12 Non-Traditional Recipe Ideas for Your Holiday Party

Baked Eggs in Butternut Squash Rings

Yummy Thanksgiving Appetizers can be as cute as they are scrumptious — like these Baked Eggs in Butternut Squash Rings recipe form Lisa Steele, author of The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook. Here's how you make it:

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh sage for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash the squash and cut crosswise into six 3/4- to 1-inch slices. Scoop out the seeds and hollow out the middle of each slice to allow room for an egg.
2. Arrange the squash on the baking sheet and brush each ring with olive oil inside and out, then season with salt and pepper. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 minutes, until the squash has softened. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and gently crack and slide 1 egg into the center of each squash ring. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and return to the oven. Bake about 8 minutes, until the egg whites are set and the yolks are firm but not fully set.
3. Use a spatula to slide the squash rings onto plates. Top with Parmesan, garnish with fresh sage, and drizzle with olive oil.

Easy Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are such a reliable crowd-pleaser when it comes to Thanksgiving appetizer, or starters for any occasion, really! These 'shrooms in particular take inspiration from Greek cuisine and include tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, feta cheese, and salami.

Italian Savory Hand Pies

These hand pies are 100% vegan, so you can confidently serve them to a party of all diets. They're meaty, cheesy, herby, and definitely filling if you need to prep a decent snack ahead of your fancy Thanksgiving feast.

Chocolate-Covered Cheese Bites

Chocolate and cheese work surprisingly well together, and these creative dipped bites will certainly have all the foodies at the function buzzing.

Butternut Squash and Bacon Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are such a classic snack, but they can easily become yummy Thanksgiving appetizers when you add butternut squash and bacon to the centers!

Perfect Fall Cheese Board

Transform your famous charcuterie board with fall accents to make a Thanksgivingappetizer that'll hit all the right taste buds.

Sausage, Spinach and Mushroom Phyllo Cups

Don't you just love a bite-sized snack that's super quick to make?

Mushroom Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Should your guests craves something that's creamy and crunchy, serve them these bready Thanksgiving appetizers.

Baked French Onion Meatballs

What do you get when you combine the savory flavors of French onion soup and meatballs? We'll give you a hint — it has something to do with being irresistible.

Cheesy Bacon Holiday Crack

Warning: biting into these sweet, spicy, crispy, and cheesy chips is the point of no return, but it's so worth it.

Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

Two-ingredient appetizers are always a winner in our book, and this one is extra hearty.

Candied Walnut Bruschetta

Candied walnuts are excellent on their own, so imagine how they taste with pears and goat cheese on toast.

Crock-Pot Honey Garlic Little Smokies

Soy sauce and brown sugar coat these mini hot dogs, and a touch of Sriracha makes them even more spice-tastic.

Roasted Carrot Hummus

Carrots and cinnamon are blended with classic hummus ingredients for a healthy dip to pair with pita chips. The pomegranate and pumpkin seed garnish really ups the presentation of this Thanksgiving appetizer.

Caesar Salad Wonton Cups

Keep a package of wonton wrappers in the fridge, and you’ll never have to worry about what snacks to prep next for your party guests! This recipe stuffs the wraps with Caesar salad fixings, but the options are endless.

Chili and Rosemary Roasted Nuts

Even if you don’t have a ton of time, you can easily roast up a batch of these smoky mixed nuts before your guests arrive.

French Onion Soup Toasts

Turn French onion soup into a convenient appetizer with crusty bread, sautéed onions, and smoky cheese! Yummm.

Raspberry Baked Brie

Smooth goat cheese and tart raspberry preserves are a match made in snack heaven. The crispy puff pastry layer makes it all worth it.

Smoked Cheese and Onion Straws

If you have cheese lingering in your deli drawer, it’s the beginning of a tasty appetizer. Sprinkle it into some puff pastry for a twisty "straw" you'll reach for again and again.

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bites

The combo of chicken, bacon, and barbecue sauce results in a Thanksgiving appetizer that's almost impossible to stop eating.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Bacon and Cheddar

Smokey bacon and salty, nutty cheddar top some earthy mushrooms for a new version of this classic stuffed app.

Garlic-Stuffed Olives-in-a-Blanket

If you have vegetarian guests coming to your party, you’ll want to have a tasty option for them. These olives in a "blanket" do the trick nicely! As a bonus, most store-bought crescent roll dough is vegan.

Best Cheese Ball

There's a reason why sharp cheddar cheese balls are a classic Thanksgiving appetizer. Serve them with buttery Ritz crackers to reach total snack nirvana.

Whipped Goat Cheese with Warm Candied Bacon and Dates

Sweet and savory, this goat cheese dip is perfect for dipping crostini and vegetables in.

Savory Roasted Cranberry Salsa

Top a cracker with sour cream (or brie or goat cheese) and spread on this cranberry salsa for a light, yet spicy-sweet bite.

Pear and Gouda Puff Pastry

Pear really finds its life's purpose when it's tucked into a square of puff pastry and topped with salty gouda cheese.

Christmas Appetizer Ideas

Bacon Pastry Twists with Beer Cheese

While cradling a cocktail in one hand, an easy-to-grab appetizer is essential. These flaky, cheesy bacon twists are both easy and delicious to dunk in a three-cheese beer dip. (via Brit + Co)

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Bites

A red and green holiday treat without sugary sprinkles? Count us in. These phyllo shells are filled with whipped pesto cream cheese and topped with basil and sun-dried tomatoes for some yummy Christmas food. (via Well Plated by Erin)

Cranberry Goat Cheese Balls

These cranberry goat cheese balls are the perfect balance of salty and sweet — a definite crowd-pleaser for any Christmas dinner! (via Chef Genevieve)

Holiday Crostini Trio

Spread avocado, mascarpone, and provolone onto toasted baguette slices for a tasty appetizer, and top away for three versatile holiday food ideas that will please any palate at your holiday party. (via The Baking Fairy)

Honey Almond Baked Brie

Add this this gooey, sweet, and salty baked brie to your Christmas dinner menu and guests will gather around it like it's a fireplace on a cold day. (via The Seasoned Mom)

Christmas Food Ideas For Side Dishes

Sesame Shrimp Pastry Puffs

The seafood lover in your home will be elated to munch on these sweet and umami-rich (thanks to the oyster sauce) sesame shrimps blanketed in buttery puff pastry. You'll definitely want to add this dish to your best Christmas recipes list! (via Brit + Co)

Cheesy Sweet Potato Gratin

This savory combination of sage, gruyère cheese, and heavy cream is here to make sweet potato casserole even more indulgent. This is definitely one of our favorite Christmas dinner ideas. (via Brit + Co)

Healthy Butternut Squash Salad

Fill your guests' bellies with the seasonal flavors of butternut squash, apple cider, and pecans. The bacon is just the icing on the cake, so to speak. (via Sarah Anderson for Brit + Co)

Romanesco Christmas Trees with Parmesan "Snow"

Turn Romanesco broccolis into snow-capped trees with just six ingredients in this healthy yet cheesy dish for your next party. (via Brit + Co)

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

Nothing will warm you to your toes quite like a good soup, and whipping one up in the slow cooker can save you time, mess, and energy. This French onion creation is a perennial favorite. (via Brit + Co)

Waffle Iron Latkes

These latkes make the perfect addition to any celebration, and the best part is how easy they are! From an apple butter topping to pomegranate and Greek yogurt, there's something for everyone. (via Brit + Co)

Cornmeal Biscuits with Cheddar, Chives, and Jalapeños

These slightly spicy biscuits are ideal for soaking up all that gravy goodness. (via Brit + Co)

Taco Salad

Okay, you might be thinking, "why in the world would someone serve taco salad at Christmas?" But hear us out – this recipe is full of delicious veggies, and it's just brimming with color. Keep things red and green to stay festive, or go all-out with every color of the rainbow. (via The Girl on Bloor for Brit + Co)

Crispy Leaf Potatoes with Rosemary Butter

If ever there were a bulletproof case for buying a mandoline, it's these potatoes, which are sliced chip-thin, layered upright in a baking dish, and gloriously bathed in salty rosemary butter. (via Rasa Malaysia)

Cozy Pumpkin Curry

If you're looking for vegan Christmas recipes, look no further than this warming, insanely delicious, and seasonal pumpkin curry. Just leave out the fish sauce to make it fully plant-based! (via Sarah Anderson for Brit + Co)

5-Ingredient Christmas Salad

A complicated salad is the last thing you need to worry about when picking out Christmas dinner recipes. This palate-cleansing dish is simply butter lettuce, pomegranate seeds, and a white wine vinaigrette. (via My Kitchen Love)

Main Dish Ideas For A Christmas Feast

If you're tasked with cooking the bird this holiday season, look no further than this foolproof roast turkey recipe. (via Brit + Co)

Beef Short Ribs with Vegetables

Make a statement with a delicious short rib recipe that's cozy, filling, and features an unbelievable wine sauce. Everyone will be talking about it until next Christmas. (via Baldacci Family Vineyards for Brit + Co)

Cranberry Glazed Turkey

Make your turkey extra-special with a delicious cranberry-pomegranate glaze everyone is sure to adore. (via Sarah Anderson for Brit + Co)

Roasted Chicken with Carrots

For a Christmas dinner or otherwise, every home cook needs a roast chicken recipe in their back pocket. Start with this step-by-step recipe, which shows you how to stuff, truss, roast, and baste the bird until juicy and golden brown. (via Simply Recipes)

Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork Loin with Apple and Rice Stuffing

This dish combines a classic holiday side with a crowd-pleasing main, and it's wrapped in prosciutto for a show-stopping finish. (via Host The Toast)

Creamy Tortellini Vegetable Soup

Pasta doesn't get enough credit when it comes to holiday recipes, but nothing's cozier than a delicious bowl of warm tortellini. Except tortellini soup, that is! (via Half Baked Harvest for Brit + Co)

Roast Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms and White Wine Cream Sauce

This melt-in-your-mouth holiday meal is cooked in one pan in under an hour. Sauté mushrooms in an oven-safe skillet, put the beef on top, roast, rest, and make a cheesy, herby cream sauce with the pan drippings. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Turkey Roulade with Apple Cranberry Stuffing

This dish is all about texture, from the crispy bacon coat to the tender turkey in the middle and soft stuffing interior. This is one Christmas dinner recipe you won't want to miss out on. (via Boulder Locavore)

Delicious Christmas Dessert Ideas

Keto Eggnog

Got guests who are committed to the low-carb lifestyle? This keto eggnog is the perfect dessert to serve the carb-conscious. (via Annelies Zijderveld for Brit + Co)

Peppermint Bark

This easy peppermint bark recipe is so simple to make, you'll have plenty of time on your hands for more ambitious endeavors — like cooking the turkey. (via Jessica Smith Wall for Brit + Co)

Holiday Puppy Chow

Your go-to sweet treat gets a festive upgrade when you add in red and green candy! Bonus points if you have a red or green bowl to put it in. (via Brit + Co)

Jacques Torres' Chocolate Chip Cookies

No surprise here: the secret to Torres' high-quality chocolate chip cookies is high quality ingredients, like butter, flour, and chocolate. Letting the dough age for 24 hours and sprinkling it with sea salt at the end doesn't hurt, either. (via Jacques Torres for Brit + Co)

3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

When it's your first year hostessing, the simpler you can keep your Christmas dinner recipes, the better. That's why we're huge fans of these 3-ingredient vegan Christmas cookies. (via From Eat Your Feelings by Lindsey Smith for Brit + Co)

Baked Hot Chocolate Donuts

Donuts are an all-purpose treat that can serve as Christmas breakfast, brunch, or dessert. This baked hot chocolate-inspired version doesn't require any special tools to make and is uber delicious. (via Half Baked Harvest for Brit + Co)

Dulce de Leche Cream-Filled Churro Donuts

These six-ingredient donuts, made with biscuit dough, have a cinnamon-y exterior and a rich dulce de leche filling that pairs wonderfully with Mexican hot chocolate. (via Brit + Co)

Eggnog French Toast

Another recipe you can serve as a Christmas dinner or brunch is this sweet French toast. The secret to nailing that 'nog flavor is the nutmeg and vanilla combo. Yum. (via St Pierre Bakery for Brit + Co)

Easy Vegan Slow Cooker Hot Cocoa

Give your oven and your plates a break and add this dairy-free hot chocolate to your easy Christmas dinner menu, or enjoy with Christmas waffles! Add all ingredients to the slow cooker, and let the gadget do the rest for you. (via Justina Huddleston for Brit + Co)

Champagne Ice Cream

This egg-free, celebration-worthy holiday dinner idea gets its creaminess from cream cheese and, better yet, its booziness from sparkling wine. (via Brit + Co)

Cinnamon Roll Pecan Pie

We call this pie holiday crack for a reason (or two): the pie crust is made of mini cinnamon rolls and the pecan filling is buttery on the verge of illegal, which definitely makes it one of our favorite holiday dishes. (via Brit + Co)

Easy Spiced Hot Fruit Bake

Hear that? That's a scoop of ice cream begging to top this sweet tray of apple, pear, cranberry, pineapple, and gluten-free dessert. (via Cotter Crunch)

What is The Chosen season 5 about?

The Chosen Season 5 Plot

Season 5 of The Chosen picks up right where season 4 leaves off: with Jesus entering Jerusalem for Passover, with "The people of Israel welcome Jesus as king while his disciples anticipate his crowning," according to the official synopsis. And when Jesus calls out the religious leaders of the day, they decide to "go to any length to ensure this Passover meal is Jesus’ last."

And the major question of the season, according to Dallas, is "What happens in the course of just a few days that causes people to go from worshipping him to wanting him killed?” he tells USA Today.

Is Jesus crucified in season 5 of The Chosen?

No, The Chosen season 5 won't feature Good Friday, or the crucifixion, because we know that's coming in The Chosen season 6. Dallas Jenkins told Deadline that the crucifixion will come in "season six and the resurrection will occur in season seven. Spoiler alert!" He also told Variety that "the entire Season 6 will cover one day, so covering one week in Season 5 feels luxurious.”

That is CRAZY! If the entire multi-episode season will revolve around Good Friday, then we could see it from a variety of characters' points of view. I've always been so heartbroken by the emotions and devastation that came after Jesus' crucifixion, and it looks like The Chosen season 6 won't shy away from that.

Dallas also reveals the season 5 finale will end right before Jesus' arrest, which came in the middle of the night between Thursday and Friday. And he promises "no one’s ever seen what we’ve got planned for that sequence." Season 3 featured Pontius Pilate's wife dreaming about the Garden and a snake, which feels like it could come full circle.

When is The Chosen season 5 coming out?

The Chosen Season 5 Release Date

The Chosen season 5 will premiere in theaters on March 27, 2025 and will release over the course of four weeks before streaming on The Chosen app where viewers can watch it for free.

Who's in the cast?

The Chosen Season 5 Cast

The cast of The Chosen season 5 includes Jonathan Roumie, Shahar Isaac, Paras Patel, Elizabeth Tabish, Noah James, George H. Xanthis, Abe Bueno-Jallad, Jordan Walker Ross, Giavani Cairo, Joey Vahedi, Alaa Safi, Reza Diako, Austin Reed Alleman, Vanessa Benavente, Lara Silva, Luke Dimyan, Amber Shana Williams, and Yasmine Al-Bustami.

How many seasons of The Chosen are being made?

There will be a total of seven seasons of The Chosen. Since season 5 is coming out in 2025 after season 4 in 2024, we can expect season 6 in 2026 and season 7 in 2027.

Why did Philip leave The Chosen?

If you watch seasons 2 and 3 of The Chosen and then start season 4, you might realize one of the disciples looks different. That's because Yoshi Barrigas (who originally played Philip) ended up leaving the show, and was replaced by Reza Diakos.

"For professional and personal reasons I will no longer be a part of The Chosen," he said on Instagram at the time. "First and foremost I want to thank you, the fans. Our connection and your constant showering of love and support has seeded me with a warmth that will forever nourish me. Meeting you out in the world and hearing how the show has personally enriched your lives continues to be the connective tissue between me and the good folk of this world. You inspire me to continue to die to self and discover The Way. I hope you continue to follow my journey. I have a lot more to share with you."