4 options for easy, stress-free Christmas meals

Cooks should not be exiled to the kitchen on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

This year, lighten or ease up on the heavy-duty Christmas meals. Most folks pigged out at Thanksgiving, and oh, those holiday parties have expanded waistbands.

Home cooks want to enjoy the holiday with friends and family, too.

A Christmas brunch is one way to ease the load. A hearty breakfast casserole can be made the day before and simply popped into the oven. Add a quick fruit salad and maybe some muffins or biscuits and you have a filling meal without the normal kitchen workout.

To accompany a sweet French toast casserole, a cheese grits casserole or strips of bacon, sausages or ham work well.

There is no law that says a crown roast, ham or turkey must be served at Christmas. Home cooks can do a quick stir-fry or maybe steak tips and noodles with a peppered gravy. Both taste and sound great. Both recipes are less than 400 calories per serving.

Here are a few recipes for a Christmas brunch and a lighten-the-load Christmas lunch.

— From www.allrecipes.com

— From Taste of Home magazine

— From Cooking Light

— From Cooking Light 2010

This story originally published in the Sun Herald.

This story was originally published December 17, 2021 at 4:11 PM with the headline "4 options for easy, stress-free Christmas meals."