The Yule and Winter Solstice Menu: Recipes for the Winter Holidays

The holiday season offers dishes that warm the body and comfort the soul. At the Winter Solstice the focus is on rich, hearty, and nurturing food. The season celebrates displays and masterful cooking through roasted dishes, slow cooked stews, bright salads with pops of fruity flavor, and sweets that double as delicious gifts. Seasonal fruits and vegetables include beets, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Citrus Fruits, Cranberries, dates, escarole, fennel, horseradish, kale, parsnips, pears, persimmons, pomegranate, radishes, sweet potatoes, and winter squash.

At this time of the year I like to honor the traditions and the foods that my family cooked. I love the nostalgic feeling of creating recipes that my parents had at Christmastime, so you may find recipes inspired by that. Do you have a dish that reminds you of the winter season and December holidays? Is there something you traditionally make for your Yule or Winter Solstice celebrations that I didn’t put on this list? Please let me know and I will add it!

Main Courses

The main courses of the winter holidays are warm and inviting for a full table of friends and family. Common main courses are rich, filling, and lavish – classic main courses include roasted or baked bird, hearty beef dishes, pot roasts, and meat pies.

· Chicken and Dumplings with Mushrooms

· Coq au Vin

· Cranberry Hazelnut Turkey Wellington

· Fennel & Rosemary Beef Tenderloin with Creamy Mustard Sauce

· Herb-Crusted Roast Beef with Horseradish

· Mushroom Wellington

· New England Lamb Bake

· Old-Fashioned Honey Glazed Ham

· Perfect Turkey Recipe

· Pomegranate and Fennel Chicken

· Pork Schnitzel with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

· Roast Goose

· Simple Crock Pot Turkey Breast and Dressing

· Slow Cooker Pot Roast

· Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Anchovies

· Stuffed Cornish Hens with Cranberries and Apples

· Tourtiere: French-Canadian Meat Pie

Soups, Stews, and Chilis

There is nothing like a rich and hearty soup to warm you up during the winter season. Soups that kick up their spice game are a great feature at the Winter Solstice.

· Creamy Spinach and Pear Soup with Pancetta

· Farro and White Bean Soup with Swiss Chard and Herb Oil

· Golden Turmeric Chickpea Chicken Soup

· Pasta e Fagioli with Escarole

· Parsnip Soup with Pears, Ginger, and Coconut

· Slow Cooker Winter Vegetable Soup with Split Red Lentils

· Sopa Azteca (Mexiccan Chicken Tortilla Soup)

· Swedish Meatball Soup

· Turkey and Butternut Squash Chili

· Winter Solstice Soup

· Winter Solstice Stew

· Winter White Soup

· Wintertime Braised Beef Stew

Salads

During the winter months salads become creative dishes featuring root vegetables, nuts, and citrus fruits.

· Brussels Sprouts Salad with Apples and Walnuts

· Citrus Endive Salad

· Millet & Pumpkin Winter Salad

· Roasted Beet and Winter Squash Salad with Walnuts

· Roquefort Pear Salad

· Warm and Roasted Winter Salad Bowl

· Winter Chicory Salad with Kumquats and Date Dressing

· Winter Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad

· Winter Solstice Salad

Breads

There are many traditional breads baked at this time of year all around the world – some favorites are featured in this list below, along with flavors perfect for the holidays.

· Ham and Cheese Quick Bread

· Holiday Rum Eggnog Bread

· Panettone (Italian Christmas Bread)

· Krendel (Russian Christmas Bread)

· Pecan Maple Loaf

· Savory Christmas Bread

· Savory Rosemary Goat Cheese Quick Bread

· Spiced Anjou Pear Bread

· St. Lucia Saffron Buns

· Stollen (German Christmas Bread)

Side Dishes

Casseroles featuring in season vegetables and rich side dishes, all served piping hot, are familiar fares at the Winter Solstice.

· Farro Risotto with Walnut Cream and Roasted Butternut Squash

· Glazed Parsley Carrots

· Macaroni and Cheese in Acorn Squash Bowls

· Parsnip Latkes with Horseradish and Dill

· Persimmons and Watercress Salad with Candied Walnuts and Goat’s Cheese

· Potato and Parsnip Gratin

· Roasted Winter Squash with Kale Pipian

· Seared Radicchio and Roasted Beets

· Spicy Broccoli Rabe with Parmesan and Pine Nuts

· Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Rosemary Parmesan Cream Sauce

· Twice-Baked Cheddar Potato Casserole

· Winter Pastry Wreath

· Yorkshire Pudding

Desserts

Sweets flavored with nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, or peppermint work out perfectly for Yule. Other classic sweet treats for Yule include traditional holiday cookies like shortbread, snowball, caraway, or ginger snaps. Pears and oranges are also a nice touch to a dessert at Yule.

· Buche de Noel

· Cardamom Orange Sugar Cookies

· Chocolate Pavlova with Spiced Pears and Butterscotch Sauce

· Christmas Pudding

· Christmas Rice Pudding

· Classic Yule Log

· Cranberry and Peppermint Honey Cake

· Cranberry Bliss Bars

· Cranberry Chestnut Cake

· Cuccia

· English Toffee

· Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies

· Grand Fir Dark Nougat: Winter Solstice Sweets

· La Befana Cake

· Maple Pecan Shortbread

· Partridge in a Pear Tree Pie

· Pecan Pie Truffles

· Potato Chip Cookies

· Roasted Chesnut Cookies

· Salted Caramel Brownie Truffles

· Salted Dark Chocolate, Pecan, and Rosemary Bark

· Snickerdoodles

· Solstice Shortbread

· Sparkling Butter Toffee Cookies

· Spiced Brown Butter Linzer Cookies

· Spice Parsnip Cake

· Sugar Plum Cupcakes and Sugar Plums

· Swedish Ginger Thins

· Tiramisu Yule Log

· Vanilla Crème Brulee

· Vegan Gingerbread Man Donuts

· Walnut Cardamom Snowballs

· Winter Solstice Cake

· Winter Solstice Cake (Festive Carrot Coconut Cake)

· Winter Solstice Cookies

· Woodland Shortbread: Evergreen Biscuits Three Ways

Beverages

Nothing says “Happy Holidays” quite like a warm and rich drink curled up in front of the fire. Yule and the Winter Solstice feature beverages that warm the soul and bring cheer to hearts.

· Harry Potter’s Hot Butter Beer

· Hot Buttered Rum and Cider

· Hot Wassail (Non-Alcoholic)

· Mulled Wine

· Old-Fashioned Swedish Glogg

· Slow Cooker Gingerbread Latte

· Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

· Toffee Eggnog

· Tom and Jerry

· Vegan Eggnog

· White Chocolate Peppermint Mocktini

· Winter Sangria (Non-Alcoholic)