THE BASICS

“My grandmother was a Jewish juggler: she used to worry about six things at once.”

—RICHARD LEWIS

If the thought of entertaining a large group of people causes a panic attack, we’re here to tell you that you’re not alone. Even the most seasoned chef has gone cold when faced with entertaining guests in the double-digit range (not to mention a mob of hungry family members). The only difference is experience. Once you make it through your first holiday, the fear will subside. We’re not going to lie; it’s stressful and it’s overwhelming, but the sense of pride you’ll feel when it’s over is worth every pressed napkin and every second batch. To that end we’ve put together a cheat sheet of some basics to help you navigate the choppy waters of holiday entertaining.

THE LIST (PART 1)

Holidays are unpredictable. No matter how hard you try, there will always be a last-minute jolt to your well-laid plans. Whether it’s your suddenly vegetarian sister or surprise cousins from out of town, you can fend off disaster by keeping your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer stocked with these holiday essentials:

A 12- to 16-ounce bag of egg noodles (medium size)

All-purpose flour, presifted, bleached or unbleached

Boxes of vanilla and orange cake mixes (a great base for desserts)

Boxes of vanilla pudding (to add into the cake mix)

Brown sugar (light or dark)

Chicken broth/beef broth

12-ounce bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Coffee and tea

Confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)

Cooking spray and baking spray (baking spray, such as Baker’s Joy, has flour in it)

Cottage cheese

Dozen extra-large eggs (always use extra-large eggs when cooking)

Extra chicken breasts and a whole chicken

Fat-free sour cream

Frozen vegetables (spinach and broccoli are always easy go-tos and simple to dress up)

Garlic

Knorr’s vegetable soup mix (a great base for a quick veggie dip)

Kosher salt

Mayonnaise

Onions (preferably Vidalia onions as they are sweet and mild)

Potatoes

Pound of margarine and/or butter—both come salted and unsalted (and keep for months in the freezer)

Pound of sweet unsalted butter (keeps for months in the freezer)

Red and white wines

Sugar

Vanilla extract

MENU-PLANNING TIPS

• Write out your menu in advance and make a list of all the ingredients needed to check off as you buy them.
• For more than eight people, serve a minimum of two or three appetizers.
• Figure on about ½ pound of beef per person and at least one piece of chicken as well.
• Always, always serve salad and at least one plain vegetable for the picky eaters.
• When buying a brisket, look for a “first cut”; it will be leaner (see our brisket buying guide in the Rosh Hashanah chapter).
• For the dessert course, you can never go wrong in offering fresh fruit alongside any sweeter options.

PREPARING FOR GUESTS

• Anything that can be made beforehand should be.
• If you can’t fit all your guests at one table, you may want to do a buffet. It will keep the table tops less crowded and prevent you from running back and forth all night.
• A few days beforehand, set out all your serving pieces and place Post-It notes inside each one indicating what dish will go where. That way if you’re missing any pieces, you have time to buy or borrow.
• Set your table ahead of time! Give yourself time to make sure tablecloths and napkins are cleaned and pressed.
• Speaking of which . . . a tablecloth makes any holiday a little more special, as do cloth napkins and good silver. (No paper plates!)
• For easy decor, stick to fresh flowers and candles—just beware of anything scented.

BASIC KITCHEN CONVERSIONS

1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons

¹⁄16 cup = 1 tablespoon

⅛ cup = 2 tablespoons

¹⁄6 cup = 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons

¼ cup = 4 tablespoons

⅓ cup = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon

⅜ cup = 6 tablespoons

½ cup = 8 tablespoons

⅔ cup = 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons

¾ cup = 12 tablespoons

1 cup = 48 teaspoons

1 cup = 16 tablespoons

8 fluid ounces = 1 cup

1 pint = 2 cups

1 quart = 2 pints

4 cups = 1 quart

1 gallon = 4 quarts

16 ounces = 1 pound

THE LIST (PART 2)

We know your kitchen may not look like the inside of a Williams-Sonoma catalog, but there are a few basics that every cook should own when embarking on holiday preparation. Many of the items below can be purchased in the grocery store. However, it is always money well spent to buy quality pots and pans, as well as a good food processor and stand mixer. Every kitchen should be stocked with the following:

1½- or 2-quart casserole dish

1 cupcake/muffin pan

1 garlic press

1 small silicone spatula for baking

1 stainless-steel spatula

10-inch Bundt pan

12-inch frying pan with lid

2 baking sheets (1 regular baking sheet and 1 jellyroll baking sheet, a baking sheet with sides)

2 9-inch cake pans

2 good wine openers (it never hurts to have a backup!)

2-quart pot (sauces, vegetables)

6- or 8-quart pot (soups, pastas)

8-inch pan

9–12-inch springform pan

9 × 13-inch glass baking dish

Food processor

Hand beater

Stand mixer (I love my Mixmaster and wouldn’t try any other kind!)

ANDREA’S TIPS

Having lived in tiny New York apartments for most of my post-college life, I didn’t really begin to experiment in the kitchen until I moved back to Miami and had the time (and space) to truly cook. In those past six years, I learned a lot of lessons the hard way. Here are a few of my best general tips for the kitchen:

Organize Your Ingredients
You can make life a lot easier by gathering everything you need and setting it on the counter before you start. You’ll quickly see if you’re missing something, and you won’t be distracted trying to find things. (There is nothing worse than getting halfway through a recipe and realizing that you are missing a key ingredient.) Then, as you use each ingredient, put it away. It will save you time and space.

Preparation Is Key
Read the recipe all the way through before starting; it will help you manage your time and keep you on track. If you have to use spices or extracts, take the tops or lids off early on—before your hands become covered in flour or oil. And don’t forget to preheat the oven if need be; it can take a while and can set you back if you forget.

Clean as You Go
Don’t wait until the end to clean up. If you spill a little flour, wipe it up. If you use a measuring cup, wash it or stick it in the dishwasher. Wash out pots or pans while things are heating up on the stove. In small kitchens there is nothing worse than a pile of dirty dishes waiting for you.

Know Your Kitchen
Every oven and burner is different. Some are hotter and need less time, and some are the opposite. Pay attention to how recipes come out and adjust accordingly. My oven gets incredibly hot, so I often have to shave a few minutes off cooking times, where my mom’s oven often needs more time to compensate for less heat. Even the little things can make a difference. In one house my burners weren’t quite level, and I would have to prop up the end of the pan to make sure my food cooked evenly. A small price to pay for a big difference in taste!

Be Safe
I am a total klutz in the kitchen. I have sliced and diced my fingers more times than I can count, burned fingers and arms reaching into ovens, and once almost burned down the kitchen as a result of a stray candle meeting some floaty curtains. As a result (and upon the insistence of my husband), I always keep my cabinet stocked with hydrogen peroxide, band-aids, baking soda, and a mini fire extinguisher.

TWO FAIL-SAFE CROWD-PLEASERS

Even if your main course falls short (it happens), you can never go wrong with a great starter and a great dessert. A vegetable basket curbs hunger and generally pleases even the pickiest of noshers, and a beautiful fruit salad to end the meal adds color and vibrancy to the table while complementing almost any sweet offering. Always include the vegetable basket as one of your appetizers and a fruit as one of your desserts

The Burning Question: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Kitchen Injuries
(Courtesy of Dr. Ronaldo Carneiro, M.D.—hand surgeon and mandelbrot fanatic)

• The most important tip is that when slicing anything (veggies, fruit, potatoes, etc.), make sure you use a cutting board and slice with the blade toward the board—do not try to slice any food item in your hand.
• Always be careful when removing knives from the dishwasher. If possible, place knives in the dishwasher blade-first.
• Throw away dull knives—they are more dangerous than knives that cut well.
• Never stick your hand inside a food processor, garbage disposal, or blender while it is still on. (This seems kind of obvious, but many of my patients incur injuries that way.)
• For minor cuts: Hold the wound under water for 2 minutes. If it continues bleeding, hydrogen peroxide is good; otherwise water is the best way to clean the wound.
• Pressure is the best way to stop the bleeding of a deep cut. Any artery or vein that is cut will eventually stop bleeding with sufficient direct pressure. One thing that is not advised is applying a tourniquet to the bleeding limb, often seen in movies. For that to be effective, one has to make it so tight that the arterial circulation stops. It can be a dangerous maneuver if tried by a person without adequate training.
• For minor burns: Apply ice for 5 to 10 minutes right away—it stops the burn from intensifying. Burns can spread on the surface as well as in depth. Ice will prevent both.
• If you have an accident and slice off a piece of your finger, place the detached piece in a plastic bag, then in a cooler with ice, and bring it to the emergency room. This gives your best chance of reattachment. Do not place it directly on ice or in water or another substance.
• A doctor should look at any injuries that continue bleeding after all the above measures are taken for about 10 minutes without success. Also, call a doctor for any injuries that cause loss of sensation or motion of the injured body part. Deformities at or close to a knuckle can also represent fractures and dislocations that should be seen by a qualified physician.

VEGETABLE BASKET

A vegetable basket is the perfect appetizer for any dinner or holiday meal. It also makes a beautiful centerpiece. Follow these simple directions.

SERVES: 10–12 PREPARATION TIME: 45–55 MINUTES

Head of romaine lettuce

2–2½-pound head of cabbage with large green leaves

1 16-ounce package precut carrot sticks (or cut them up yourself)

1 10-ounce package precut cauliflower florets, ends snipped off

1 16-ounce package precut celery sticks (or cut them up yourself)

1 8-ounce package radishes, ends snipped off

1 10-ounce package precut broccoli florets, ends snipped off

2 yellow peppers, cut in strips

2 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced

1. Use a round basket approximately 14 × 14 inches and no more than 5 to 6 inches in depth. Crinkle up pieces of newspaper and fill in the bottom of the basket so that the newspaper is even with the top of the basket. Cover the newspaper with waxed paper.
2. Pull the leaves off the romaine lettuce carefully and rinse them with cold water. Place the lettuce leaves over the waxed paper horizontally, going around the basket and pushing down on the waxed paper. Make sure the leaves overlap each other and the edge of the basket.
3. Carefully pull the large green leaves off the head of cabbage. You are going to use the cabbage to create a “bowl” to hold your dip. You will need about 6 leaves, depending on how big they are.
4. Once you have taken the large leaves off, slice about ½ inch off the bottom of the cabbage so it is flat and will not roll. Also slice about 1¼ inch off the top of the cabbage, over the core. After trimming the top of the cabbage, start in the middle and carve a hole—keep digging out the cabbage a little at a time until you have what looks like a bowl.
5. Once you have a bowl, take the large cabbage leaves and put them around the bowl like flower petals. Place the bowl in the center of the basket with the leaves hugging around it (it should look like a closed-up flower).
6. Place the carrot sticks horizontally in one pile next to the bowl, then pile the cauliflower florets next to the carrots, and continue around the cabbage bowl with the other vegetables in the following order: celery, radishes, broccoli, yellow pepper strips, and cucumber slices. You probably will not use all the vegetables at first, but keep them in the refrigerator to refill the veggie basket. Trust us, it goes quickly.

* You can make the basket in the morning and cover it with wet paper towels to keep the vegetables crisp all day. You will need to re-dampen the towels every couple of hours or so.

SPINACH DIP

As far as dips go, this is our favorite. It’s easy, looks nice, works well for any occasion, and we have yet to meet someone who didn’t like it!

SERVES: 8 PREPARATION TIME: 15 MINUTES REFRIGERATE FOR AT LEAST 3 HOURS (BEST IF IT SITS OVERNIGHT)

1 package Knorr vegetable soup mix

16 ounces fat-free sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. When ready to serve, spoon the dip into the “cabbage bowl” you made for the Vegetable Basket or another pretty bowl.

* Make sure the spinach is well dried; if it’s still watery it will make the dip watery as well.

AVOCADO-TOMATO DIP

An alternative dip, for those who don’t like spinach, is this tangy sour cream–based vegetable dip, which is also quite easy.

SERVES: 10 PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES REFRIGERATE FOR AT LEAST 2–3 HOURS

16 ounces fat-free sour cream

2 packages dry Italian dressing mix

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 medium avocado, peeled and chopped fine

1 medium tomato, peeled and chopped

¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce or to taste (optional)

1. Put all of the above ingredients into a food processor or blender and mix until smooth.
2. Chill for 2 to 3 hours. When ready to serve, spoon the dip into the “cabbage bowl.”

* A ripe avocado is dark green and semisoft to the touch.

FRESH FRUIT

Roz’s son (and Andrea’s brother) David is the child who has truly mastered this dessert. Imagine our surprise when we arrived at his home for a birthday party to find a fully sculpted watermelon basket filled with a beautiful fruit salad (he used a melon baller). Even his wife was impressed . . .

SERVES: 8 PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES

¼ seedless watermelon

2 cantaloupes

1 honeydew melon

1 pound red seedless grapes

1 pineapple

1 pint strawberries

Cut all the fruit into bite-sized pieces. Layer one fruit at a time in a clear bowl, or just mix it all together.

* It looks prettier when layered one fruit at a time. Place in this order: watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, red grapes, pineapple, and strawberries

* You can also serve just one fruit for dessert. For example, cut up one or two pineapples and serve pineapple slices on a platter, or serve a large bowl of seedless red and green grapes. A large bowl of fresh strawberries is another option.

Once and for All: Leftovers

Ahhhh . . . the day after. When the guests are gone and the chatting has quieted. When the dishes are clean and the oven is off. When the fridge is still . . . overflowing with food? It’s the age-old question: What to do with leftovers? We asked our good friend Chef Michael B. Jacobs, owner of MediterAsia Consulting, Inc., in Miami Beach, Florida, for the answer. Here are his suggestions:

Challah Stuffing

Cook down some celery, onion, and carrots along with garlic and a bouillon cube. Add some challah and white wine and mix together with whatever seasonings you like (garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaf, thyme). Add some chicken stock and place in an ovenproof pan. Cover and cook at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, removing the lid for the last 10 minutes.

Whitefish Dip

Take your leftover whitefish and mix with a little sour cream, mayo, and horseradish. Serve with bagel chips for a great snack or appetizer.

Brisket Paninis

Shred your leftover brisket with a little of the jus. Place on ciabatta bread with lettuce and tomato, or throw in some pickles (or leftover horseradish) to add a little kick.

Matzo Bread Crumbs

Throw your leftover matzo into a food processor with a little bit of seasoning, and voilà! Instant bread crumbs. Use them as a batter for chicken or add them to turkey burgers or meatballs.

Chicken Stew

Shred your leftover roasted chicken into a saucepan of carrots, onion, celery, and chicken broth. Reduce it down and add leftover roasted potatoes.

Fajitas

Heat your leftover flank steak (or chicken) and asparagus along with store-bought tortillas. Puree your leftover spinach with a little sour cream, lemon juice, and cilantro for a quick topping, or chop some onions, tomatoes, and asparagus for a light salsa.