All the recipes you’ll need for a gorgeously festive, elegantly simple, traditional and original “roast beast” Christmas dinner from cocktails to dessert! This is a top round roast beef meal with cozy, yuletide sides, bright colors, easy appetizers, and a rich, seasonal dessert that takes only 15 minutes to make!
I was so excited to make a “roast beast” this year! How The Grinch Stole Christmas is one of my very favorite Christmas cartoons, and I always shed a tear when the Grinch carves the roast beast in the end. Gets me every time!
Here’s how I created the menu, and a few lovely, frosty winter decor tips too!
First, I wanted to keep things fresh and simple for my table decor, so I went with some simple baby’s breath and rosemary in my napkins. Flower and herb place settings give a dinner table such an understated, rustic, elegant flair!
I didn’t want to fuss about too much in the kitchen before guests arrived (as usual) so I quickly put together these cute little appetizers to set out by the front door for guests as they walked in.
They’re from my Easy Cute and Classy Christmas Appetizer collection. I just made 2: one that looks like a pretty Christmas wreath and another that looks like a little ornament.
My friend Hallie from Jupiter’s Daughter (you should see her macrame!) brought over this gorgeous cheese plate! She always makes such regal cheese plates, so I just left it to her. I couldn’t fit the whole thing in one picture!
I decided the perfect cocktail for the evening would be my Sparkling Ginger Pear. I made the ginger-pear syrup (so easy!) earlier in the day, stored it in a cocktail shaker with a little St. Germain, and refrigerated it until guests arrived.
Then, all I had to do was add a little ice, give it a shake, pour it into coup glasses with a little prosecco, add a tasty candied ginger garnish, and done! I like adding old jewelry to my glasses as charms. I love this old porcelain flower earring! Wish I could find the other one!
For dinner, the roast beast was a top round beef roast with red wine mushroom sauce! The mushroom sauce is so easy to create a day ahead, then all you have to do is reheat it in the roast drippings!
I hate having to hurriedly create a gravy while a roast is sitting, and I’m trying to get the other sides reheated and plated. The sauce is even better when made a whole day ahead, so no need to fuss about!
For the sides, I made a precious Christmas wreath salad with homemade candied pecans! So simple to put together! I assembled it a whole 3 hours before the party. I just placed some cellophane on top and popped it back in the fridge! I also made an apple cider vinegar dressing to go with it on the side!
I needed another side to catch all that gorgeous mushroom sauce, so I whipped up my baked mashed potatoes with roasted garlic and herbed goat cheese! Another recipe I made the day before so I didn’t have to worry about it before the party. I just spooned it all into a pyrex, brushed it with egg, and let it get nice and crispy in the oven while I sliced the beast!
I wanted one more veggie dish, so I whipped up my French green beans with shallots and sesame ginger sauce. The recipe calls for pan sautéing, but I decided to just bake them instead, while the potatoes were reheating. I made the sesame sauce the day before, baked them at 425 F., and simply mixed the sauce in when they were done!
Finally, for dessert, I made these whimsical, frosty gingerbread cookies with lemon glaze and ginger sugar to go with my chai-spiced eggnog panna cotta! I love those little cookies! They’re semi-soft and the glaze is like winter sunshine!
The eggnog panna cotta was the most popular recipe of the night, I think. Spiced with masala chai and topped with rum-soaked raisins, it’s creamy and dreamy and takes just 15 minutes to make! (Well, and 4 hours to set), but like almost everything else, I made it a whole day ahead so I just set it and forgot it!
After a few more cocktails, full-belly laughs, and a Christmas carol or two, my husband tucked me into bed like Cindy-Lou Who.
Enjoy your holidays everyone, and I hope you enjoy these recipes for your Christmas dinner this year!
“Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we. Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart, and hand in hand.” – Dr. Seuss.
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Cheryl
I love, love, love your dinners. So lovely. Thank you for the great recipes, can’t wait to give them a try!
Genevieve Morrison
Thank you, Cheryl!!