It’s the most wonderful time of the year and things are starting to feel festive around the Sims household! While I don’t claim to be a master chef, I do tend to go all out in the kitchen for the holidays. There’s just nothing I love more than a healthy, home-cooked holiday dinner! So today I dug up five of my all-time favorite holiday recipes from the MollySims.com archives to share with you all. Just click the name of the dish for the full recipe, and let me know what you think if you try them!

1. Healthy Brined and Roasted Turkey

There are dozens of ways to cook a turkey, but you really can’t go wrong with my friend Gavan Murphy’s brined and roasted bird. It’s so flavorful, perfectly moist, and healthy too!

2. Hot Cranberry Salad

This is my favorite dish to make for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. I’ve been making it for years and it’s always a huge hit!

3. Persimmon Butter Lettuce Salad

This is another one of my favorite dishes from Chef Gavan Murphy. It’s a fantastic way to make use of persimmons, which are in season during the fall and winter months.

4. Healthy Homemade Butternut Squash Soup

Nothing warms my heart and belly during the holidays like a piping hot bowl of made-from-scratch soup! This was one of the first recipes I experimented with when I was learning to cook.

5. My Mama’s Red Velvet Cake

Can’t forget dessert, can we? This red velvet recipe was passed down to me from my mama, and it’s my ultimate favorite dessert.

What are your favorite dishes to make around the holidays?

I’d love it if you shared them with me!

Love, Molly

Red velvet cake photo: Bakerella