Noche Buena, or the ‘Christmas midnight dinner’ is one of the most exciting parts because you get to feast with different dishes, especially those made; sometimes it’s a potluck and everyone gets to contribute.

If you want to impress your family by filling up their appetite, try these foil-wrapped recipes that are worth the effort and worthy of compliments; they might even “Sharon” it for tomorrow’s Christmas brunch.

1. Embutido

It’s possible that Filipino grandmothers or mothers may have a recipe for embutido; being part of Filipino cuisine since Spanish colonization, it has since been a common practice to cook it during Christmas.

A meatloaf-sausage infusion, embutido is filled with a mixed variety of protein, bringing the right balance of sweet and salty as an all-in-one roll perfect for a large family.

Steamed for about one hour with occasional checking, you can serve it right ahead or keep some in the fridge to chill and last until you serve the rest on Media Noche or New Year’s Eve dinner.

2. Inihaw na Bangus

If you want something new on the Christmas table, try serving inihaw na bangus stuffed with tomatoes and onions, making it a healthy option for relatives with high cholesterol.

You have to clean it thoroughly before grilling; doing so will avoid any fishy stench or seawater taste, and once all ingredients are stuffed, you can roll it on a thin layer of aluminum.

Fish meat is softer, so take note that grilling would only take about 30 to 45 minutes. Since grilled food is a bit dry, make the perfect sauce to pair by mixing soy sauce and calamansi, then add red chili peppers.

3. Ube Leche Flan

Ube halaya topped with leche flan gives a colorful contrast to desserts because two are better than one sweet thing, and your relatives can easily scoop both at the same time.

No need to separate “lyaneras” because you can steam and foil cover the leche flan first for about 40 minutes. Once it’s done, you can pour in your ube cake batter, continue the steam, and cover for another 40 minutes.

This recipe saves you a huge amount of time for cooking and chilling. Try serving it on a long plate for presentation, but keep an eye out for your younger siblings who can’t control their sweet tooth.

4. No-Bake Cassava Cake

Who says you can’t make cassava without an oven? Using the steam and foil cover method, your cassava cake will look as pretty and appetizing as the baked ones.

Since steaming and baking have different heat levels, cassava should be finely grated and the water should be boiling hot. Steam for 45 to 60 minutes for the best results.

If you want to be a little extra, you can also caramelize sugar on the bottom of your “lyanera,” like in leche flan. Once chilled and unmolded, don’t forget the cheese on top.

Everyone deserves a good treat this Christmas because it’s a night to remember and enjoy with the people we rarely spend time with. Spend it with a happy Noche Buena.