Easy Holiday Week Meals
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What are some easy holiday week meals?
Leading up to a holiday can be very chaotic. There are guests to prep for, a turkey or ham that takes up most of the space in your fridge, and you still have to get dinner in the table every night.
I don’t want family dinners to get thrown on the table last minute or end up ordering pizza or take out during that week. I still want it to be special. So I’ve gathered up some easy holiday week meals that you can prepare ahead of time to make your pre-holiday meal planning easy.
Here are the 5 meals I plan on serving for the days leading up to Christmas. My plan is to get some simple to make recipes on the table without resorting to take-out.
Day by day Easy Holiday Week Meals Menu Plan (with recipes)
Day 1: Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu
This meal is super simple, but it’s special. If you don’t have proscuitto on-hand, don’t worry. Use a slice of regular ham. This dinner comes together very easily, and I hope it will become a family favorite. Put a little rice on the side, and serve with a veggie and this simple Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu will be enjoyed by all.
Day 2: Fondue Party
What’s easier than getting fondue together and letting the kids dip some of their favorites? My friend Dawnielle gave me this idea because she does it for her family. Think of all of the different dippers you can use! Creating a well-rounded meal out of what has traditionally been an appetizer can be lots of fun!
Day 3: Slow Cooker Chili
Chili is a stand-by in our family on regular rotation. What I love about including this recipe in a list of easy Christmas Week Dinners is that each person can make it special by just adding different toppings. This slow cooker chili is delicious! A slow cooker meal for the week before the holiday is super important because you can count on dinner being done when you get home and try to get everyone from their different corners and at the table for dinner.
The Ultimate Chili Recipe: Slow Cooker Easy
Try this beef slow cooker chili recipe to feed a crowd or an easy weeknight dinner with leftovers for the next day! This homemade, slow cooker chili has flavor on every level!
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds ground beef
- 1 medium chopped onion
- 1 small can green chilis
- 2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes
- 4 15oz cans Great Northern Beans (or whatever beans you have in your pantry. Drained, not rinsed.
- 2 tsp diced chipotle chili in adobo sauce (more if you like the heat)
- 1 15oz can corn (drained)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste (I generally purchase the tubes)
- 1.5 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp pepper
- 1.5 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp masa harina
Instructions
Brown ground beef in skillet over medium high heat. Season with 1/2 cumin, 1/2 salt, 1/2 pepper. Drain the grease and place into the slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 6 hours.Serve with any fixings that you enjoy! I used diced red onion, sharp white cheddar, sliced jalapeños, sour cream, and green chilis. Enjoy!
Notes
Kick up the heat even more with a couple more tablespoons of adobo sauce, or red chili flakes! Serve over white rice, on top of baked potatoes, or even on hot dogs.
Use turkey meat or a combination of turkey and 90% lean beef for a healthier version!
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Day 4: Easy Caprese Pasta
This Easy Caprese Pasta is the perfect holiday dish. It’s fresh and has all of the colors of Christmas! It’s a hit for a family dinner, for a pot luck, or for holiday guests. This Easy Christmas Week Dinner is a solid hit every time!
Day 5: Slow cooker pot roast
Leave the slow cooker pot roast dinner for the night before your holiday for two reasons:
1 – Because it’s pretty special.
2 – Because it’s super easy.
Preparing meals for the week before a holiday gives you a serious break from stress. Using your slow cooker let’s you set it and forget it.
Whip up a side salad with some healthy greens each night and your veggie is done. If your kids don’t eat salad pre-slice some veggies or pop in a bag of steamable vegetables into the microwave. Fancy them up a bit with a pad of butter, salt, pepper, and garlic granuals and you’re holiday ready!
Enjoy your holidays – don’t let the chaos get to you! Make a plan and stay focused on family. You’ll be fine.
xoxo,
JJ
Looking for more easy holiday dishes?
Easy Christmas Morning Breakfast Ideas
If you need ideas for PERFECT holiday cocktails, I’ve got you covered! Check out my e-book Holiday Sips! It’s 30 pages of holiday cocktails and it teaches you how to pair them perfectly with appetizers – the work is done for you!
