmas dinner will almost always feature a meat dish as the centerpiece of the meal. 

  • Ham. A Christmas ham is one of the most traditional Christmas dishes, and can be found on tables throughout the country. It’s rumored that the tradition of serving ham for Christmas began in Germany. 
  • Turkey. If you didn’t get enough of the bird on Thanksgiving, you might choose to serve a turkey on Christmas. Other fowl are also common, especially in other countries. 
  • Prime rib. Not a pork or fowl type of person? If you want to serve something extra special, prime rib is another Christmas favorite. It’s so popular that many restaurants serving Christmas dinner will have this on their menus. 
  • Lobster. If you live in the northeastern part of the United States or are from an Italian-American family, you may choose to feature lobster or other seafood on your Christmas table. 
  • Lamb. Finally, serving lamb is a specialty that many families will choose this holiday season. Roast lamb with a pomegranate sauce may be especially delicious. 

Favorite Christmas Sides

Even if you are crazy about the main course, there’s no doubt that a Christmas dinner wouldn’t be complete without a range of sweet and savory sides. There are dozens of different sides to choose from, so we’ve put together a list of some of the best and most popular sides. 

  • Yorkshire pudding. Not really a pudding in the traditional sense, Yorkshire pudding is a British dish that is a savory, baked pudding made from flour, milk, and eggs. As a savory dish, it’s typically served before or with the main course—not after as a traditional “pudding” dessert might be. 
  • Creamed spinach. Delicious, savory, and healthy, creamed spinach is a favorite Christmas tradition on the table, and goes especially well alongside lamb or prime rib. 
  • Biscuits or rolls (or both!). The Christmas table wouldn’t be complete without some sort of bread on the table. Flaky biscuits are always a delight, although some prefer more of a traditional roll. Undecided? Why not do both? 
  • Brussel sprouts. Brussel sprouts have become much more popular in America over the past decade, as the main method of preparation has switched from boiling to baking or sauteing on a skillet. There are multiple different ways to serve brussels, including brussel sprouts baked with bacon and cheese. 
  • Cranberry sauce. Like turkey, cranberry sauce is traditionally a Thanksgiving food. However, the deep red color and the sweet and tart combination make it a favorite during Christmas, too. 
  • Yams. There are multiple yam recipes out there, including both sweet and savory options. If you did sweet yams with marshmallows for Thanksgiving, you might consider a more savory yam dish for the Christmas holiday. 
  • Roast squash. Squash is a great dish to serve that’s healthy, savory, and just starchy enough to be filling. 
  • Green beans. While a green bean casserole may not be as common during Christmas, green beans almondine is quite popular this time of year. 

Popular Christmas Dinner Desserts

Christmas dinner wouldn’t be complete without a dessert! Some of our favorite desserts include: 

  • Cheesecake. Cheesecake will be found on a large percentage of Americans’ tables this holiday, and is one of the most popular Christmastime desserts. Try a peppermint cheesecake to be extra festive. 
  • Yule log. A traditional dessert that is served in multiple parts of the world is a yule log cake. Prepared to look like a wooden yule log, this chocolate cake filled with mascarpone whipped cream is quite tasty. 
  • Christmas pudding. A Christmas pudding isn’t exactly the gelatinous pudding that you’re used to in America; instead, “Christmas pudding” is a British dessert that’s more like a sponge cake or fruitcake. While British, it’s served in many American homes during Christmas. 
  • Cookies. If you’re feeling a little whopped after all that holiday cooking and can’t fathom the idea of putting together a dessert on top of everything else, go with something simple—Christmas cookies are always a great option, and you can even buy a pack straight from the store. We won’t tell anyone. 

Get All Your Grocery Shopping Done at Nick’s of Clinton

At Nick’s of Clinton, we have everything you need for your entire Christmas meal, including your sides. Visit our location on Charles Parkway or call us with any questions at (301) 843-4825. 

Quick Meals – How to Prepare Quick Meals Now That the Kids Are Back in School

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When the kids go back to school, you might think you’re going to have more time on your hands. But it usually doesn’t work out that way. Everyone’s schedule instantly gets cluttered with things like homework, sports, social outings, and the occasional family break.

As you deal with the hustle and bustle of back to school, the last thing you want is having to create a complex meal calendar. Simple is better. But you also want tasty food and a variety of options. Here are some quick meals you can prepare that are delicious and won’t take too much time.

Ravioli Casserole

If you’re looking for something simple and fast, you can’t go wrong with this recipe. It only has six ingredients and two steps.

Ingredients:

● 1 package (20 ounces) refrigerated cheese ravioli
● 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
● 3 ½ cups pasta sauce
● 2 cups small curd cottage cheese
● ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
● Fresh parsley, minced (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook ravioli per the package directions. In a 13X9 inch baking dish (ungreased), spread 1 cup pasta sauce. Layer half the ravioli on top of the sauce, followed by 1 ¼ cups sauce, 1 cup cottage cheese, and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Repeat. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese.
2. Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes until the casserole is cooked through and bubbly. Cut and serve.

Lemon Butter Shrimp and Broccoli

If you own a skillet, this lemon butter shrimp and broccoli dish is a simple and yummy meal.

Ingredients:

● 1 12-oz bag of jumbo easy peel frozen shrimp (peeled and deveined)
● 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
● 4 garlic cloves, minced
● 1 lemon, freshly juiced
● 1 lemon, sliced
● 4 tbsp unsalted butter
● 1 tbsp olive oil
● Salt and pepper
● Pinch of red pepper flakes, crushed
● 1 pouch of brown rice or quinoa

Preparation:

1. Pat and completely dry your shrimp with a paper towel.
2. Heat your olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the broccoli florets and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove the broccoli and place on a plate.
3. Add 2 tbsp butter to the skillet. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper then cook in the skillet for about 1-2 minutes on each side. Add the garlic cloves.
4. Add the remaining 2 tbsp butter to the skillet, the lemon juice, and the lemon slices. Let the mixture simmer for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes.
5. Add the broccoli back to the skillet and toss together. Serve with your choice of rice on the side.

Baked Swiss Chicken

This is another simple and tasty recipe that only has a few ingredients and steps to get you from the kitchen to the dinner table on those busy school days.

Ingredients:

● 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
● 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
● 6 slices Swiss cheese
● ½ cup white wine or chicken broth
● 1 cup crushed croutons

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using a 13X9 inch greased baking dish, line the chicken breasts along the bottom. Combine the soup and wine in a small bowl and then pour the mixture over the chicken. Top with the cheese and sprinkle with crushed croutons.
2. Bake uncovered for about 35-40 minutes or until the chicken temperature reads 165 degrees. Serve with your favorite side dish.

Crispy Baked Quesadillas

These baked quesadillas are delicious and a favorite of adults and kids of all ages. And you can play around with the ingredients to create something your family will love.

Ingredients:

● 3-4 8-inch flour tortillas
● 1 pound cooked turkey taco meat, spiced to your liking
● 1 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
● 1- 1 ½ cup salsa
● 1 ½ cup grated Mexican cheese
● Olive oil
● Shredded lettuce and sour cream for toppings

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with some olive oil.
2. Place each tortilla on the baking sheet and fill one side with a layer of the cooked turkey, black beans, salsa, and cheese. Fold the tortilla over and brush with olive oil.
3. Bake for 8 minutes. Gently turn over and bake for 8 more minutes. Serve warm with your favorite toppings.

Do Your Quick Meal Shopping at Nick’s of Clinton

When you’re preparing these quick meals, you want the high-quality and most affordable ingredients. For over 50 years, Nick’s of Clinton has been delivering a full-service experience to customers throughout Southern Maryland. Our business was built on the foundation of a combination of top-level customer services and superior-quality products.

When you shop at Nick’s, we offer one-stop shopping for all your grocery needs, including a full-service meat department and deli and Nick’s signature line of products. Stop in and visit us today.