This holiday season, focus on what really matters— spreading joy and spending time with loved ones. If you need a shareable dish for the festivities, these easy, last-minute recipes are delicious and will save you stress when your schedule is already full!

mashed potato casserole

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter, plus a little extra for pan
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 8 ounces of cream cheese, room temp
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• Sliced chives, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, bring milk, thyme, bay leaves, 4 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to a simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for an hour.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish with butter.
3. In a large pot, combine potatoes and garlic. Cover with 2" water and season with 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender (12-15 minutes). Save 3/4 cup cooking liquid, then drain. Return potatoes and garlic to pot and mash with a potato masher until smooth.
4. Return infused milk to a simmer over medium heat; discard thyme and bay leaves. Add cream cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan and stir until melted. Add to mashed potatoes along with eggs. Gradually add reserved cooking liquid until consistency is thick but spreadable; season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to prepared dish.
5. In a small skillet over medium heat, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cook and swirl pan until butter begins to brown (2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in panko and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over mashed potato mixture. Cover pan with foil.
6. Bake casserole for 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until topping is golden brown (20-22 minutes). Top with chives.

BAKED BRIE BITES

INGREDIENTS:

• Two 4- to 5-ounce wheels of Brie cheese
• 3 tablespoons of dried cranberries, chopped
• 3 tablespoons of shelled pistachios, chopped
• All-purpose flour
• One 8 ounce sheet of refrigerated crescent dough 
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon of chopped rosemary and whole sprigs
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds
• Honey, for drizzling

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cube each wheel of Brie into 12 pieces and set aside.
3. Mix the cranberries and pistachios in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Lightly dust a cutting board with flour. Unroll crescent dough (it should be an 8-by-12-inch sheet) onto the cutting board. Using a knife, cut 4 lines down the 8-inch side and 6 across on the 12-inch side for 24 squares.
5. Place a cube of Brie in the center of each dough square. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the pistachio and cranberry mix over the top of each cube. Fold the corners of each square together, lightly pinching to seal them. Transfer the bites onto the prepared baking sheet.
6. Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl and brush the top of each bite with the egg wash. Sprinkle a little rosemary and sea salt on each bite. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool.
7. Transfer the bites onto a serving platter. Scatter the pomegranate seeds around the bites, drizzle with honey and frame the platter with rosemary sprigs for a festive look.

CHEESECAKE CUPS

INGREDIENTS:

• One 1.9-ounce package frozen phyllo shells (15 shells)
• 8 ounces of cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 tablespoons cherry preserves
• 15 fresh raspberries
• 15 fresh mint leaves, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the phyllo cups on a baking sheet and bake for 3 minutes to give them a light crisp. Cool for 5 minutes.
3. Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, orange zest, and vanilla to the bowl of an electric mixer and whip together for 1 to 2 minutes until light and fluffy. 
4. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag and set aside. Snip a small opening in the tip of the bag just before you are ready to fill the cups.
5. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of the cherry preserves into the bottom of each phyllo cup. Pipe a swirl of cream cheese mixture into each cup, completely covering the preserves. Top each with a single raspberry and mint leaf. Transfer them to a serving platter and lightly dust with powdered sugar.

WHIPPED FETA DIP

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ounce feta cheese block
• 4 ounces of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Pita, for serving
• Honey, for serving
• Fresh mint, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Crumble the feta into the bowl of a food processor. Add the cream cheese, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, and juice. Process until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve alongside warm pita with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of fresh mint.

BAKED SWEDISH MEATBALLS

INGREDIENTS:
FOR MEATBALLS-

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs 
• 1 teaspoons unrefined sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

FOR GRAVY-

• 5 tablespoons salted butter
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups whole milk

FOR SERVING-

• Parsley, for garnish
• Mashed potatoes
• Lingonberry sauce

DIRECTIONS:
FOR MEATBALLS-

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Thoroughly mix using your hands. 
3. Roll the meat into 1 1/2 inch balls and place them on a baking sheet, making sure they don't touch. You may need to use more than 1 pan and should get about 46 meatballs.
4. Bake until thoroughly cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.

FOR GRAVY-

1. As the meatballs are baking, make gravy. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking frequently. Pour in 1 cup of milk while whisking, then pour in the remaining milk. Whisk until smooth. Cook until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Boil and whisk for 1 minute then remove from heat.
2. Add meatballs and stir to coat in the gravy. Garnish with parsley if desired. Serve over mashed potatoes with lingonberry sauce on the side.