Since the holidays are right around the corner and this is such a busy time of the year, getting some inspiration for meals might be put on the back burner. So, to alleviate some stress from picking new and interesting dishes for your holiday get together, I’ve made four dishes from different winter holidays to show how you too can put some diversity on your plate.

Challah

The first dish that I made was a traditional Jewish bread called challah that’s made on Jewish holidays like Hanukkah and Rosh Hashanah. It is a sweet bread and usually braided straight or into a circle. This version includes poppy seeds, but it doesn’t have to include it.

The recipe on Tasha’s Artisan Foods is very easy to follow and the actual preparation did not take too long, around 30 minutes in total, and it bakes for 30 minutes as well. The long part is letting the dough rest and rise properly.

After the dough is made, it has to rest for an hour in a warm place. My oven at home has a ‘keep warm’ setting, so I used that to keep the dough warm. Once it had rested, I took it out of the oven and braided the bread.

My favorite part was braiding the bread, I had never done it before but it was very simple and honestly very fun. It’s the same as braiding hair, but much more cooperative.

For the second resting, it also has to be in a warm place, this time for two hours. Once the time was up, I applied an egg wash. Since I did not have poppy seeds on hand, I used everything bagel seasoning. I applied an additional layer of egg wash on top to make sure the seasoning does not fall off and then into the oven it went.

The baking instructions called for 25-30 minutes at 350°F, so I baked the bread for 27 minutes. It was perfectly baked when I cut into it. 

It is a pretty dense bread, but still very soft and especially good right out of the oven. The everything bagel seasoning definitely added a little extra flavor and I will be making this for Hanukkah this year.

Stuffing

The second dish is a great addition to any comfort meal during the winter, but is also great to elevate a holiday meal. It’s traditionally served during Thanksgiving and Christmas in the US, but its origins actually go all the way back to ancient Rome when they would eat it for Saturnalia, a mid-December festival which was their way to show gratitude to Saturn and his bounty of the harvest.

The recipe I’m using is from How Sweet Eats and is pretty simple. It takes about 45 minutes to make and then about an hour in the oven then it is ready to serve.

It calls for onions and celery to be diced, but I just used my food processor to dice them before throwing them into a pan to sauté them with butter, herbs and stock. The recipe calls for fresh herbs but any from your spice rack works just as well.

That whole mixture is added to the broken up bread along with an egg. I had halved the recipe, but if you’re making a big meal then you should keep it the same.

Once it’s all thoroughly mixed, throw it into a pan and into the oven at 350°F for 50 minutes.

The stuffing was very soft and crispy on the top, I added a bit more of all the herbs and it definitely made the dish a little more savory. I am a little biased as I do love stuffing, but this one was absolutely delicious. 

Coconut Chicken

The main dish for this united meal is coconut chicken, it’s served at Kwanzaa— which is Dec. 26 to Jan. 1— and is simple enough to make. This recipe from Food and Wine  leaves out an important ingredient that made my dish a little lackluster, egg. 

When breading something like chicken, it’s important to have a binding agent, like an egg, to ensure that the breading doesn’t come right off in the oil. Unfortunately for me, I learned this the hard way after nearly all the breading came off my chicken. So for anyone attempting to follow the recipe, please remember your binding agent.

First, the chicken is soaked in various milks with garlic for at least two hours but for a maximum of four. Once it’s done soaking and chilling in the fridge, then it’s breaded and fried in oil. The recipe calls for canola oil but the oil doesn’t matter unless you’re allergic to certain types. 

This chicken was very savory and juicy, and the coconut flavor wasn’t overwhelming at all. I personally had mine for a regular dinner with pigs in a blanket and a spring salad, but you can have yours with any arrangement of sides. Excluding soaking time, it really doesn’t take all that long to make and would make for an amazing holiday entree.

Rice Pudding

The last dish that I made was rice pudding and is traditionally eaten on Bodhi Day, Dec. 8, which in Buddhism is the day that Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment and became Buddha. It’s eaten on Bodhi Day because that’s the food that was given to Buddha after he completed a fast. 

It’s pretty simple, just milk, rice, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract. The pudding recipe on Preppy Kitchen is very straightforward.

The milk and sugar are combined in a large saucepan and the mixture is brought to a boil. Then the rice is added and it’s supposed to be frequently mixed at a simmer for about 30 minutes. Mine definitely took a little longer but it still came together within an hour.

Once it’s thickened, the cinnamon and the vanilla extract is added in and thoroughly combined. You can eat it warm or cold, personally I prefer it warm. I also added in some extra sugar because I prefer it sweeter as well. 

It’s a great dessert and can go with many different meals, and it’s very versatile. It can be more warm and sweet for a heavier dessert, or cold and less sweet for just a little treat.

All of these dishes would be a delicious addition to any holiday meal and are a great way to bring some diversity to your plate this holiday season.