The holiday season is the perfect time to gather, savor, and celebrate. This year, our Kensington Executive Chefs are excited to share a new collection of approachable, flavorful recipes designed to bring comfort and joy to your festive table. Each dish is crafted with care, highlighting fresh ingredients and warm seasonal flavors that make holiday cooking both effortless and memorable.
Grab a cup of hot cocoa and get cozy! With our curated Holiday Menu you and your family can enjoy the season of togetherness with easy to make, flavorful, healthy recipes. Make spirits bright this holiday with our delicious and well-balanced menu.
Holiday Cocktail: Sparkling Cranberry Ginger Spritz
By The Kensington Bethesda’s Chef CJ
Ingredients:
- 1 champagne flute
- 2 ounces cranberry juice
- 1 ounce pear nectar
- 2 ounces ginger beer or ginger ale
- 2 cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
Directions:
Fill champagne flute with ice and then water. Set champagne flute aside to allow it chill. Add ice to shaker. Pour cranberry juice and pear nectar into shaker. Cover and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Empty the ice water from the champagne flute and pour the cranberry juice/pear mixture into the flute (use a strainer to keep ice out of drink). Top off cranberry juice/ pear mixture with ginger beer. Garnish the drink with the cranberries and fresh rosemary.
Gourmet Soup: Roasted Garlic
By Kensington Park’s Chef Morissa
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 2 onions, chopped
- 3 heads of garlic
- 2 medium potatoes-peeled and quartered
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 1 bouquet garni
- Salad and pepper to taste
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- Croutons and parmesan cheese for Garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut off tips of garlic bulbs, wrap in foil, drizzle with oil and wrap to create a package with the foil. Roast in oven for 45 minutes. Remove and cool. Add butter to pot and melt. Add onions and stir occasionally until onions are soft and beginning to turn golden, about 30 minutes. Squeeze garlic bulbs into pot and add potatoes, stock, bouquet garni, salt and pepper and bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove and discard bouquet garni. Puree soup with immersion blender. Strain soup and back to the pot and add cream and reheat. Adjust seasoning. Finish with homemade croutons and fresh shaved parmesan cheese.
Flavorful Salad: Roasted Fennel & Pear Salad
By Kensington Place’s Chef Val
Ingredients:
- 3 small fennel bulbs cut into eighths (save fronds for garnish)
- 3 firm pears wash, cored and cut into eighths
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tsp of Kosher salt
- ¾ cup walnut halves
- 4 Tbsp sherry vinegar
- 3 tsp honey
- 2 tsp stone ground mustard
- ½ fresh ground black pepper
- 10oz of hand torn butter lettuce
- 2oz shaved radicchio
- 4oz of goat cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine fennel, pears and 3 Tbsp of olive oil and ½ tsp of salt. Spread evenly on a baking sheet pan roast for 20 minutes. Add walnuts and continue roasting for about 10 more minutes until the fennel is golden brown and tender. Remove from oven and let cool. Take the remaining ingredients: sherry wine, olive oil, honey, stone-ground mustard, and black pepper. Whisk together until fully incorporated, slightly creamy. Mix the butter lettuce, radicchio, and the dressing in a large bowl. Don’t overdress the salad. Top with the fennel, pears, and crumbled goat cheese. Garnish with small pieces of fronds.
Tasty Appetizer: Whipped Goat Cheese & Roasted Grape Crostini with Thyme & Honey
By The Kensington White Plains’ Chef Joseph Sasso
Ingredients:
- 2 cups seedless red grapes
- Fresh thyme sprigs
- 8 oz goat cheese (soft, room temp)
- 2 oz cream cheese (for added creaminess)
- 1 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2″ rounds
- Fresh thyme leaves (for garnish)
- Optional: crushed pistachios or pomegranate
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- Olive oil (for brushing)
- Honey (for drizzling)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Whipped Goat Cheese & Roasted Grape Crostini comes together with a balance of creamy, tangy, and sweet flavors. Start by roasting grapes at 400°F with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and thyme until they’re soft and lightly blistered. While they cool, whip goat cheese, cream cheese, and a splash of cream in a food processor until smooth and fluffy, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Toast thin baguette slices brushed with olive oil until golden, then assemble by spreading each crostini with the whipped goat cheese and topping with a few roasted grapes. Finish with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of fresh thyme, adding crushed pistachios or pomegranate seeds if you’d like extra color and crunch.
Re-Imagined Side: Re-Imagined Side: Brown Sugar Roasted Honeynut Squash
By The Kensington Redondo Beach’s Chef Rommel
Ingredients:
- 4 Honeynut Squash Cut in Have lengthwise and seeded
- 6-Tbsp of melted butter
- 1/3 cup of canned crushed pineapple
- 2 tsp of dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp f cinnamon
- 1 tsp chipotle Chile powder
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- Sea salt to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange squash cut side up on a baking sheet. In a bowl, mix the melted butter, pineapple, brown sugar, cinnamon, Chile powder, and salt. Rub the squash all over with half of the butter sauce. Flip the squash over and bake for 20 minutes. Remove squash from the oven. Turn them over, and add the remaining butter sauce. Bake another 10 minutes until caramelized. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the soft butter and sage until the butter is brown and the sage is crispy. Served the squash warm, topped with Crispy sage and extra sea salt.
Traditional Side: Chestnut Stuffing
By The Kensington Falls Church’s Chef Daniel
Ingredients:
- 2 loaves of white bread, cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 1 ½ pounds fresh chestnuts, scored with an X
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks)
- 4 small onions, peeled and cut into ¼-inch
- 1 bunch celery, cut into ¼-inch dice
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 3 cups coarsely chopped fresh parsley
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Directions:
Spread bread cubes in a single layer on baking sheets. Leave uncovered at room temperature overnight to dry. Cook the chestnuts: Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add chestnuts and cook until soft, about 20 minutes. Peel and quarter the chestnuts once cool enough to handle. Sauté the vegetables: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add sage and cook for 3 more minutes. Transfer the sautéed vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining 4½ cups of stock, cooked chestnuts, dried bread cubes, salt, and parsley. Season with pepper and toss gently until fully combined. Transfer mixture to a buttered baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until hot and golden brown.
Delicious Entrée: Holiday Garlic Crusted Prime Rib
By The Kensington Sierra Madre’s Chef Dusko
Ingredients:
- 18 pounds prime rib
- 1.5 cup butter, softened
- 18 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
- 3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 3 onions quartered ( if making the red wine a jus)
Red Wine a Jus
- 0,75 cup drippings from Prime Rib
- 6 Cups Beef Broth
- 4.5 Cups Red Wine
- 1 tablespoon of corn starch to thicken
Directions:
Remove the prime rib from the fridge 2–3 hours before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 450°F.In a small bowl, combine butter, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Pat the prime rib dry with paper towels, then rub the herb butter mixture all over the roast. Place the prime rib in a roasting tray, bone side down, fat side up. Roast at 450°F for 20 minutes to develop a golden sear. If needed, cook a few extra minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches 120°F, about 1½ hours. Use a meat thermometer for accuracy.
Sweet Dessert: Bailey’s Crème Brûlée
By The Kensington Reston’s Chef Alexxis
Ingredients:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Arrange 6 ramekins on a towel inside a deep roasting pan. Heat cream and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until very hot and the sugar dissolves. In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, vanilla, and Bailey’s Irish Cream. Gradually temper with about one-third of the hot cream, whisking constantly. Stir in the remaining cream. Strain and skim any froth, then divide the custard among the ramekins. Pour boiling water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until just set. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until chilled. Sprinkle each custard with 1 teaspoon of sugar, swirling to coat evenly. Use a kitchen torch to melt and caramelize the sugar until deep golden brown. Serve immediately.
Tip: You can also caramelize under a broiler if you don’t have a torch.
As you prepare for the celebrations ahead, we hope these dishes spark moments of connection and create lasting memories around your table. Whether you’re cooking for a quiet evening or a lively gathering, may each recipe bring a sense of warmth, comfort, and joy to your holiday season.
From our Kensington family to yours, we extend our warmest wishes for days filled with good food, meaningful connections, and cherished traditions. May your holidays be bright, flavorful, and wonderfully memorable.
Wishing you a beautiful holiday season—bon appétit and happy holidays!