Holidays recipes

Peppered pork roast with sour cherry salsa: coarsely pepper-crusted pork loin roasted simple, served with a sweet-hot relish of cherries, green chiles, peppers, and cilantro. Holiday-worthy and easy.

Breakfast sausage cheddar casserole layers cubed bread, browned sausage, and sharp cheese under a custard of eggs, milk, and dry mustard. Make-ahead overnight brunch strata for holiday mornings.

Sandbakelse, traditional Scandinavian butter cookies with cardamom, pressed into mini tart tins and filled with jam. Delicate, sandy-textured holiday cookies dusted with powdered sugar.

Cheddar baked eggs with ham and pepper is a make-ahead breakfast strata: bread cubes, cubed ham, cheddar, and bell pepper soaked in seasoned eggs and milk, frozen for later, then baked. Holiday brunch hero.

Tender green beans bake under a blanket of crispy fried onions and cream of mushroom sauce, creating the classic comfort casserole that defines holiday tables.

Classic Quebec-style roast goose stuffed with bread, currants, and apples, slow-roasted with aromatic vegetables and finished with a white wine pan gravy. A showpiece holiday roast.

Smoked ham stuffed with cranberry cornbread stuffing and glazed with whole berry cranberry sauce and corn syrup. A stunning holiday centerpiece with built-in sweet-tart contrast.

Cran-apple pie with sliced apples, tart cranberries, and a brown sugar filling thickened on the stovetop, topped with chopped pecans. A bright single-crust holiday pie balancing sweet and tart.

Sturdy gingerbread house dough made with shortening, dark corn syrup, and warming spices. Holds its shape for construction. The classic holiday project base.

Passover cheesecake with a chocolate macaroon crust, creamy lemon-brightened filling studded with Brazil nuts, and a vanilla sour cream glaze. Flourless and fully kosher for the holiday table.

Adorable gingerbread teddy bear cookies hand-shaped from spiced dough with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. A fun holiday baking project for kids and grown-ups, no cookie cutters required.

Kale gratin with pancetta blanches hearty greens and folds them into a rich garlic cream sauce with crispy pancetta, then crowns with golden Parmesan breadcrumbs. A holiday-worthy alternative to creamed spinach.

Eggnog French toast made by dipping thick stale bread in eggnog and frying in butter until golden. A three-ingredient holiday breakfast with built-in custard flavor.

Kahlua pumpkin pie with coffee liqueur in the custard and the whipped cream topping. Brown sugar and warm spices meet rich, boozy depth for a grown-up holiday pie.

Tzimmes with beef brisket and carrots simmered in a brown sugar broth, thickened with an einbren of browned flour and schmaltz. A traditional Jewish holiday stew that's sweet and savory.

Chocolate bourbon balls are no-bake holiday treats made with crushed vanilla wafers, walnuts, honey-sweetened melted chocolate, and a splash of bourbon. A Southern Kentucky tradition.