A couple of weeks ago someone asked me what my ideal holiday menu would consist of, and it got me thinking. Fast forward to today, and I brought that menu to life with gluten-free recipes that are a little bit fancier than my normal picks, but remain simple and doable. The holidays always feel like a good time to put together recipes that you might not normally make—like a maple balsamic pot roast with brown butter mashed potatoes—to try something new and impress your friends and family. This menu is designed to do just that. Either follow the entire menu or choose just 1 or 2 recipes that spark your interest. Whatever you choose, I can’t wait to hear about it!
What you’ll find in this newsletter:
the complete holiday menu
4 full recipes with ingredients and instructions
a bonus drink recipe depending on what your holiday vibe is
What are you looking forward to making this holiday? I want to hear your faves!
The recipes
chicken pesto parm pull apart sliders
Ingredients:
1 package Hawaiian rolls (gluten-free or regular) I used Canyon Bakehouse
1/4 cup pesto
3/4 cup marinara or vodka sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 tbsp salted butter (or vegan butter), melted
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley leaves
1 tbsp basil leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400F. Cut the Hawaiian rolls in half through the middle (horizontally) to separate into a top and bottom part. Set the top part aside.
Place the bottom half of the rolls on a sheet pan and coat with the pesto (use a kitchen brush if you have one, or mix in olive oil if it’s too hard to spread). Bake until lightly toasted, 4 to 6 minutes.
Spread the marinara sauce all over on top of the pesto, then evenly sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and rotisserie chicken on top. Place the top half of the rolls back on top and bake until the cheese is melted and top is golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk the melted butter, garlic, basil, and parsley together in a small bowl. Brush the mixture all over the top of the rolls and return to the oven to toast for another 2 minutes.
Cool on the sheet pan for about 10 minutes, then serve as pull-apart bread or separate into the 12 individual sandwiches.
maple balsamic pot roast with brown butter mashed potatoes
Ingredients:
For the pot roast
3-3.5-pound boneless beef chuck roast
Kosher salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
4 large carrots, diced
4 celery ribs, diced
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons tapioca flour or arrowroot starch (can sub corn starch or flour)
4 cups low-sodium beef broth (can sub for 2 cups red wine, 2 cups beef broth)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3 fresh thyme sprigs
3 fresh rosemary sprigs
For the mashed potatoes
6 tbsp salted butter
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 1/2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2tsp kosher salt, additional to taste
1 cup whole milk (can sub soy or coconut milk)
Ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Prepare the pot roast:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and generously season the chuck roast all over with salt and black pepper.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the roast and sear on all 4 sides until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside on a large plate, leaving the oil behind.
In the same dutch oven, add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring often and scraping up the brown bits from the pot, until tender and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Mix in the tapioca flour and cook while stirring constantly until absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the beef broth, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup while stirring constantly to prevent flour clumps.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then continue simmering until reduced into a thick liquid, 15 to 18 minutes. Salt to taste.
Place the roast in the center of the dutch oven, add the thyme and rosemary sprigs (best if tied with twine and pushed down under the liquid), cover, and transfer to the oven on the center rack. Cook until the roast is tender enough to shred easily, about 3 hours and 15 minutes. Remove the lid and turn over the roast, then place back in the oven (uncovered) and cook until the top is brown and the liquid has thickened, 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove the thyme and rosemary and discard. Serve over the brown butter mashed potatoes (recipe below).
Brown butter mashed potatoes:
Add the butter to a large pot over medium-low heat. Once the butter has nearly melted, add the garlic and heat until the butter turns brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Note: Watch the butter closely, this process can happen very quickly. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl, carefully scoop out the minced garlic (a fork or slotted spoon works great here), leaving the butter, and add it back to the pot. Set aside the bowl with the brown butter.
To the pot with the garlic, add the cubed potatoes, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Fill the pot with water until the potatoes are fully submerged. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, 11 to 14 minutes.
Strain the potatoes and garlic, then add to the bowl with the brown butter. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher (or a fork) until nearly smooth. Pour in the milk and continue mashing until it is fully absorbed. Note: This must be done while the potatoes are still hot in order for the liquid to fully absorb.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then serve.
gluten-free hot chocolate cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 cup chopped dairy-free chocolate, plus additional for topping
1/4 cup dairy-free butter (can use ghee or butter)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup mini marshmallows, for topping
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line two large sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
In a glass bowl, microwave the chocolate in 15-second increments until melted, stirring in between each increment. Stir in the butter to combine and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the coconut sugar and continue whisking until it’s fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla, then pour in the melted chocolate and butter mixture and stir to incorporate, until there are no streaks left.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a thick but wet batter forms.
Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the batter into 16 cookies. Evenly space the cookies 1-inch apart.
Bake until spread out with crisp tops, 6 to 7 minutes, then remove and carefully place a couple mini marshmallows and chocolate pieces on top of each cookie. Return to the oven until the marshmallows are lightly golden, another 3 to 4 minutes. Cool completely on the sheet pan before serving.
Storage: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 4 days.
Notes: Batter for these cookies is wet similar to brownie batter, that’s okay! trust the process on this one, it makes for airy, soft cookies.
mint mocha espresso “martini”
Ingredients:
2 double espresso shots (4oz brewed espresso)
2oz non-alcoholic clear spirit (optional), (can sub vodka)
1 cup light coconut milk
1 tablespoons maple syrup
1 packet mint chocolate LMNT electrolytes (can sub for 2oz chocolate syrup or 2oz chocolate liquor)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For garnish:
1/3 cup chocolate chips, melted, or 1/3 cup chocolate syrup
shaved dark chocolate (optional)
shaved coconut flakes (optional)
Instructions:
Prep the glasses: dip the glass top down into the melted chocolate or chocolate syrup and turn to evenly coat the rim. Set aside to chill for 5-10 minutes to set the chocolate.
Meanwhile, brew the espresso shots, then cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
In a small glass, whisk the espresso and LMNT (if using) until combined. Add the espresso and LMNT, coconut milk, N.A. spirit (if using), maple syrup, vanilla, and two ice cubes to a blender. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, 20 to 30 seconds.
Evenly divide among 2 glasses and top with shaved chocolate, if desired.
If using a shaker: prior to mixing, melt any solid parts of the coconut milk, then add all ingredients to a shaker along with 2 ice cubes. Shake until combined.
Notes: Too much ice can make the coconut milk harden when using a shaker, to avoid this, use 2 small or 1 large ice cube, or omit. Using a shaker may not achieve as smooth of a drink as blending, if you want a super smooth drink, the blending method is preferable.
If you’re looking for an alternate mocktail recipe (think fresh, festive, punch vibes) check out this recipe for a sparkling pom spritz.
🍞 watch the recipe video for the pesto chicken parm pull-apart sliders
🍸 watch the recipe video for the mint mocha espresso “martini”
🎄 if you’re looking for more holiday recipe inspo, check out last week’s newsletter
I hope you all have a lovely holiday, and be sure to stay tuned over on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to see what I have for y’all this upcoming week!
Thank you, Jenn! The maple balsamic pot roast and garlic potatoes were delicious & my family loved them! So fun to prepare!
The Maple Balsamic Pot Roast was a big hit with my daughter who doesn’t like pot roast. This one is amazing. The meat was very moist and everyone loved it.