40 Christmas Eve Recipes for After Church
Updated: Jan. 24, 2023If you’re spending Christmas Eve at church, then these quick recipes are for you. You’ll find a mix of dinner recipes—plus some speedy breakfast ideas to serve after a midnight service—that are ready in 30 minutes or less.
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Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
This biscuits and sausage gravy is an old southern recipe that I’ve adapted. Homemade sausage gravy is a classic, hearty breakfast that takes you on a trip to the South every time it’s served. —Sue Baker, Jonesboro, Arkansas
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Christmas Eve Confetti Pasta
This easy Christmas dinner has become a holiday tradition in our home. All the prep is done before we attend Christmas Eve service. On returning, I just boil water and saute. It's so colorful with a tossed salad and garlic bread — and always gets raves! — Ellen Fiore, Ridgewood, New Jersey
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Skillet Ham & Rice
Ham, rice and mushrooms make a tasty combination in this homey stovetop dish. It goes from start to finish in just 25 minutes. —Susan Zivec, Regina, Saskatchewan
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Fluffy Hot Chocolate
This is our daughter's favorite hot chocolate recipe. It may look like ordinary cocoa, but a touch of vanilla sets it apart from the rest. And the melted marshmallows give it a frothy body you won't get from a cocoa packet. —Jo Ann Schimcek, Weimar, Texas
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Apples ‘n’ Cream Pancake
This cozy recipe is deliciously perfect for breakfast or Christmas brunch. I usually make a double batch because everyone wants more! With our own orchard, we have plenty of Delicious and Winesap apples—they make this a true midwestern meal. —Ruth Schafer, Defiance, Ohio
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Holiday Lettuce Salad
Light with a hint of sweetness, this lettuce salad recipe will make everyone excited to eat their fruits and vegetables. —Bryan Braack, Eldridge, Iowa
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Effortless Alfredo Pizza
Here's a lighter, scrumptious twist for pizza night. It makes good use of convenience items and keeps everyone's taste buds happy with help from nutty-flavored fontina cheese and crushed red pepper flakes. —Brittney House, Lockport, Illinois
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Peppermint Candy Sandwich Cookies
I love to include a little homemade treat in teacher and hostess gifts, and these delicious lovelies (that come together in minutes) never fail to charm. They store well in an airtight container at room temperature. —Jennifer Beckman, Falls Church, Virginia
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Pork with Mustard Sauce
Back when I was a girl, I couldn't wait until I was grown up and could start cooking for my own family! Now that I am, I really enjoy using pork. The tender meat and the rich mustard sauce in this recipe are delectable together. —Irma Pomeroy, Enfield, Connecticut
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That Good Salad
When a friend shared this salad recipe, it had a fancy French name. Our children can never remember it, so they say, "Mom, please make 'that good salad.'" Now our friends and neighbors request it for potluck dinners. It really is one of the best salad recipes. —Betty Lamb, Orem, Utah
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Garlic Bread
Ever wonder how to make garlic bread? This homemade garlic bread is the answer! Minced fresh garlic is key to these flavor-packed crusty slices, which our big family would snap up before they even had a chance to cool. —Grace Yaskovic, Branchville, New Jersey
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Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Cinnamon Honey Syrup
This is a great breakfast for special days, but it mixes up so fast that it's perfect for busy mornings as well. —LeeAnn Hansen, Kaysville, Utah
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Brownie Affogato Sundaes
We can’t resist brownie sundaes. I combined an affogato (coffee-based beverage) idea with a brownie to get this decadent sundae that mixes it all in there: warm, cold, sweet and salty. —Julie Merriman, Seattle, Washington
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Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodles
This versatile chicken recipe is very similar to chicken pad Thai but easier to make and tastes just as good. Rice noodles can be swapped with mung bean noodles or any type of egg noodles. —Kristina Segarra, Yonkers, New York
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Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
Everyone who tries these beloved gems is amazed that they use only five ingredients. Baking cookies doesn't get much easier than this. —Dee Davis, Sun City, Arizona
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Chicken Artichoke Skillet
My fast chicken entree featuring artichokes and olives has real Greek flair. Seasoned with lemon juice and oregano, the stovetop chicken turns out moist and tender. —Carol Latimore, Arvada, Colorado
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Gingerbread Buttermilk Waffles
We created this recipe so folks could enjoy the festive flavor of gingerbread at breakfast. For a pretty look, sprinkle the waffles with confectioners’ sugar.— Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Split-Second Shrimp
I use my microwave to hurry along the prep of this super fast shrimp scampi. It’s deliciously buttery and full of garlic flavor. We love it as a main dish, but it makes an excellent appetizer, too. — Jalayne Luckett, Marion, Illinois
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Creamy Prosciutto Pasta
I'm always looking for dinners that I can put together quickly. I re-created a favorite pasta dish from an Italian restaurant by using grocery store convenience products. Add crusty bread and a salad for a complete meal. —Christine Ward, Austin, Texas
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Skillet Steak Supper
With all the ingredients cooked in one skillet, this steak dish couldn't be quicker to prepare—or to clean up! But the wine and mushroom sauce makes it seem special. —Sandra Fisher, Missoula, Montana
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Festive Cranberry Fruit Salad
This fruit salad is a tradition on my Christmas table. It goes together quickly, which is a plus on such a busy day. —Rousheen Arel Wolf, Delta Junction, Alaska
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Savory Apple-Chicken Sausage
These easy, healthy sausages taste great, and they make an elegant brunch dish. The recipe is also very versatile: It can be doubled or tripled for a crowd, and the sausages freeze well either cooked or raw. —Angela Buchanan, Longmont, Colorado
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Italian Sausage with Bow Ties
We often have our favorite pasta when company comes over, and I’ve shared this Italian sausage recipe several times. Now many of my friends make it for their families, too. —Janelle Moore, Auburn, Washington
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Pecan Chocolate Waffles
If you like waffles and chocolate, this recipe is for you. These tender but crunchy waffles are great for breakfast, brunch or an after-dinner dessert. Instead of chocolate topping, top with berries and whipped cream or simply sprinkle with powdered sugar. —Agnes Golian, Garfield Heights, Ohio
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Pizzelle
This recipe was adapted from one that my Italian-born mother and grandmother followed. They used old irons on a gas stove, but now we have the convenience of electric pizzelle irons. These delectable cookies are still a traditional treat in our family. —Elizabeth Schwartz, Trevorton, Pennsylvania
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Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Who can resist a sky-high stack of golden, fluffy pancakes? Pumpkin and chocolate chips take them over the top! —Libby Walp, Chicago, IL
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Frothy Cafe Bombon
I discovered this layered java beverage during my honeymoon in Spain. —Keri Hesemann, St. Charles, Missouri
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Apple-Cheddar Pancakes with Bacon
After tasting a scrumptious grilled apple and cheese sandwich, I decided to try the same flavors with pancakes. The idea of adding bacon came from my bacon-fanatic sister. —Kim Korver, Orange City, Iowa
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Waffle-Iron Cookies
The recipe for these cookies is the easiest to find in my book because the page is a beautiful mess covered with fingerprints, flour smudges and memories of more than 30 Christmases! I made these with my daughters, and now I make them with my granddaughters. —Judy Taylor, Quarryville, Pennsylvania
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Garlic-Cheese Flatbread
Unless you plan to make two, don't count on leftovers. As an appetizer or side, this cheesy flatbread will be devoured in less time than it takes to bake. And that's not long! —Suzanne Zick, Maiden, North Carolina
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Easy Gingerbread Pancakes
Molasses and spices turn an ordinary pancake mix into a special breakfast. These are so easy to make that you can have them any day of the week. —Trina Stewart, Yacolt, Washington
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Skillet Pork Chops with Apples & Onion
Simple recipes that land on the table fast are lifesavers. I serve skillet pork chops with veggies and, when my husband lobbies, cornbread stuffing. —Tracey Karst, Ponderay, Idaho
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Ham & Feta Omelet
Any excuse to have feta cheese and balsamic vinaigrette is a good one! We pile this Italian-inspired omelet with tomatoes for a great get-started breakfast. —Brittany Beus, College Station, Texas
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Holiday Cornflake Cookies
I can't seem to make enough of these cornflake wreaths around the holidays. The cookies firm up quickly, so you'll need to place the Red Hots right away. —Kathleen Hedger, Fairview Heights, Illinois
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PB&J French Toast
My grandpa made an awesome breakfast for us grandkids: French toast that started on the griddle as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. —Lindsey Folsom, Dorsey, Illinois
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Linguine with Broccoli Rabe & Peppers
Broccoli rabe is one of my favorite veggies. Since it cooks right with the pasta, you can multitask. Before you know it, dinner is served. —Gilda Lester, Millsboro, Delaware
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Triple Tomato Flatbread
Tomatoes are the reason I have a vegetable garden, and I developed this recipe as a way to show off my garden's plum, sun-dried and cherry tomatoes. The dish is easy and will impress. —Rachel Kimbrow, Portland, Oregon
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Gingerbread Hot Cocoa
Are you in the Christmas spirit yet? If not, this special cocoa will do the trick. It’s like drinking a chocolate gingerbread cookie! —Erika Monroe-Williams, Scottsdale, AZ
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Sweet Chili & Orange Chicken
My husband loves this simple sweet chili chicken dish so much he often requests it when he comes home from deployment. The sweet chili sauce adds just the right amount of heat to the bright, citrusy sauce. —Jessica Eastman, Bremerton, Washington
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White Cheddar Mac & Cheese
My mac and cheese is simple and has lots of flavor from the cheeses and ground chipotle chile. I use conchiglie pasta because its shape allows more melted cheese to pool inside. Yum! —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia
Originally Published: October 10, 2019
