The Dish on Holiday Movies

November 28, 2008
Photo: Jennifer Davick; Leigh Anne Montgomery
Celebrate the season with this A-list roundup of dishes inspired by our favorite Christmas movies.
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1 of 15

A Christmas Carol: Christmas Pudding

Beau Gustafson / Cooking Light
A Christmas Carol: Christmas Pudding Recipe
A common Victorian holiday dessert, blazing Christmas pudding was the much-anticipated finale at the Cratchits' Christmas feast. We don't recommend that you set our modern-day version on fire, but this raisin pudding is delicious nonetheless.
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The Grinch Who Stole Christmas: Who Hash

Randy Mayor
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas: Who Hash Recipe
Who (no pun intended) can forget the Grinch's jealous plunder of the Who Feast? He may have stolen the last can of Who Hash, but we've come to the rescue with this Lumberjack Hash that even your little Whos are sure to love.

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Home Alone: Cheese Pizza

Randy Mayor
Home Alone: Cheese Pizza Recipe
A cheese pizza all to himself is Kevin McAlister's dream come true, until he realizes that his Christmas wish—for his family to disappear—has come true as well! If only Kevin had found our recipe for Quick Pizza Margherita, he wouldn't have had to resort to threatening a pizza delivery man to satisfy his cravings. But what's the fun in that?
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It's a Wonderful Life: Mulled Wine

James Carrier
It's a Wonderful Life: Mulled Wine Recipe
The bartender in It's a Wonderful Life pooh-poohed Clarence's request for "mulled wine, heavy on the cinnamon and light on the cloves," but we love enjoying a glass of festive and aromatic mulled wine during the Christmas season. With delightful citrus flavors and hints of heady spices, our Mulled White Wine is, dare we say, angelic.

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A Christmas Story: Chinese Turkey

Becky Luigart-Stayner
A Christmas Story: Chinese Turkey Recipe
Otherwise known as Peking Duck, Ralphie Parker gets his first introduction to "Chinese Turkey" when the Bumpuss hounds tear through the Parkers' home and make quick work of the cooked gobblers. Should you find yourself in a similar emergency, 20-Minute Peking Duck would be a great tongue-in-cheek tribute to this Christmas classic.

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Christmas Vacation: Jell-O Mold

Christmas Vacation: Jell-O Mold Recipe
Clark Griswold's discovery of the kitty kibble-topped Jell-O mold is probably one of the funniest moments of all Christmas movies. Aunt Bethany didn't come up with this recipe for Cranberry Congealed Salad, so we took liberties to substitute chopped pecans for the kitty food. Keep it away from your cat, though—just to be on the safe side.  
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7 of 15

Love Actually: Chocolate Biscuits

Quentin Bacon
Love Actually: Chocolate Biscuits Recipe
Okay, okay, so we don't actually have a recipe for the Prime Minister's beloved chocolate biscuits (English tea cookies). But we do have a delicious Chocolate-Hazelnut Biscotti that would pair wonderfully with a steaming cup of tea or coffee for any late-night state affairs meetings (in other words, last-minute gift wrapping!).

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The Holiday: Peppermint Stick Hot Chocolate

The Holiday: Peppermint Stick Hot Chocolate Recipe
Catching that first glimpse of Graham Simpkins doting over his children was enough to melt Amanda Woods' heart—and ours too. Graham and Amanda enjoy a piping hot cup of cocoa with the girls, perfect for warming up on a winter night. Cozy up to your own sweetheart this Christmas with this festive, peppermint-flavored concoction.

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Christmas in Connecticut: Christmas Dinner

Christmas in Connecticut: Christmas Dinner Menu
The heroine of this movie is a columnist who’s only pretending to be a domestic goddess! She finds herself in really hot water when her boss, who is unaware of her duplicity, invites himself and a war veteran to Christmas dinner. While we can sympathize with the stresses of holiday cooking, the simplest solution is to cook something that’s simple and elegant like this menu that features pork tenderloin.
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Little Women: Christmas Breakfast

Little Women: Christmas Breakfast Recipe
The March sisters show their true holiday spirit early in the movie when they give away their Christmas breakfast of sausage, oranges, butter, and bread to a family in need. You can nourish your own family with this easy to make and slightly decadent breakfast casserole. Serve with hot biscuits and orange juice to complete the homage to this group of little women.

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The Santa Clause: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Rose Nguyen
The Santa Clause: Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
As Tim Allen’s character makes a grudging transformation into jolly St. Nick, he’s unable to resist any sweets – especially chocolate chip cookies. We guarantee Santa will leave you an extra present under the tree if you bake up a fresh batch of these treats.

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This Christmas: Gumbo

This Christmas: Gumbo Recipe
This holiday flick centers on a family’s first holiday together in four years and it’s all about the food and drama – especially when daughter Kelli, whose culinary skills are something the family actually fears, attempts to make gumbo. You can avoid her blunders when you cook this easy-to-follow version from the experts at Southern Living.
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Elf: Spaghetti (Hold the Maple Syrup)

Elf: Spaghetti (Hold the Maple Syrup) Recipe
Buddy tries to stick to the four main food groups, "Candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup" by adding maple syrup to his bowl of pasta. We suggest saving the sweet stuff for later and enjoying a savory meatball topper instead.

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White Christmas: White Christmas Cupcakes

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro
White Christmas: White Christmas Cupcakes Recipe
Should your stroll down memory lane leave you hungry, plan to make a batch of these magical cupcakes after your classic holiday fim viewing. "Snow, snow, snow, snow, it won't be long..."

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Polar Express: Hot Chocolate

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Leigh Anne Montgomery
Polar Express: Hot Chocolate Recipe
One sip of this indulgent chocolate drink and you'll find yourself dancing in the aisles, just like the waiters in the Polar Express.
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