| Good morning, everyone. Depending on what you have planned for the next few weeks, it may feel like things are just winding down or just getting going. The end of the year could be your time to relax and rest, or it could be when you host big family gatherings, cook tons of food or travel. I don’t have much planned. I’ll be spending time with my immediate family nearby and maybe catching up on some TV or movies. Odds are, there will be some kind of British series or flick in there, whether that’s “The Great British Baking Show” or a “crunchy gravel” drama, as a former Post TV critic used to call a certain genre. Yes, if you were to dip into a grab bag of adjectives to describe me, “Anglophile” would certainly be one of them. So you better believe I had a blast helping put together our British-inspired Christmas menu for the upcoming holiday. A festive meal across the pond often revolves around a big roast. And Aaron Hutcherson’s Prime Rib With Mustard Compound Butter is, well, a prime example. Aaron walks you through how to slow-roast, then briefly sear, this impressive bone-in cut until it’s a perfectly rosy medium-rare. For the best results, you’ll want to use a probe thermometer that can hang out in the meat while it cooks, so you can set it and forget it — at least until the alarm goes off to tell you the desired internal temperature has been reached. Brussels sprouts are another common Christmas dish in the United Kingdom. With Anna Rodriguez’s One-Pan Brussels Sprouts With Bacon and Chestnuts, you won’t even need to turn on the oven, ideal if you have other dishes in there. Anna uses a single skillet to cook bacon, the rendered fat of which is used to brown the sprouts. (There is also a vegetarian variation with mushrooms.) The little cabbages then finish cooking in a bit of liquid. As a final touch, chestnuts add crunch and seasonal flair. What about the “figgy pudding” we hear about this time of year? I have you covered with an Instant Pot Christmas Pudding. This classic dish — which typically has neither figs nor plums, per another common name for it — is essentially a dark, sticky and boozy steamed cake, jam-packed with dried fruit. Pressure-cooking will save you hours, but you can make it on the stovetop as well. Jessie Sheehan’s Sausage Rolls in Puff Pastry are inspired by another beloved British staple. These flaky little cylinders are stuffed with pork sausage and adorned with a sprinkling of fennel seeds. Serve them as a light meal with a salad or vegetable, or set out a tray as an appetizer. Jessie offers more ideas for how to use store-bought puff pastry for streamlined holiday entertaining. For other party fare, check out Ellie Krieger’s Whipped Goat Cheese With a Cranberry Swirl. The colorful dip pairs well with crackers, pita chips and endive leaves for a simple, elegant snack. If your Christmas meal plans include a ham, keep Aaron’s recipe for Ham and Cabbage Stir-Fry handy. Combining leftover meat with jarred hoisin sauce makes this dish quick, easy and tasty. For a less expected but no less celebratory main course, consider Pastitsio. Daniela Galarza shared a recipe for this Greek dish, essentially a casserole of pasta, bechamel and a meaty tomato sauce. It takes time to assemble, but feeds a crowd — just the thing for a special meal. In between all the cooking and heavier fare, consider sliding in Chickpea Noodle Soup for a light weeknight dinner. With inspiration from cookbook author Julia Turshen, Joe Yonan employs a meatless Better Than Bouillon base, fresh garlic and herbs as flavorful shortcuts that don’t require a lot of time or effort. Because of the upcoming holidays that fall on our usual day, Aaron and I won’t be hosting our weekly chat until Jan. 8. But if you don’t want to forget your question, go ahead and submit now. We’ll be eager to be back in conversation with you then. Until next time, happy cooking. | 
