Laura Calder’s 46 Best Holiday Recipes

Flavourful zucchini fritters pan-fried until golden for a delicious holiday brunch. Serve with sour cream.

This sensational main is definitely a crowd-pleaser. Excite your palate with succulent duck breast with crispy skin, dressed in a red wine and raspberry glaze.

Similar to a pâté, the meat is cooked slowly for three hours, resulting in an incredibly tender hors d’oeuvres. Bonus: You can make this recipe a week ahead.

Try something different this holiday and make individual hens for friends and family, instead of a big turkey. It will make for a very appealing display, and will be just as tasty.

A nougat is essentially a sweet nut square made with honey and whipped eggs. These pretty homemade treats can be served as dessert or as a party snack.

If you’re looking for a gluten-free dessert, try your hand at making caramel custard. It only takes five ingredients to make!

The intense sweet and salty flavours of this caper and thyme sauce is a perfect complement to pork chops.

Brussels sprouts have gotten a bad rap, but the right recipe can turn the worst naysayer into a believer. Trust us: sauteed with butter and bacon, this delicious side dish will do the trick.

Ginger, cinnamon and dark honey are top notes in this holiday loaf. Tip: Make a few loaves ahead of time and freeze — they will come in handy as hostess gifts during the holiday rush!

This gorgeous dish is basically the vegetarian’s answer to Shepherd’s pie. Tender, garlicky mushrooms underneath a cheesy potato topping — it will easily be a family favourite.

A warm appetizer eaten by peeling off the leaves and dipping them in the brown butter hollandaise sauce.

This decadent, gluten-free dessert boasts bittersweet chocolate with a hint of espresso and rum.

Hosting a holiday brunch for family and friends? A quiche is the perfect meal to make for a party of people. It’s so easy to prepare and oh so appetizing.

A tourtière is a popular French-Canadian meat pie, often incorporating gamey meats. This version uses pork and beef, baked for 25 minutes.

Roasted red beets make a colourful complement to your mains, and this recipe only calls for four ingredients!

Get Laura Calder’s recipe for Roasted Beet Roots With Greens.

A French classic with crème fraîche and Gruyere cheese. A decadent brunch idea that will impress guests and leaving them wanting more.

Snapper or halibut works best for this impressive dish. Stuffed with carrots, leeks and fresh herbs, the flavours meld together in the oven. The tasty fish will just melt in your mouth.

A warm vegetarian medley of eggplant, tomato, onion and fresh herbs, served straight from the oven.

You’ll never look at turkey the same way again! This recipe takes it up a notch with a stuffing of herbs and ground pork. Food coma, here we come.

An easy-to-make cocktail snack, coupling succulent bacon and sweet prunes.

For a light snack or party aperitif, prepare these chevre-stuffed grapes with chopped pistachios.

The recipe name says it all. Boned pork roast is cooked in the oven with milk so that the meat becomes super juicy. The leftover juices will then be puréed and turned into a sauce.

A simple and tasty, no-cook dessert that combines mascarpone with fresh fruit.

A tasty dessert perfect for any dinner party, it’s best to soak the prunes in Armagnac overnight to let that oaky flavour really settle.

This slow-cooked lamb really does the meat proud. Roasted red peppers, zucchini, tomatoes and eggplant add to this hearty main.

Crunchy zucchini blossoms make a pretty and appetizing party snack or appetizer.

If you’ve never cooked duck breast before, this easy recipe is foolproof. Served with a green peppercorn and Cognac sauce.

Whatever combinations of herbs you typically enjoy with lamb can be used in this recipe. Pack the mixture onto the rack and cook in the oven for 20-minutes for medium-rare perfection.

Homemade biscuits sounds intimidating, but it’s actually super easy to do. And it’s well worth the (minimal) effort.

Light and buttery white fish is served with crushed chickpeas, olives and roasted cumin carrots in this Mediterranean-inspired dish.

Delight your dinner guests with a truly unique appetizer; of golden onions served with a tangy tarragon sauce.

Forgo the traditional pancakes for brunch this year; surprise family and friends with savoury, rich vegetarian crepes.

Whether served for brunch or as a main for dinner, this tasty tart makes a great meal for any ocassion.

There’s something about serving quail that makes a dinner feel extra special. These decadent birds are served with a rich mushroom sauce.

How pretty are these sweet pears? They only take three ingredients to make and will leave you wanting more. Serve with whipped cream.

A palate-pleasing party snack with toasted walnuts, rich chèvre on top of warm puff pastry.

Caramelized peppers and tomatoes served on top of mini fish cakes, this tasty app is sure to be a hit at any party!

A boulangère is essentially a casserole with onions. Try this potato gratin made with milk instead of beef stock for a creamier variation.

Typically used in salad mix, endives are perhaps overlooked as a tasty side dish on its own. This recipe calls for red wine and seasoning, and cooked with endives for 20 to 30 minutes. A colourful side to complement any dish.

A classic French dish with sirloin steak and a creamy blue cheese sauce.

This beautiful cream-filled tart will be a welcome addition to a holiday menu, or a sophisticated weekend dinner party.

Nutty flavoured mushroooms filled with breadcrumbs and herbs.

Three retro appetizers that will add some playfulful kitschiness to your next cocktail party.

Tender roasted chicken with a myriad of herbs and root vegetables. This gorgeous main is a feast for the eyes.. a tastebuds.

Celebrate the company of friends and family with a truly beautiful seafood dish they’ll sure to appreciate.

Set out a platter of these delicious vegetable chips and just watch them disappear!