There’s something magical about coming home for the holidays — the stories that get better each year, the laughter that fills every room, and that unmistakable aroma of good cooking that says you’re exactly where you belong. In New Orleans, we know how to make the magic last, celebrating from Christmas straight through to New Year’s Day with tables that tell our stories and dishes that carry our traditions forward.
Chef Paul always said, “When we want to impress someone, the first thing we do is feed them.” The Réveillon tradition — those grand midnight feasts that once broke the Creole fast after Midnight Mass — proves we’ve been following that advice for generations. This holiday season, fill your table with recipes that carry the heart of Louisiana straight to your kitchen, from festive Christmas favorites to those lucky New Year’s dishes that set the tone for prosperity ahead.
Holiday Feast Favorites
Glazed Ham
A glazed ham that glistens like a jewel on your holiday table, bronzed with caramelized sugar and pineapple juice, seasoned with Vegetable Magic® for that perfect sweet-savory harmony Chef Paul loved to create. This centerpiece practically bastes itself in glory, filling your kitchen with an aroma that draws everyone in before the first slice is carved. Every bite delivers layers of flavor that have folks coming back for seconds before they’ve finished their first helping.
Sunday Roast Beef
A true showstopper built for holiday gatherings. This aged ribeye roast gets the royal treatment: stuffed with a savory trinity of bell pepper, onion, and celery, rubbed generously with Blackened Steak Magic®, and roasted low and slow until tender, juicy, and full of deep flavor. It’s the kind of dish that fills the house with anticipation and reminds everyone precisely why Chef Paul believed great cooking starts with great seasoning — and a whole lot of love.
Salmon Magic Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Golden sweet potatoes get dressed up with Salmon Magic®, butter, garlic, and onions — all roasted in cast iron until the edges caramelize and the centers turn creamy. This surprising combination transforms a simple side that easily holds its own beside the main course.
Coleslaw
A fresh, crunchy companion that brings relief to all those rich holiday flavors. Tossed with Vegetable Magic® and finished with a dash of Magic Pepper Sauce® and Chef Paul’s Homemade Mayonnaise, this slaw adds that necessary brightness that makes everything else on the plate shine.
K Paul’s Mashed Potatoes
Once a beloved staple at K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen, these silky, buttery mashed potatoes earned their reputation one holiday season after another. A pinch of Vegetable Magic®, Meat Magic®, or Magic Seasoning Salt® gives them that unmistakable Chef Paul flavor — the same touch that had guests asking for the secret year after year. Now you can bring that tradition home and serve a side that feels festive, familiar, and unforgettable.
Brussels Sprouts
These aren’t your mama’s Brussels sprouts (unless your mama knew Chef Paul’s secrets). A generous sprinkle of Meat Magic® and chunks of smoky tasso turn these little green gems into the most requested dish on the table. Crispy edges, tender centers, and that unmistakable soul in every bite.
Southern Biscuit Muffins
Light as a cloud and golden as a Louisiana sunset, these biscuit-muffins are what happens when Southern tradition meets holiday convenience. Perfect for catching every drop of gravy or enjoying with a pat of butter while they’re still warm from the oven.
Crustless Apple Pie
Chef Paul knew that sometimes the best part of the pie is what’s inside. This crustless wonder, sweetened with Sweetie Magic®, delivers all that warm, spiced apple goodness without the fuss — just pure, comforting flavor that tastes like home.
Christmas Cookies
Tiny bites of holiday joy—sparkling sugar, buttery dough, a little Sweetie Magic®, and memories baked right in. These are the cookies that disappear faster than you can say “save me one.” Better make extra—because around here, lagniappe isn’t optional.
Ring in the New Year with Tradition
Black-Eyed Peas with Slab Bacon & Tasso
Down here, we don’t play around with luck. Black-eyed peas have long been served on New Year’s Day because they’re said to bring prosperity, good fortune, and a fresh start with every bite. Simmered low and slow with thick-cut bacon and tasso, and seasoned perfectly with Vegetable Magic®, this isn’t just another pot—it’s tradition, superstition, and a tasty little nudge toward abundance in the year ahead.
Smothered Cabbage & Greens
Tender greens swimming in pot liquor, studded with andouille, and brightened with Seafood Magic® and Magic Pepper Sauce® — this is comfort food at its finest. In Louisiana, cabbage and greens are served on New Year’s Day for a reason: their green color symbolizes wealth and a future full of abundance. Every forkful carries the essence of tradition — and the promise of good things to come.
Chef Paul believed that “Good cooking, good eating, good loving” wasn’t just a saying — it was a way of life. These recipes carry that philosophy forward, transforming ingredients into memories, meals into celebrations, and houses into homes.
So set your table with your grandmother’s china, light the candles, tune your playlist, and let these dishes work their magic. Because when you cook with love and season with intention, you’re not just making dinner — you’re creating the moments that matter.