For many, reading Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol" or watching the movie starring Alistair Sim is a Christmas tradition. One of Dickens's briefer offerings, "A Christmas Carol" is set in England at the time of the industrial revolution. For some, this was a time of hope and prosperity. For others, it meant hard work, long hours, little pay, and less than stellar working conditions.

Dickens's novella follows the sour existence and later redemption of Ebenezer Scrooge, paralleled by, and contrasted with, the day-to-day life of his long-suffering employee, Bob Cratchit. We also meet Bob's family and come to understand why Bob willingly accepts the harsh treatment meted out by his boss.

Must you read "A Christmas Carol" in order to appreciate the recipes that follow? No, but it's fun to read the recipes and see how they relate to the book. I can't imagine that there's anyone who's not familiar with "A Christmas Carol," but if you've never read it or seen the movie, you might want to do so before proceeding unless you're perfectly comfortable with spoilers. I should also point out that these recipes are not arranged by category. You'll find all types of offerings, from main dishes to appetizers, salads, soups, desserts, and more, but they're presented in such a way as to follow the book.

Are the recipes complicated? Generally speaking, no. Some might require a little more effort than others, but I think you'll find that even novice cooks can put together delicious offerings with little difficulty.

Will you need hard-to-source ingredients to make these recipes? Again, no. My intention here is to help you make good, nutritious meals from readily available ingredients. Whether you're new to cooking or an expert cook who wants to get back to basics, you'll find much that's appealing in the pages that follow.