Holidays recipes

Yam bake a la orange: sliced yams layered with fresh orange, dried figs, and walnuts, drizzled with honey and orange-zest butter. A bright, naturally sweet holiday side without marshmallows.

Peachy bread with sliced peaches, candied fruit, dates, raisins, walnuts, and mincemeat in a spiced brown sugar batter. A dense, fruit-packed holiday quick bread loaded with flavor.

Greek Christmas bread (Christopsomo) made in a bread machine with whole wheat flour, ground cardamom, golden raisins, and walnuts. A fragrant, festive holiday loaf with warm spice.

Roast pork loin rubbed with sage, salt, and pepper, served with a spiced cherry sauce of tart cherries simmered with cloves, cinnamon, vinegar, and lemon juice. A holiday-worthy roast.

Brown sugar raisin walnut drop cookies for the holiday cookie tin. All brown sugar (no white) for deep caramel chew, packed with raisins and walnuts in every bite. Three dozen from one bowl in twenty minutes.

Pear relish cooked slow with brown sugar, raisins, onions, and vinegar until thick and jammy. A sweet-tangy condiment perfect for cheese boards, pork, or holiday gifting.

Feuerzangenbowle, the traditional German fire punch with mulled red wine, a flaming rum-soaked sugar cone, orange and lemon peel, and cloves. A dramatic holiday spectacle.

No-bake chocolate orange truffle balls rolled from crushed chocolate wafers, pecans, fresh orange juice, zest, and honey. Five ingredients, no oven, holiday cookie tray ready.

Overnight egg and sausage breakfast casserole layered with bread, browned sausage, cheese, and a custard of eggs, milk, and dry mustard. Make ahead, bake in the morning. Holiday brunch staple.

No-bake cocoa bourbon balls with crushed vanilla wafers, pecans, cocoa powder, and corn syrup rolled in granulated sugar. A classic holiday candy ready in 15 minutes.

Tourtiere is a traditional French-Canadian pork pie seasoned with cloves, mace, and marjoram in a flaky double crust. A Quebec holiday classic that's just as good warm or cold.

Thanksgiving sweet potato pie with egg-white-only spiced filling in a flaky phyllo crust topped with chopped chestnuts. The lighter holiday pie that swaps butter pastry for crackly phyllo layers.

Hungarian Christmas bread (makos beigli-inspired loaf): a buttery, lemon-scented yeast bread with a sweet poppy seed and raisin filling. A bread-machine shortcut for the holidays.

Buttery shortbread cookies meet crunchy walnut coating and glossy currant jelly in these classic holiday thumbprints that freeze beautifully for make-ahead baking.

Classic French-Canadian tourtiere with seasoned ground pork, mashed potatoes, sage, and nutmeg baked in a flaky yogurt pastry crust. A hearty meat pie that's a holiday tradition in Quebec kitchens.

Old-fashioned peppernut cookies (pfeffernusse) with anise, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, dark corn syrup, and chopped nuts. Slice-and-bake holiday cookies, makes 4 dozen.