N.Y. Daily News photo /Beatrice Peltre
Gingerbread Buche de Noel: "The quintessential Christmas dessert is a showstopper that's worth the extra effort it takes to make a cake from scratch, plus buttercream, plus meringue mushrooms.

The Wednesday Food sections are in, all coping in different ways with being just too late.

New York Daily News: Perhaps one great dessert: Gingerbread Buche de Noel, pictured above.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch does Kwanzaa: Zaire Vegetable Medley Over Couscous.

Lawrence (Kan.) Journal-World faces it: Last minute Christmas confections: Cookies and treats that Santa and your family might enjoy: Brownie Christmas Trees, Holi-date Nut Cookies, Cinnamon Hazelnut Cookies, Buttery Crystallized Ginger Shortbread Hearts, Almond-glazed sugar cookies, Buttery Cut-Out Cookies, Choco-Pecan Pie Bars.

Denver Post nails it with doing just one thing well: To get the roast just right, begin with a star ingredient, including recipes for Rib Roast of Beef and Sauce recipes for your roast.

Or just have a cocktail party, drinks and hors d'oeuvres: Sparkling Sidecar, Cherry Poinsettia, Port Sangaree, Mock Bull's-eye (Nonalcoholic), St. Clement's Cocktail (Nonalcoholic)
Beef Stackers with Gorgonzola and Honey, Smoked Salmon and Egg Spears, Mushroom-fig Flatbreads with Mascarpone, Bananas Foster on Pound Cake Croutons, Salted Caramels.

Tribune papers serve A martini to chase away the bah humbugs, well pictured at right. In classic and caviar flavors.

Sacramento Bee: Even better, one killer drink: Bad Santa contains blood orange-infused bourbon, eggnog and chocolate sauce.

Some soldier on with full new menus for those who thrive on deadline.

Boston Herald launches a Christmas Eve feast from Madrid for you to whip up tomorrow night:

Jamon Iberico (ham) and manchego cheese... Large, head-on shrimp (that) we serve with a side of homemade mayonnaise or alioli (garlic mayonnaise)... And canned, white asparagus... baked fish (typically red snapper or porgy), roasted leg of lamb and potatoes and Lombarda de Navidad, a red cabbage casserole.... Fresh fruit, like Clementines or pineapple.... a plate of assorted turron brittles (marcona almond and honey and marcona almond and chocolate).

The Birmingham (Ala.) News's Christmas recipes with an international taste would, all together, make an odd menu: Baked Lamb With Tomato Orzo, Spooned Halvah, Italian Lasagna, Italian Fig Cookies, Pancit (Filipino rice-noodles dish).

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel goes global, too: Nations' foods and traditions make Christmas Eve special: Christmas Eve Black Beans, Christmas Fritters, Candied Coconut Rice, Sweet Coconut Drink, Roast pork shoulder, Puff Pastry Shells with Turkey, Béchamel sauce, Rice Pudding with Almonds and Cherry or raspberry sauce, Caramel Potatoes.

The Columbus Dispatch's Holiday switcheroo fills a niche: If you're rerunning Thanksgiving dinner, change your side dishes. Spiced Roasted Vegetables, Couscous With Almonds And Raisins, Twice-Baked Potatoes With Blue Cheese And Bacon, pictured at right.

L.A.Times also offers sides: Vegetables, the overlooked pleasures of a Christmas feast has recipes for Cauliflower and potato gratin, Spiced squash and pear puree and Wilted Brussels sprouts with walnuts.

Dallas Morning News: There's nothing like ham for the holidays assumes you've eaten your spiral-sliced ham and now need to eat it for a week to use it up: Easy White Beans With Tomatoes And Ham, Ham And Cabbage Soup, Ham And Cheese Frittata, Ham hash browns, Ham and cheese biscuits, Ham quiche, Ham panini Pasta with peas and ham, Ham cannellini and spinach dinner, Stir-fried rice. (Or, send guests home with leftover ham.)

Cleveland Plain Dealer has already moved on: Roast pork topped with sauerkraut is a New Year's dream.

Myrtle Beach Sun News: Holiday heaven

Everyday cooks shouldn't be pressured to put on fancy meals since the key focus of any special seasonal meal is fellowship.

"People should put whatever food they want on the table that brings love into their hearts," Tony Lowery said. "Just put love on the table and have the people you love and care about around it."