Photo by silviarita via Pixabay

With the changing of the seasons comes the knowledge that the holidays are right around the corner. This means warm get-togethers with loved ones and holiday foods that will need to be prepared. Let’s take a look at 5 delicious dishes that you will want to make sure are a part of one or more of your holiday celebrations.

Pumpkin Pie

Can you even imagine what a fall get-together would be like without this spicy, creamy concoction known as pumpkin pie? A symbol of harvest time, the pumpkin becomes the perfect selection for practically everything as soon as the month of October rolls around. When it comes to the best pumpkin pie recipe, that is a matter of opinion. It depends on whether you like to keep it simple or prefer to make everything from scratch. Let’s take a look at a few different recipes.

If you like to keep things quick and easy, here is the perfect pumpkin pie recipe for you from All Recipes.com. It uses a pre-made pie crust, pumpkin purée and pre-mixed, pumpkin pie spice for a no-muss, no-fuss approach.

If you'd prefer a gourmet recipe, you may prefer to follow this Ultimate Pumpkin Pie Recipe from Epicurious.com. It features a homemade crust and secret ingredients that include brown sugar, sour cream and apricot preserves.

Holiday Ham

Nothing says holiday dinner quite like the appearance of a holiday ham. No need to fork out big bucks to buy a pre-made one. Save yourself a little extra this holiday season, and make your own.

If you love a sweet, baked ham, you may want to try this DIY "Honey Baked Ham ®" Recipe from Food & Wine.

In addition to a bone-in spiral cut ham, its delicious ingredients include: apple juice, honey, light brown sugar, honey mustard, black pepper and cayenne pepper.

Eggnog

Nothing says “Winter Wonderland” quite like a cup of fresh eggnog. Sure, you could just buy some that comes pre-made in a milk carton, but what fun would that be? Why not make this Amazingly Good Eggnog from All Recipies.com instead? It features fresh cloves, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg, with rum being optional of course. If you'd prefer to keep the flavor and lose the alcohol, try adding rum flavoring instead! Remember, a little goes a long way.

Green Bean Casserole

The dish that everyone is expecting, green bean casserole, is a favorite at every family get-together during the holiday season. This creamy, smooth-tasting dish has been served in kitchens since 1955. The great thing about it is that it only takes 10 minutes to whip up. If by chance you don’t already have this recipe, here is a copy of it, straight from its creator, Campbell’s Soup Company.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Are you a fan of sweet potatoes? If so, then around the holidays you probably look forward to being able to enjoy sweet potato casserole at the dinner table. There are many recipes out there, but we like this one from My Recipes.com because the casserole is topped with marshmallows and toasted pecans (yum)!

Whether you choose to whip up something simple or complicated, your guests are sure to appreciate the efforts put into creating a dish for them that nourishes their body and warms their heart.

Tag: Holiday