Turkey, dressing, baked ham, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and all the rest! Most of us eat this at Thanksgiving and then turn around and eat it again at Christmas. If we celebrate at more than one household, we could end up eating this multiple times throughout the holiday season.

A good break from these can be found in an easy alternative. One idea is to host a Christmas Eve dinner or a brunch on Dec. 26th or the Saturday following Christmas day. Many people gather on Christmas Eve, have a relaxing meal together where they can enjoy each other’s company and focus on family and friends. Having a brunch following Christmas Day gives family members the opportunity to gather without the rush of exchanging presents or having to spend all day traveling from one place to the next to fulfill family obligations.

An idea for a Christmas Eve dinner that is easy and quick to prepare and gives you and your guests a break from turkey and ham is Tex-Mex enchiladas. This is an easy recipe that can be modified to fit your tastes. Estimate two pounds of ground beef per four people when buying your supplies. You’ll need ground beef, white onion, tomato paste, a can of Ro-tel tomatoes, a package of taco seasoning, and the following spices: garlic powder, cumin, and black pepper; you’ll also need a package of corn tortillas, vegetable oil, and a large package of Velveeta. Once you have the ingredients assembled, do a little prep work. Dice the white onions, cube the cheese. Pour enough vegetable oil in a small skillet to cover the bottom with a thin layer. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Brown the ground beef and onions. Drain. Add the can of Ro-tel tomatoes, four tablespoons of tomato paste per two pounds of ground beef. Add one package of taco seasoning per two pounds of ground beef. Sprinkle the spices on top. You will need to taste to decide how spicy you want the meat mixture. Set aside about one third of the meat mixture an d one third of the cheese.
Heat the oil in the second small skillet to warm. Cook one tortilla at a time in the oil until the tortilla is soft. On a plate, lay the tortilla flat; layer the meat mixture and two cubes of Velveeta. Roll the tortilla to form an enchilada. Place the enchiladas in a baking dish. Continue the process until you have made the desired number of enchiladas. Use the remaining meat and cheese to cover the enchiladas.

Bake in 325 degree oven until cheese is melted. This usually takes about 15 minutes. Serve with chips and salsa and guacamole. This is a spicy, easy to make meal that will be a nice diversion from the turkey and dressing holiday meals people are used to.

Another idea for an alternative holiday meal is the pancake brunch on the Saturday following Christmas. An easy way to prepare this is to use a prepackaged pancake mix, such as Bisquick, to make the batter. Use a griddle, borrow one if you need to do so, so that you can cook several pancakes at once. Serve warm syrup, butter or butter alternative and fresh fruit with your pancakes. Juice, milk, and coffee should be on the drink menu.

You can use paper plates and disposable utensils if you would like to cut down on clean up afterwards.

The main idea is to prepare a meal that allows you, the cook and host, to cook early and then enjoy the meal with your guests. These meals will also give you and your guests a different meal to enjoy with your family and friends that are easy to prepare and are alternatives to traditional holiday meals.