Last-minute holiday ideas

December 22, 2010  •  Category:


 


The seven-hour lamb, for the recipe click here.

Lebanese couscous with lamb shanks and pearl onions, for the recipe click here

Spiced fish, for the recipe click here.

Swiss chard cake, for the recipe click here

Tangerine sorbet, for the recipe click here.

Apricots filled with clotted cream, for the recipe click here.

Shredded phyllo dough with pistachio, for the recipe click here.

Chocolate cake with raspberry mousse, for the recipe click here.

All of these dishes can be prepared ahead so that you can relax and enjoy your family and friends.


Comments

42 Comments  •  Comments Feed

  1. Jojo says:

    OMG! One featured dish looks better than the next! I can’t stand it!

  2. Eve@CheapEthnicEatz says:

    OK I will have the 7 hour lamb, then Swiss chard cake and the Chocolate raspberry mousse cake please! Oh what we have to cook it ourselves 😉 This would make a wonderful menu!

  3. Lyndsey says:

    Thanks! These are great! They look so impressive you wouldn’t think you could relax and have these amazing dishes on your table!

  4. Sonia says:

    WOW, all these look simply delicious ! Wishing you a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year to you and all at home.

  5. Rosa says:

    Lovely ideas! Everything looks gorgeous.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  6. skip to malou says:

    my holiday spread will look different with all these new ideas. i think i like the lamb and the dessert, but i also love the fish hahah. i can’t make up my mind you see..
    have a great holiday!

  7. Priya says:

    Incredible spread, lovely ideas..

  8. Katerina says:

    Beautiful ideas Joumana. I especially loved the apricots with cream and the shredded phyllo nests with pistachios.

  9. Lea Ann says:

    I love that Apricot idea. Happy Holidays to you and your family.

  10. Diane says:

    Hmmmm not sure where I would start with all these lovely recipes, but I have certainly made a note of the Swicc Chard cake as we grow a lot of Swiss Chard when in France. The fish also looks brilliant. Diane

  11. Marcela says:

    All the best for you dear Joumana…..If I have time, then some of your sweet ideas will be in our Christmas table……Que esta Nochebuena sea de paz y alegria en familia…..hoy y siempre…..Abrazotes, Marcela

  12. Sushma Mallya says:

    all the dishes looks amazing…

  13. peter says:

    Joumana, I’m still in awe of the presentation of the fish dish!

  14. Heavenly Housewife says:

    It all looks so wonderful, but I think my husband would just love that lamb!
    *kisses* HH

  15. Ivy says:

    I love all your recipes but I wish I had some raspberries to make that cake!!
    My best wishes to you and your family for Happy Holidays and may the New Year fulfill all your dreams.

  16. Susan says:

    It all looks fantastic, Joumana! The pistachios and orange sorbet really caught my eye.

  17. Doc says:

    I love that pizza. I am a big fan of home made pizzas and this looks great. As for all those incredible looking Christmas treats, well, can I just come over and feast at your place. Very Impressive!
    Have a very Happy Xmas!
    -Doc

  18. Karen says:

    Wow, all these dishes look most exquisite! Your Swiss Chard Cake is a work of art. Anyone who gets treated to a meal at your house is truly lucky. Happy holidays and best wishes for a wonderful New Year!

  19. Ellie (Almost Bourdain) says:

    Lovely recipes! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you and your family!

  20. Maria says:

    Those are some terrific holiday ideas and I definitely love the make-ahead nature of each dish. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season … all the best to you and your family!

  21. InTolerantChef says:

    That swiss chard cake (we call it silverbeet over here) and the raspberry mousse cake look fantastic. I’m a sucker for raspberries. Yumm…. Merry Christmas

  22. Joanne says:

    All of these look so wonderful! I don’t think I have time to make them this year, but I will definitely be trying some of them after the holidays!

  23. Boulder Locavore says:

    What beautiful foods! We are still finalizing our menus for the next two days of dining; think I’ll be trying some of these recipe. They all look delicious!

  24. Nadege says:

    Merry Christmas Joumana!
    Thank you so much for all your fantastic recipes.
    (I have posted “Taste of Beirut” few times on Facebook).

  25. SYLVIA says:

    These are show-stopping entrees, and the presentations on them are sure to more than impress your company, these meals were made to serve to a crowd, geusts will rave over your unforgettable holiday menu.
    Joumana, thank you for making my dinners a very pleasant one for me with your unique, and elegant recipes, It sure satisfied every different diet and lifestyle at my gatherings. May you always have good health and all the blessings from God above.

  26. zerrin says:

    All these are adorable! I admire the way you designed that spicy fish, great job! And the lamb dishes look so tempting! We are great fan of lamb here!

  27. Karen says:

    Wow all these dishes are gorgeous. I especially love the fish, it is really stunning. I need to make that asap!!

  28. FOODESSA says:

    With great food and preparations like these…I’d go to your restaurant opening any time ;o)
    Great meals and certainly desserts I’ll have to come and grab from you a little later ;o)

    Joumana, here’s wishing you a great holiday and all you desire for the year ahead.

    Your foodie friend,
    Claudia

  29. tigerfish says:

    The lamb must be so delicious after 7 hrs of cooking! And love that fish with lemony scales 🙂

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family.

  30. marla says:

    Wonderful & inspirational holiday recipe line up. That fish with all of the lemons is beautiful. I can only imagine when it is presented for real at the holiday table. Happy Holidays friend 🙂 XO

  31. vegetarianirvana says:

    Such a wonderful range of recipes to suit every palette, I am so impressed by the sheer breadth of the recipes you feature here. Is your family lucky or what!
    Merry Christmas and a Happy 2011.
    Sandhya.

  32. Maris (In Good Taste) says:

    Wow! Swiss chard cake? I’ve never seen anything like that before.
    I bet you have an amazing spread planned for Christmas. Happy holidays!

  33. Lentil Breakdown says:

    All are so visually stunning, who cares what they taste like! (kidding of course.) That Lebanese couscous looks like Israeli couscous. Are they the same?

    • Joumana says:

      @LentilBreakdown: Couscous in Lebanon is a bigger grain than in Morocco and is made with semolina; I have seen also couscous from Jordan called maftool made with wheat. Since I have never had the Israeli couscous, I don’t know if it is made of wheat or semolina.

  34. June says:

    Wow…and I mean, WOW! Love the swiss chard cake and the apricots – they look heavenly!

  35. Tall Clover Farm says:

    Joumana, this post is a feast for the eyes and kitchen creativity. And I love that desserts outnumber main courses. Happy Holidays, and thanks for the many delicious gifts and stories you share throughout the year!

  36. Valérie says:

    Hello, je découvre ton blog grâce à ta visite chez COOK PARADISE…
    Je suis fan de ces petites bouchées apéritives tels que tes abricots, je continue ma visite
    En attendant de te lire, je te souhaite une belle semaine d’avant 2011
    Bise, Valéri€

  37. Carinette says:

    Merci de ton passage qui m’a permis de découvrir ton magnifique blog!
    Tout plein de belles recettes à découvrir.
    A bientôt
    Carine

  38. Gosia says:

    Very inspiring blog. Thanks

  39. Magdalena says:

    Great ideas, I would like to taste this tangerine sorbet in first place 🙂

  40. Magic of Spice says:

    These are all gorgeous dishes, and I am in-love with the Shredded phyllo dough with pistachio…Beautiful!
    Hope you have had a wonderful Holiday!

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