A Cozy Shepherd’s Pie Christmas Dinner

Oh, what a delightful party! I had a few of my girls over to celebrate the season, and I wanted everyone to leave feeling like they experienced an hours-long hug.

I created table decorations with wool and twine, served clove and cinnamon spiced orange whisky cocktails, and double-baked my shepherd’s pie so the top was nice and crispy!

Here’s the full menu and how I put the evening together!

I used egg cups and cordial glasses to hold tea lights around the little trees. A friend’s mother gave them to me years ago, and I think they just look so charming! The trees were so perfectly lit!

I left little essential oil gifts for my friends with each place setting to make them feel extra special. I picked some nice ones out of my Lagoonamoon essential oil collection, tied them with string, and they looked so sweet.

I used the cinnamon and orange oils to sprinkle on my citrus ornaments this year to make my floral Christmas tree smell amazing!

For an appetizer, I served apricots with goat cheese, walnuts, and honey. I love this appetizer for when I want to create something very tasty (and very easy) that won’t fill up my guests before dinner.

Elegant Apricot and Goat Cheese Appetizers

These elegant apricot appetizers are topped with goat cheese, walnuts and a drizzle of honey. With only 4 ingredients they’re the simplest appetizers that make a big, tasty impression!

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The signature cocktail for the evening was my “Pomander” cocktail served with a pretty clove orange rose ice cube! My favorite aroma of Christmas (apart from the Christmas tree) is orange and clove!

I make clove oranges, also known as “pomanders” every year to place around my tree. I wanted to create a festive cocktail that would taste like they smell, and it’s just perfect!

It’s not too sweet, not overly spiced with clove – it’s just like a holiday-spiced citrus kiss! Claudie finished her’s before I could photograph it!

The Pomander Cocktail

This whisky cocktail includes orange liqueur, honey, fresh orange and lemon juice steeped in cloves and cinnamon sticks to create the most elegant Christmas cocktail of the season.

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For dinner, I served my favorite red wine shepherd’s pie recipe! It can be served in personal ramekins or in one big pie with a serving spoon. The potatoes were so crispy on top, but creamy inside!

I made the whole thing the day before, then simply brushed the top with egg before friends arrived and popped it in the oven for a half hour.

Red Wine Shepherd’s Pie

This easy shepherd's pie with red wine is such a cozy, heart warming dinner that serves at least 6-8 and even makes a fantastic freezer meal! With lamb, carrots, onions, mushrooms, peas, a decadent red wine sauce and topped with crispy, baked Yukon gold mashed potatoes, it's a perfectly filling, perfectly delicious, perfectly easy recipe for a crowd!

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For the salad, I made this cute little “starry crouton” salad with beet noodles, tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta! I think this was the most Instagramed recipe of the night.

I made the pretty star croutons the day before, then assembled the salad a few hours before guests arrived. Just before serving, I placed the stars on top and brought it to the table.

Festive Starry Christmas Salad

If you’re looking for festive Christmas salad ideas, give this beet noodle salad with starry croutons a try! It’s the best Christmas salad for the host or hostess who wants to serve a little Holiday cheer!

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Because the shepherd’s pie is so rich and filling, I had just one more side dish: roasted Brussels sprouts with candied pecans! It’s so hard not to eat all of those candied pecans before they go into the sprouts! I made them the day before and used all my willpower to leave them alone in the fridge.

I sliced the sprouts the day before, then before friends arrived, I tossed them in a bowl with salt, pepper, and olive oil, poured them out on a baking sheet, and baked them with the shepherd’s pie.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Cranberries and Pecans

These Brussels sprouts with bacon, cranberries and smoked, candied pecans are the ultimate Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish! They’re baked in bacon fat till crispy, then mixed with cranberries and candied pecans, spiced with smoked paprika and cayenne pepper! 

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For dessert, I made these no-bake, 3 ingredient white chocolate coconut snowball cookies. They’re so good! When you don’t feel like baking, but you do want to have the most popular cookie at the Christmas party, bring these!

No Bake Coconut Snowball Cookies

This easy, no-bake white chocolate coconut snowball cookie recipe has only 3 ingredients and makes a quick, hassle-free, scrumptious last-minute Christmas party treat!

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I served the cookies alongside my white chocolate cheesecake mouse with raspberry compote. They just look so jolly! They’re so simple to make the day before, store in a pastry-piping bag, then fill into glasses an hour or so before guests arrive!

White Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse with Raspberry Compote

This no-bake, creamy, decadent white chocolate cheesecake mousse recipe is ribboned with raspberry-rosemary compote. It’s gluten-free, silky and sweet, tart and delicately hinted with rosemary essence.

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