I Tried a 5-Star Chicken Recipe from Food Network (and Only Burnt It a Little Bit)

STARTERS

Whipped Feta Dip With Roasted Olives

Go easy on yourself this holiday with this Mediterranean-inspired dip that takes just minutes to make! (via The Real Food Dietitians)

Savory Stuffed Mushrooms

Serve these party-appropriate stuffed mushrooms made with cheese, peppers, and fresh herbs. (via Clean Cuisine)

Antipasto Tree

Turn your charcuterie board ingredients into a festive tree with mozzarella cheese, olives, pepperoncini peppers, and fresh rosemary! (via Averie Cooks)

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

This veggie side is super simple, calling for just two ingredients and 10 minutes of prep work. Throw them in a skillet right before showtime and let the prosciutto get nice and crisp while the asparagus turns bright green and tender. They turn out perfect every time, trust us. (via Damn Delicious)

Puerto Rican Papas Rellenas

There's nothing more tasty on earth than crispy potato croquettes, unless it's potato croquettes stuffed with savory picadillo. Prepare for the onslaught, because *everyone* is going to want this Christmas Eve dinner menu idea. (via Kitchen Gidget)

Red Onion Dip

Kick your guests' tastebuds in gear with this easy and delicious dip! (via This Wife Cooks)

Maple Pecan Baked Brie

Baked brie is so ooey-gooey delicious that it's definitely one of our favorite Christmas Eve dishes, and this one calls for ingredients you probably already have on hand. Serve it as an appetizer with a crisp white wine or in place of rolls at the table. It's always a crowd pleaser and goes great with dessert. (via Fake Ginger)

Bacon Pastry Twists + Beer Cheese Dip

It doesn't have to be a game day to enjoy the this tasty Christmas Eve food idea. Serve these appetizers to everyone before dinner, or snack on them as you're preparing the rest of the food. Either way, you'll love this recipe! (Brit + Co)

Delicious Christmas Dinner Side Dishes

Creamy, Cheesy Gratin

With sweet potatoes, Gruyère, cream, and sage all mixed in together, this is one easy Christmas Eve dinner dish (or Christmas brunch idea) that you'll never leave off your holiday menu ever again. (via Brit + Co)

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pomegranate and Candied Pecans

This shaved Brussels sprout salad with pomegranate, candied pecans and a lemon dijon vinaigrette went viral and is perfect for potlucks! (via Crowded Kitchen)

Sourdough Stuffing

This vegetarian stuffing is easy and loaded with flavor, making it perfect for your Christmas feast! (via Hello Little Home)

Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Skip the box in favor of this homemade recipe that takes less than 30 minutes! (via Kathryn's Kitchen)

Kale Pear Salad with Candied Walnuts

This kale salad is loaded with pears, and cranberries, topped with walnuts, and blue cheese with a homemade vinaigrette, making it perfect for the holiday table. (via Feel Good Foodie)

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

Butternut squash is one of those seasonal foods that's perfect in salads and adds a bit of weight to any Christmas Eve recipe. (via Brit + Co)

Pumpkin Curry

This side dish can also serve as a main course for any plant-based eaters around your dinner table this Christmas Eve. The flavors of pumpkin and vegetables keep things light and bright, while the spicy curry will warm you to your toes. (via Brit + Co)

A Green Bean Casserole for Every Dietary Need

Green bean casserole is so tasty that everyone should be able to enjoy it! With mushroom sauce, beans, and plenty of vegan and gluten-free swaps, this dish will be a Christmas favorite. (via Brit + Co)

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

There's nothing quite as cozy as a bowl of warm soup on Christmas Eve, and this slow cooker version is about as convenient as it gets. More time for wrapping presents! (via Brit + Co)

Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken Pozole

This green pozole is bubbling over with the goodness of peppers and tomatillos, zucchini and sweet corn, avocado and cotija cheese — with fresh baked tortilla strips and roasted pumpkin seeds on top. One bite and your taste buds will be singing hallelujah! (via Half Baked Harvest)

Romanesco Holiday Trees With Parmesan Snow

If you need a festive and easy Christmas Eve dinner idea, think of these pointy florets like miniature Christmas trees. Set them in a creamy cheese sauce and dust with Parmesan for a snowy (and tasty) side dish for your dinner. (via Brit + Co)

Pan Fried Zucchini with Basil and Pecorino

Side dishes don't have to be underwhelming before your big Christmas dinner. Whip up this delicious pan of fried zucchini with basil and Pecorino Romano cheese that will make your guests ask for the recipe! (via Vikalinka)

Sweet Potato Cornbread

If you can't wait until Christmas to treat your family something sweet, make this sweet potato cornbread to go with your meal! You can either serve it as a side dish or treat it like dessert. (via Averie Cooks)

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Make-ahead sides are a real life saver at holiday time. These potatoes are whipped up with cream cheese, sour cream and eggs, so you can keep them in the fridge until the very last minute and they'll bake up to perfection, casserole style. (via Seasons and Suppers)

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon

Toss Brussels sprouts with bacon grease, maple syrup, salt, and pepper, then roast until perfectly crispy and browned. So tasty! (via Bowl of Delicious)

The Best Baked Spinach Rice

This rice casserole is rich with three kinds of cheese, spices and lemon zest. Make a double batch and hold one back in the fridge for leftovers; you'll be thanking yourself amid tomorrow's wrapping paper frenzy. (via The Iron You)

Secret Ingredient Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots

The trick to feeding a crowd with your Christmas Eve meal ideas is to make a meat or fish entreé with a plethora of easy and tasty sides. Well… nothing could be easier than these carrots that caramelize slowly to perfection in a balsamic glaze in a low-heat oven. This is one sweet veg you won't have to beg the kids to eat. (via Carlsbad Cravings)

The Best Christmas Dinner Main Courses

MAIN COURSES

Cranberry-Glazed Roast Turkey

Make a turkey full of the flavors of the season with this simple, easy-to-follow recipe. (via Brit + Co)

Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Ham Glaze

Made with a flavorful brandy and brown sugar glaze, this baked ham is the perfect main dish for Christmas. (via A Spicy Perspective)

Crisp, Golden Turkey

Here's everything you need to know about prepping, roasting, and serving the best bird you'll eat this year. You'll learn how to thought and season the turkey, as well as everything else you need in the kitchen to prepare it just right. (via Brit + Co)

Mushroom Wellington

Not just for vegetarians at the table, this Mushroom Wellington, flavored with roasted garlic, thyme and Parmesan cheese, then baked in flaky puff pastry, is an everyone pleaser! (via Julia Frey of Vikalinka)

Spiced Rack of Lamb With Citrus Salad

Racks of lamb served with a fresh, vibrant citrus salad is a unique, refreshing take on holiday dinner. (via The Original Dish)

Garlic Rosemary Prime Rib Roast With Horseradish Cream

Prime rib is always a showstopper, but the real star of this show is the homemade horseradish sauce. It cuts right through the richness of the beef, adding just the right amount of savory zing to this Christmas Eve dinner recipe. (via NeighborFood)

Vegetable Béchamel Lasagna

If you haven't had lasagna made the old school way, with béchamel sauce instead of cheese, you are in for a *tasty* treat. This is one meatless dish even the carnivores in the house will be clamoring for — definitely add it to your Christmas eve dinner menu! (via Donna Hay)

White Wine Miso Braised Pot Roast

Slow-cook a beef pot roast braised in wine with onions, carrots, and fresh thyme, serve it alongside creamy mashed potatoes for a one-pot meal that’ warms a holiday crowd. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Crock Pot Mojo Pork With Cuban-Style Black Beans

This pork shoulder is cooked the traditional way — in a tasty citrus trio of orange, lemon and lime juice, spiked with onion, jalapeño, herbs, spices and an entire head of garlic. Start it in the morning and it will bubble away happily in your slow cooker all day, giving you time (and counter space) to get the rest of the feast prepared. (via Iowa Girl Eats)

Slow Cooker Ham With Maple Brown Sugar Glaze

Ham is one of those hearty dishes that's great for feeding a crowd, but it's actually pretty tricky to get it just right. This recipe uses the slow cooker to your advantage, gently heating the meat all day in delectable juices without ever drying it out. Serve it in slices the next day for a Christmas morning breakfast add-on. (via No. 2 Pencil)

Beef Stroganoff

This 30-minute meal makes a great holiday main with tender strips of beef, mushrooms, and a rich and creamy sauce, serve dover egg noodles or mashed potatoes. (via Two Peas And Their Pod)

Ranch Pork Tenderloin

If you're making a whole feast, this 30-minute meal with the tastiest gravy and tender and juicy pork would be the perfect addition! (via Salt & Lavender)

Carnitas Tamale Pie

Christmas Eve menu ideas for a buffet cannot be complete without pie! Tamales are a tradition this time of year, but you know the old saying: It takes a village! If you're craving the flavor but dreading the assembly line, your new go-to recipe has arrived. (via Pinch of Yum)

Lasagna Bolognese With Fontina Béchamel

Sometimes you want to mark a special occasion with a challenging dish. This lasagna bolognese is made completely from scratch, including the pasta, and your guests will appreciate that effort with every delicious bite they take. (via Nerds With Knives)

Easiest Ever Lasagna Roll Up Recipe

When you love the *thought* of made-from-scratch lasagna but you just don't have the time, roll ups to the rescue! This Christmas Eve party menu idea is jump-started using store-bought ingredients, but no one will ever taste the difference. (via Crystal & Co.)

Crock Pot General Tso's Chicken

Do you have fond memories of Chinese takeout on Christmas Eve? Before you dive into your Christmas desserts, serve up this crockpot version of everyone's fave, which tastes every bit as good as the real thing in case you were wondering. (via Host The Toast)

Christmas Eve Food Directly from the Sea

Lobster Fra Diavolo

When it comes to seafood, lobster is the crème de la crème. This Christmas Eve recipe, flavored the old fashioned way with clam juice and cognac, is sure to impress everyone at your holiday party table. (via A Spicy Perspective)

Fish Pie With Cheesy Mash

Nothing beats a creamy fish pie when the *crust* is made of mashed taters. Here's a meal that's guaranteed to taste better if you eat it in your jammies followed by your favorite holiday cocktail. (via Nicky's Kitchen Sanctuary)

Whole Roasted Branzino With Fennel and Onions

Whole roasted fish dishes are an Italian tradition on feast days. While this one looks like a culinary work of art sitting on your table, it actually comes together easily and calls for just seven ingredients. (via Saveur)

Christmas Eve Sweet Treats

Gingerbread Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream

This stunning gingerbread layer cake with cream cheese buttercream is surprisingly easy to make and perfect for the holidays! (via Completely Delicious)

Dark Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Indulge in a cookie dessert that is delicious and not at all hard to make! (via Vanilla and Bean)

Cookies With Strawberry Jam

Make these quick and easy thumbprint cookies with only five ingredients. (via The Fast Recipe)

Black Forest Cupcakes

For a decadent and delicious twist on holiday dessert, try these chocolate cupcakes with cherry filling and whipped cream. (via Barley & Sage)

Mini Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins

These sweet fall treats are sure to become a fan-favorite when you serve them as part of your Christmas Eve dinner. (via Averie Cooks)

Fry Bread with Cinnamon Butter Honey

This recipe makes us think about funnel cake combined with yummy cinnamon butter honey. (via Completely Delicious)

Lemony Greens Soup

While a lot of seasonal soups can feel overly dense, this lemony greens soup is packed with plenty of nourishing veggies, lemon, and fresh dill. It gets a wonderful flavor boost from miso paste, proving that healthy recipes for weight loss can still taste great. (via Love and Lemons Every Day for Brit + Co)

Authentic Fattoush Salad

If weight loss is your goal, you really can't go wrong with a salad. Don't make the mistake of building yourself a bland bowl, though: follow this easy recipe for Fattoush Salad that's boosted with a variety of fresh veggies and crunchy, satisfying pita chips instead! (via Forks & Foliage for Brit + Co)

Grilled Harissa Shrimp with Chickpea-Dill Tomato Sauce

Protein lovers are gonna go crazy for this healthy shrimp dish. The best part is it only takes 30 minutes to prepare! Dinner is served. (via Brit + Co)

Simple Walnut-Crusted Salmon

Salmon is super nutritious – it's packed with omega 3's, which can help reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and decrease your risk for disease. You'll get a nice dose of protein, too, which will help you feel fuller for longer. This fish is coated in a yummy, honey mustard-infused walnut crust that turns deliciously crispy after baking. (via 100 Days of Real Food for Brit + Co)

Farrotto with Butternut Squash

This vegan and vegetarian-friendly recipe deserves a spot in your weight loss meal plan. It's like your typical creamy risotto, but made with farro instead: a healthy grain that's loaded up with lotsa fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. (via Earthly Provisions)

Coconut Rice Veggie Bowls

Chances are, you've got a bag of jasmine rice sitting in your pantry right this very moment. Make use of it to craft these delicious rice bowls topped with green goodness. (via Completely Delicious)

Tofu Quinoa Stir Fry

This healthy recipe for weight loss swaps the typical rice for quinoa, and tofu for animal-based protein to make each bite a lil' bit lighter. It still tastes divine, plus it'll save you from a pricey takeout bill on the nights you really don't feel like cooking: it only takes 30 minutes to make! (via A Virtual Vegan)

Grilled Pesto Zucchini Stuffed with Tomatoes and Orzo

This Mediterranean-inspired dish has it all: healthy grains, fresh veg, and a huge punch of flavor, thanks to the pesto. It's a great way to make use of zucchini, especially in the summer when it's in season. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Vegan Cauliflower Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps of any kind make great healthy recipes for weight loss, but this cauliflower version really takes the cake since it's sheet pan-friendly and totally vegan. Def adding this one to our lunch repertoire! (via The Edgy Veg)

Vegan Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Searching for some good, no-cook healthy recipes for weight loss? Consider your search over. This nutritious chickpea salad – packed with Mediterranean flavors, no less – is a great dish for getting all your veggies in. It also holds up well as a meal prepped lunch! (via Crowded Kitchen)

Grilled Chili Peach Chicken

Prep this 10-minute chicken to add flavor to healthy wraps, salads, and grain bowls. The mix of sweet and savory is everything. (via Averie Cooks)

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

We're salivating just looking at this bowl of white chicken chili. There's truly no shortage of flavor in this protein-rich recipe! Plus, you have options: you can use the stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot to make it. (via The Real Food Dietitians)

Warm Farro Kale Salad

Healthy veg? Check. Tangy feta? Check. Hearty dinner? Check. This is one of those salads that doesn't necessarily feel like a salad, since it's served warm and has plenty of ingredients to fill your tummy, like cauliflower, farro, and walnuts. (via Hello Little Home)

Turkey Hummus Wrap with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Got some leftover turkey from Thanksgiving? Use up what's left by making these easy, healthy, and delicious lunch wraps. With turkey and hummus, your meal will be bulked up with a good amount of protein to keep you feelin' full throughout the day. (via Whole and Heavenly Oven)

Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Tortilla soup will never not be comforting AF. This iteration is super healthy since it calls for low-sodium chicken broth and tons of veg. You can easily use a rotisserie chicken for this to help speed up the cooking process. The best part? You're gonna have plenty of leftovers to eat on. (via Kathryn's Kitchen)

Sweet Potato & Broccoli Rabe Sheet Pan Dinner with Ginger Peanut Sauce

Sheet pan meals are simply amazing, saving you considerable time prepping dinner (and cleaning up after it). We love how colorful this recipe is! The zingy ginger-peanut sauce truly makes it a standout in terms of healthy recipes for weight loss. (via The First Mess)

Kale Pear Salad with Candied Walnuts

Though you might feel a bit hesitant to start mixing in sweeter ingredients with something that's typically savory (like a salad), this dish packed with dried cranberries, candied walnuts, and tangy blue cheese will definitely change your mind. Load up a big bowl for yourself to soak in all the fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins it has to offer! (via Feel Good Foodie)

Teriyaki BBQ Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Because, truly, what's more fun than eating your dinner off of a stick? These shrimp skewers are light, yet flavorful. Pair 'em with some brown rice to incorporate a healthy grain and complete the meal. (via A Spicy Perspective)

Easy Japchae

Japchae (AKA Korean glass noodle stir fry) hosts a whole rainbow of veggies, protein-ful egg, and small pieces of tender beef to fill you up. With this recipe, you'll be cheffing it up just like your local takeout joint in no time. (via Takes Two Eggs)

Greek Chicken Bowls with Toasted Pearl Couscous

CAVA, who?! These Greek chicken bowls present some pretty hot competition for one of our fave food chains. They're healthy and filling, plus totally customizable in terms of the toppings. (via Barley & Sage)

So let’s start from the beginning. Paris Geller (played by Liza Weil) joined the GG crew in Season 1, right as Rory Gilmore (the show’s sort-of protagonist) walked into Chilton Academy, a private school where Paris was attending, for her first day. A far cry from Rory’s relatively timid and soft-spoken personality, Paris tore up the screen with her high-strung personality and immediate rivalry with Rory (Rory did not feel the same), who Paris viewed as the only candidate who could possibly challenge her spot at the top of the class standing. As the year progresses, the two become friends, which of course Paris still highly questioned.

The rest of their high school experience is plagued with repeated ups and downs, from Paris’s parents’ highly publicized divorce to their joint student government campaign and, most notably, Paris’s C-SPAN meltdown, courtesy of a Harvard rejection fueled by what she can only assume to be wide-spread knowledge that she lost her virginity. Despite losing the Valedictorian slot to Rory (which Paris comes to terms with after finding out Salutatorians tend to be more successful), Paris walks across the graduation stage and accepts her diploma from the school’s headmaster, to which she iconically quips, “no hard feelings.”

Fast forward to Paris’s first year at Yale, a school she knew Rory was attending but had no intention of ever seeing again. Not to the surprise of Paris’s life coach, the two frenemies were placed together as suitemates, a pairing that ultimately served as a catalyst for lifelong friendship. Throughout college, Paris pursues pre-med and pre-law degrees, joins the Yale Daily News alongside Rory, dates an elderly professor (he passes away, leaving Paris to grieve), moves on with the editor of the Yale Daily News, Doyle McMaster, and potentially saves Rory from abandoning Yale forever by admitting to Lorelai that Rory is the only person who ever listened to her, challenged her and motivated her.

Paris then proceeds to become the editor of the Yale Daily News, a position in which her power-hungry tendencies took full-force, resulting in a forcible resignation, kick Rory out of their shared apartment, let Rory move back into their shared apartment (now with Doyle), be accepted to a slew of prestigious medical and law schools. She ultimately chose to attend med school and break up with Doyle, to which he refused, and tells Rory that they’re on their own but she can still do great things (Of course this doesn’t last, the two are meant to be best friends.)

Somehow this doesn't even scratch the surface of the character of Paris. As you can tell, Paris is a fiercely loyal, protective woman who fights for herself to no end. She (literally) doesn’t care what other people think (so long as they’re not within her immediate circle) and never stops pursuing her dreams, no matter how many times she probably should have. She is the epitome of feminism in modern television — perhaps taken to an extreme — and serves as a necessary counterweight to Rory’s floundering sense of self.

So long as she keeps her need for perfectionism in check, Paris has one of those few personality types whose wild ambition and outspokenness is directly beneficial to her success, a success that she, and only she, can define. Sure, she has an exaggerated sense of self-importance, but when balanced by Rory’s soft-but-straightforward approach, Paris can quickly reset, reevaluate and move forward.

That's the thing with Paris — she’s always moving forward. She doesn't get into Harvard? Tough. She takes a few days to wallow before considering her other options: Yale, Columbia and Princeton. She doesn’t know whether to choose med school or law school, so she takes stock of her bearings, reflects on her past dreams, and makes a clear, concise decision that she moves forward with.

Her brutally honest nature (both internally and externally) is exactly why Paris works. She’s generous when needed, comfortable with giving tough (and oftentimes tougher) love, is able to express vulnerability with the people she loves, doesn’t allow outside influences to affect her path and never let’s someone (especially a man) tell her she’s less than (*cough, cough*—Rory). For an early 2000s show, she showed women that there is power in education. There’s power in stepping away from a caretaker role. There’s power in expressing your opinion, no matter your age.

There’s no doubt in my mind that she’s inspired countless women over the years — after all, she’s inspired me! Even though she’s had her controversial moments, she’s always been a cheering voice for women, even if it’s behind her resting grimace. For these reasons, and so many more, I am hereby deeming Paris Geller the best of Gilmore Girls — the heroine, perhaps, and a feminist icon to all.