Dede Wilson

Fresh ham with herb gravy is a great choice for Christmas dinner, especially if you have a crowd. Served with mashed potatoes, roasted apples or pears, and a green veggie, ham can make a festive holiday meal. Modern-day pork is very clean meat. Many old recipes suggest cooking to a very high internal temperature to guard against trichinosis, but that’s no longer necessary.

This apple pie features a blend of two apple varieties. The flavors and textures of each apple type combine to make for one amazing pie. This is a juicy pie with very little flour to bind the filling. Apple Pie Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/Poppy Barach 2012 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 60 minutes Yield: 8 servings Basic Piecrust 6 apples (6 cups sliced); use a mixture of Cortland and Golden Delicious 2/3 to 1 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1 tablespoon whole milk 1-1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Spray a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with pan coating.

Most Thanksgiving hosts find themselves with a ton of turkey leftovers. Well, lucky you! If you are already tired of reliving the same dinner over and over, you can whip up many, many dishes with this bounty. Simply shred or dice the cooked turkey and create a Turkey omelet: Whip up an omelet and load the middle with turkey and your cheese of choice.

Most people have a mountain of leftover turkey the day after the big Thanksgiving meal. This soup is a creative and easy way to make use of those tasty leftovers, even if they are just scraps. Preparation time: 15 minutesCooking time: 35 minutesYield: 10 servings 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 3 celery stalks, diced 3 carrots, peeled and diced 1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon sage 3 large all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels 1/2 cup frozen lima beans 6 cups turkey or chicken broth 1 1/2 pounds (about 3 cups) cooked leftover turkey, diced or shredded 1/2 cup frozen peas 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup whole milk Salt and pepper to taste Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat.

An Italian Christmas Eve tradition involves a multi-course seafood dinner where you might enjoy a delicious seafood stew. This holiday dish is sure to impress. just round it off with some crusty bread and perhaps a salad and cheese course.Although this is a low-fat recipe, it doesn't skimp on flavor. Low-Fat Seafood Stew Preparation time: 10 minutesCooking time: 25 minutesYield: 8 servings 1/4 cup olive oil 2 large yellow onions, diced 1 fennel bulb, chopped and diced, fennel tops reserved 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon thyme 2 teaspoons crushed rosemary 1 bay leaf 4 cups bottled clam juice 2 cups dry white wine 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped 2 dozen small clams, scrubbed 2 dozen mussels, scrubbed 2 pounds sea bass fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 dozen large shrimp (20 to 25 shrimp per pound size) Three 4-ounce frozen lobster tails, defrosted, cut into thirds Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Cassoulet is a festive, budget-friendly main dish that's just right for a family Christmas dinner. This version of the classic French casserole makes a rich bean stew full of five types of meat. You can make it a month ahead and freeze, so it's a perfect dish for holiday entertaining. ©iStockphotos.com/ALLEKOThis cassoulet benefits from an overnight rest in the refrigerator.

Royal Icing for decorating sugar cookies is easy to make and can be tinted any color. Cookies decorated with Royal Icing harden to a solid finish, making the cookies perfect for hanging on the Christmas tree, stacking in tins, or mailing to friends. Royal Icing Preparation time: 8 minutes Yield: 2/3 cup 1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted 1 large egg white (or an equivalent amount of reconstituted powdered egg white) * Using a balloon whip attachment, combine the confectioners sugar and the egg white in a mixer’s bowl on low speed.

You may not think of lasagna for Christmas dinner, but it’s a real crowd pleaser that's inexpensive to make. This meatless recipe for spinach lasagna is a great make-ahead dish that you can freeze and then reheat in the microwave. This dish is velvety rich and will satisfy both vegetarians and meat eaters. It has a cream sauce enhanced by mascarpone (cheese #1) and sun-dried tomatoes, then layered with pasta, spinach, sautéed onions, red wine, ricotta (#2), mozzarella, (#3), Parmesan (#4), and Romano (#5).

Nothing says “Christmas” like these delectable sugar cookies with icing. Bake them for the family or offer them as small holiday gifts to friends and coworkers. Enjoy the sugar cookies plain, or dress them up for Christmas with Royal Icing. Classic Sugar Cookies with Optional Icing Recipe Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 8 minutes; 2 hours cooling time Yield: Thirty-six 3-inch cookies 1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature 1-1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 large eggs 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour Sugar or colored sugar (optional) Beat the butter in a mixer until it’s creamy.