Mouthwatering Recipes to Beef Up the Holiday Menu

(Family Features) At this year’s holiday gatherings, you can put together a showstopping menu from the beginning of the party to the final bite with mouthwatering recipes that bring guests back for more. It all starts with beef, a versatile, beloved ingredient that can be used in appetizers, sides and main courses alike. Consider these holiday favorites from Beef Loving Texans, including a must-have main course like Classic Beef Wellington. Perfect for a family get-together, this traditional dish combines tender chateaubriand roast with a homemade glaze of earthy mushrooms, red wine and Dijon mustard wrapped in a golden-brown puff pastry. If you’re serving a group, Top Sirloin Roast with Herb Garlic Peppercorn Crust is ideal for sharing and provides an eye-catching centerpiece at the dining room table. Before bringing out the main course, however, there’s an important aspect of seasonal parties that calls everyone to the kitchen: savory appetizers. You can invite your guests to share an option like Holiday Mini Beef Meatball Skewers with Cranberry Barbecue Sauce, a festive, easy-to-make favorite that can tide the cravings of a hungry crowd. Find more beef-inspired holiday dishes at BeefLovingTexans.com. Classic Beef Wellington Recipe courtesy of Beef Loving Texans Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Servings: 4 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided 1 chateaubriand tenderloin roast 8 ounces mushrooms 1 large shallot 2 tablespoons dry red wine 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves flour 1 sheet puff pastry In large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/2 teaspoon oil until hot. Combine salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Press evenly onto all surfaces of roast. Place roast in skillet; brown evenly. Remove roast from skillet. Heat oven to 425 F. In food processor, pulse mushrooms and shallot about 10 times until finely chopped. Do not overprocess. Place same skillet used for roast over medium-high heat and heat remaining oil until hot. Add mushrooms and shallot; cook 4-6 minutes until tender and all liquid is evaporated, stirring often. Add wine; cook 2-3 minutes until all liquid is evaporated. Stir in mustard, thyme and remaining pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes. Remove from skillet to medium bowl; cool. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place in oven. On lightly floured cutting board, unfold pastry dough. Roll pastry out to 12-by-9-inch rectangle; lay dough with shortest edge toward you. Spread mushroom mixture onto pastry dough, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Place roast in center of mushrooms. Fold pastry dough neatly around roast, stretching dough if necessary. Cut off excess pastry dough; press to seal overlapping edges. Remove baking sheet from oven and dust lightly with flour. Place pastry-wrapped roast, seam-side down, on baking sheet. Cut four (2-inch) vents in top of pastry. Bake 35-50 minutes, or until golden brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center of roast registers 135 F for medium-rare or 150 F for medium. Transfer roast to carving board. Let stand 10 minutes. Temperature will rise about 10 F to reach 145 F for medium-rare or 160F for medium. Carve into slices and serve. Top Sirloin Roast with Herb Garlic Peppercorn Crust Recipe courtesy of Beef Loving Texans Total time: 45 minutes Servings: 8 1 center-cut sirloin beef roast (about 3 pounds) 1 tablespoon olive oil Seasoning: 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped 5 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons coarsely ground mixed peppercorns (black, white, green and pink) Preheat oven to 350 F. Rub roast with olive oil. To make seasoning: In small bowl, combine salt, parsley, thyme, garlic and mixed peppercorns; press evenly into beef roast. Place roast in roasting pan or baking dish with wire rack in bottom. Bake 40-60 minutes. Remove roast when meat thermometer registers 135 F for medium-rare or 150 F for medium. Transfer roast to carving board; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 10-15 minutes. Temperature will rise about 10 F to reach 145 F for medium-rare or 160 F for medium. Carve roast into slices by cutting against grain. Holiday Mini Beef Meatball Skewers with Cranberry Barbecue Sauce Recipe courtesy of Beef Loving Texans Total time: 50 minutes Servings: 12 1 pound ground beef 1 cup fresh zucchini, grated 1 egg 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 small yellow onion, diced 1/2 inch 2 red bell peppers, diced 1/2 inch 2 green bell peppers, diced 1/2 inch 12 skewers (6 inches) Cranberry Barbecue Sauce: 1 can (16 ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce Preheat oven to 400 F. In medium bowl, lightly mix ground beef, zucchini, egg, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined. Shape into 24 1-inch meatballs. Alternately thread meatballs, onions, red peppers and green peppers onto skewers. Place skewers on shallow-rimmed baking sheet. Bake 22-25 minutes, or until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meatball registers 160 F. To make cranberry barbecue sauce: In medium saucepan, combine cranberry sauce and barbecue sauce; simmer 5 minutes, or until flavors blend. Drizzle sauce over skewers or serve as dipping sauce.