Food is central to any family gathering. Many families stick to time-tested recipes that everyone looks forward to each year, but others change it up.

Keep it classic

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2-by-2 dressing

My mother-in-law's dressing recipe is easy to remember because it's just two of everything: two types of eggs, two types of bread, two types of onions, etc. Feel free to make the measurements your own — the art of making dressing is an abstract one.

Ingredients

• 1 9-by-13-inch pan of cornbread
• 2 slices of toasted white bread or leftover biscuits
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 6–8 green onions, chopped (green and white parts)
• 2 boiled eggs, finely chopped
• 3 raw eggs
• Salt and pepper
• Chicken broth
• 2 sticks butter, one for the onion and one for top of stuffing

Preparation

Crumble corn bread in large bowl. Cook onion in a stick of butter for 3 minutes in the microwave.

Add all ingredients to crumbled cornbread. Add chicken broth until soupy and thin, mixing by hand and breaking up lumps of bread.

Spray a large baking pan with cooking spray and fill with dressing mix. Add slices of butter across the top.

Bake at 350 degrees until slightly firm and browned, about 45–55 minutes.

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Sausage and cheese balls

My mom always makes these sausage and cheese balls to eat on Christmas morning while we drink wassail. Like many cooks, she doesn't have set measurements, but just knows when it's right.

Ingredients

• 1 pound sausage roll, hot or mild
• Buttermilk
• 1 cup self-rising flour, plus more if needed
• 1 16-ounce block of extra sharp cheese, grated

Preparation

Brown the sausage. Do not drain. Place sausage with the grease in a large bowl. Add flour and almost all of the block of cheese. Add buttermilk a little at a time until the mixture becomes doughy and doesn't leave much dough on hands when touched.

If it becomes too wet, add more flour. If it becomes too dry, add more buttermilk. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15–20 minutes, until balls are firm to the touch and slightly browned on bottom.

Wassaill

• 1 gallon apple cider or apple juice
• 3 oranges
• Cloves
• 1 cup sugar (can be substituted with honey)
• 3–4 cinnamon sticks

Preparation

Poke the oranges all around with the cloves. Place all ingredients in a pot on the stove or in a large slow cooker. Serve warm.

Classic Gravy

Ingredients

• Pan juices from the turkey and roasting pan
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 cups turkey or chicken broth
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

Strain the pan juices into a fat separator or bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Skim and discard the fat from the surface; set the juices aside.

Place the empty roasting pan over 2 burners over medium-high heat. Add the wine and cook, stirring and scraping to dissolve any bits stuck to the pan, for 2 minutes. Add the butter and melt. Sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Still stirring, slowly add first the broth, then 1 cup of the reserved juices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently until the gravy has thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and season with the salt and pepper. Strain just before serving.

Note: If your gravy is too thin, whisk 2 teaspoons cornstarch into 2 teaspoons cold water, or combine 1 tablespoon room-temperature butter with 1 tablespoon flour to form a paste. Whisk into 4 to 5 cups of barely simmering gravy and cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens. If your gravy is too thick: add more of the reserved pan juices or warmed turkey or chicken broth, 1 tablespoon at a time. Or try a splash of a flavorful fortified wine, such as Madeira or sherry.

Quick gravy

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 cups turkey broth
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

Melt butter in pan over medium heat.

Add flour, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, allowing mixture to turn light brown but not burn.

Add broth, salt and pepper and continue to stir for 3 minutes. Sauce should be getting thicker. Move to serving bowl.

Change it up

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Homemade chicken noodle soup

Lots of people get sick over the holidays. Maybe it's the stress caused by travel, finding the perfect gift for loved ones or just the time of year, but illness is common around Christmastime. Instead of only having rich options like ham and dressing, make some homemade chicken noodle soup ahead of time and keep it in the freezer so you'll have a comforting, mild option for upset stomachs or picky eaters.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 small potato, diced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1/2 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped (optional)
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (homemade poultry seasoning recipe below)
• 4 14-ounce cans chicken broth (or homemade broth from cooking whole chicken)
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
• 4 ounces egg noodles
• 2 cups cooked chicken, mix of dark and white meat

Preparation

Season a whole chicken with poultry seasoning or just salt and pepper and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours in a slow cooker, until the meat reaches 160 degrees. Refrigerate chicken in a zip-top bag until ready to use. Store the broth in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

When ready to make the soup, melt butter in large pot and saute the celery, carrot and onion for 2 minutes.

Add potato, thyme, poultry seasoning, chicken broth and bouillon. Bring to a boil.

Add noodles and chicken and cook on low for 20 minutes.

Homemade poultry seasoning

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried parsley
• 1 cup rubbed sage
• 1/2 cup dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/2 cup dried marjoram
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sage

Preparation

Combine all ingredients and place in an airtight glass jar. Shake well before using.

Bonus: this mix looks great in half-pint Mason jars if you're looking for a quick, inexpensive Christmas gift to give a friend or relative who loves to cook.

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Baked fish with oranges and green onions

Some families will be tired of ham, turkey and dressing by the time Christmas rolls around. Try this easy recipe for fish baked in parchment paper — it's fast, different and looks beautiful.

Ingredients

• 2 pieces of mild white fish
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup diced, cooked (microwave for 4-5 minutes, then peel) butternut squash, 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved (optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup drained canned diced tomatoes
• 8 green onions, white and green parts
• 4 tablespoons chicken stock
• 4 thin orange slices
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme (substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme)

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 2 16-inch squares cooking parchment paper or foil.

Season both sides of fish with cinnamon, salt and pepper; place 1 piece each onto middle of parchment paper. For each piece, top with half the butternut squash, olives, olive oil, tomatoes and green onions; season with a pinch more salt and pepper. Pour 2 tablespoons stock over each, then top with half the orange slices and thyme.

To make packets, roll and crimp opposite sides of parchment paper together over fish and vegetables, then roll and crimp ends to prevent steam from escaping. Place packets on cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Transfer packets to plates for serving.

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Stuffed Tomatoes

Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients

• 16 Campari tomatoes
• 1/4 cup green olives, chopped
• 1/4 cup capers, chopped
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Wash tomatoes. Slice a thin circle around the top of each tomato; remove and discard the top. Remove and save the inside of the tomatoes, chop the inside tomato parts and place in a bowl, including the juice of the tomatoes. Add chopped green olives and capers. Mix together with the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Using a spoon, stuff the inside of each tomato with the mixture in the bowl. Chill in refrigerator. Serve, step back and enjoy the stampede!

Butternut squash pie

We've all had pumpkin pie around the holidays, but try using pumpkin's tasty cousin to make a pie this Christmas.

Ingredients

• 1 unbaked and chilled 9-inch pie shell
• 1 large butternut squash, cooked and pureed, about 1 1/2 cups pureed squash
• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk or half-and-half
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation

To cook squash: cut the squash in half lengthwise; remove stem and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash, cut side down, on a foil-lined oiled baking pan; add about 1/2 cup of water to the pan. Cover loosely with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the squash is tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Let cool completely, then peel and mash or puree the squash or put it through a food mill. Measure 1 1/2 cups of the squash and set aside.

Reduce oven to 350 degrees and position an oven rack in the center of the oven. In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat the squash with the brown sugar. Add eggs, evaporated milk, spices salt, flour, butter, and vanilla. Beat until well blended.

Pour the filling into the chilled pie and place on the center oven rack. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until set. Check after about 35 minutes and loosely set a ring of foil or a pie crust protector over the browned crust so it won't get too dark. When the filling is set, transfer the pie to a rack to cool. Serve just warm or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped topping or whipped cream.