9 Last-Minute Christmas Party Foods You Can Make Using Things In Your Pantry (Slideshow)
9 Last-Minute Christmas Party Foods You Can Make Using Things in Your Pantry
From heading out to the mall countless times to visit Santa and get holiday shopping done to attending party after party to finishing up all of your work before the end of the year, the month of December can really get away from you. The next thing you know, it's December 25 and you need to cook food for your Christmas party. Avoid the store and go shopping in your kitchen this Christmas for these nine party foods.
Cheesy Garlic Bread
Garlic bread may not be the most classic Christmas appetizer, but, hey, we're working with a standard pantry here. Use up the last of any loaf of bread, and make a spread out of garlic, mozzarella cheese, spices, and plenty of butter. It's a crowd-pleaser that's incredibly easy to throw together at the last minute.
McCormick's Deviled Eggs
Use up the last few eggs in your refrigerator for this old-school appetizer. This standard deviled eggs recipe uses a few other basic ingredients such as mayonnaise, ground mustard, and paprika. For an extra blast of flavor, throw in some pickles or hot sauce.
Vegetable Tray
Carrots and celery are staples of many dishes and are a standard presence in many kitchens. These veggies can be the star of classic vegetable tray; if you happen to have tomatoes, radishes, fresh broccoli, or cauliflower, throw those suckers on a plate, too. Break out the ranch dressing as a dip for one of the easiest party foods out there.
Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
Give those frozen bags of broccoli and cauliflower in the back of your freezer new life with this creamy vegetable casserole. Using just a handful of fresh ingredients most families always have on hand, such as cream cheese and milk, this recipe is can be put together the day before your Christmas celebration, saving you precious time.
Classic Mashed Potatoes
The most basic mashed potatoes recipes don't require much. All you need are potatoes, milk, butter, and seasoning, all of which are pantry essentials. Boil those spuds, mash them together, and — bam! — you have a classic Christmas side.
Lemon-Crusted Chicken Breast
If a whole roasted bird is too much for your wallet, this juicy chicken breast recipe will more than get the job done. Using pantry staples such as breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and flour for a crunchy breading, this recipe is family-friendly and packs plenty of flavor.
Chocolate Cream Pie
This family-favorite dessert is, well, easy as pie. Mix together some chocolate pudding (be it homemade with cocoa powder, milk, sugar, cornstarch, and sugar) or out of the box. For the base, break out your Ritz crackers for a simple, crumbly, salty crust.
Shortbread Cookies
The best thing about cookies is that they don't necessarily need fancy ingredients to be incredible. And there's no better example of that than the shortbread cookie. Six ingredients, all of which are standard pantry ingredients, make up this wonderfully crisp, crumbly dessert, making it a perfect last-minute dessert.
Sugar Cookies
It doesn't get more classically Christmas than sugar cookies cut into fun, festive holiday shapes. And the best thing about sugar cookies? The ingredients are incredibly basic. Flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract are things every kitchen is always stocked with. Bake away!