44 santa recipes

Santa Fe burgers with cheese, salsa, crushed tortilla chips, and cumin mixed right into the patty, then topped with more salsa and cheese. Southwestern grilled burgers with serious flavor built in.

Instead of tortellini soup, turn that tortellini into a filling chicken tortellini casserole. A baked tortellini al forno!

Santa's Thumbprint cookies with oats, brown sugar, and chopped nuts rolled on the outside, filled with jelly. A festive holiday cookie recipe that makes 3 dozen.

Santa's chocolate pie is a frozen mousse pie in a baked shell, built on melted chocolate, marshmallow creme, and whipped cream, with a whisper of coffee and almond. A make-ahead holiday dessert.

Santa's Whiskers are festive slice-and-bake cookies with candied cherries and pecans in a buttery dough, rolled in flaked coconut for a snowy, whiskery edge.

Santa's white fudge made with sour cream, corn syrup, and sugar cooked to soft-ball stage, then loaded with candied cherries and pecans. Creamy holiday candy in an 8x8 pan.

Santa Fe hominy sauteed with roasted poblanos, jalapeño, tomatoes, and melted monterey jack. A quick vegetarian New Mexico side dish, ready in 30 minutes.

Santa Maria beans made with pinto beans, bacon, ham, tomato puree, and red chile sauce. The classic California Central Coast side dish for tri-tip barbecue, slow-simmered until rich and tender.

Shrimp fajitas marinated in soy sauce, lime juice, and cilantro, then sauteed with red and green bell peppers. Wrapped in warm flour tortillas with tomatillo salsa.

Warm Santa Fe salad with sauteed peppers, kidney beans, Mexican corn, rice, and salsa piled over shredded lettuce with tortilla chips, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

Santa Fe red pork chili with coarsely ground pork shoulder, beer, stewed tomatoes, and layers of cumin and chili powder. No beans, no shortcuts. A thick, meaty Tex-Mex red chili simmered low and slow.

Santa sandwich cookies are slice-and-bake oat shortbread rounds sandwiched with tinted vanilla frosting and rolled in holiday sprinkles. A festive Christmas icebox cookie, fun to decorate.

Santa Claus cookies are soft drop cookies with bright lemon zest, baked then frosted and decorated into jolly Santa faces. A Christmas cookie tray classic for kids.

Santa Maria salsa is the no-cook California barbecue staple: chopped canned tomatoes, celery, onion, and green pepper sharpened with horseradish, vinegar, and Worcestershire. Pour, chill, serve.

Santa Fe chicken breasts marinated in lime juice and broiled until golden, finished with artichoke hearts. A quick Tex-Mex weeknight dinner ready in about 30 minutes.

Santa cookie wreath, a festive gingerbread ring shaped from boxed mix, ringed with holly-leaf cookies and finished in melted candy coating. A fun edible centerpiece for the holiday table.