Getting ready for holidays doesn’t have to be stressful. Follow my 9 tips for preparing and planning ahead and you will be cool as a cucumber.
Starting with Rosh Hashanah and prepping for a months’ worth of holiday meals for the masses can be mentally and emotionally overwhelming even before you step foot into the kitchen. I find the best way I can help myself is to be my own sous chef.
In the culinary world the sous chef serves just below the executive or head chef and has a vital role in making sure the kitchen runs smoothly. The sous chef does lots of the grunt work, prep work and actual cooking and while never receives the same glory (or pay) as the chef de cuisine, is essential to the success of the food that emerges from the kitchen.
In a perfect world we would hire ourselves a sous chef (or an executive chef while we’re dreaming!) for the holiday season. In an almost perfect world our husband and/or oldest kid (presumably someone who can drive, wield a knife and handle the heat of the kitchen) would volunteer their services. But in the real world you can actually be your own sous chef.
You know when you watch a cooking show and you see everything precut, pre measured and laid out prettier than a holiday table? All the ingredients in little bowls, everything in its place, all set up and ready to go. The official terms for that is mise en place a French phrase which literally means “putting in place” meaning, set up. It really makes life so easy for the cook, I know because I have been on set with everything in its place. When I was on the TODAY Show I made Chicken Soup, Matzah Balls and Brisket in 5 minutes (thanks to the 3-Woman team who laid out the mise en place!).
In my own kitchen, year round, but especially this time of year I put on my sous chef hat and do a version of mise en place all of which keep me from going cuckoo for cocoa puffs.
You too can be a sane and happy cook this holiday if you follow these 9 simple tips.
9 Holiday Prep Tips To Keep You Sane
Thanks Caryn!!!!!!!! So happy you are enjoying and thanks so much for your support! It always means so much to hear from happy community members!
Homemade Chili Beans…my family goes nuts over them.
I love making lasagna
We have chicken a lot of the time as main dish and sides vary from mashed potatoes to corn or beans of sometype
I love mac and cheese!
my sister makes a broccoli casserole that is SOO GOOD but so evil. it has velveeta and cream of chicken soup in it, along with onions, broccoli and rice.
Some of my traditional meals are one with chicken. I like to make chicken and dumplings or chicken and noodles with sauce. They both are so bland though and I could use a lot of tips.
I live in the South, and it seems like EVERYTHING we eat at the holidays is just hella fattening! Mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, pecan pie, etc. So ANY help you can give with these is GREATLY appreciated!
I would love a new twist to my baked mac and cheese.
i love making vegetarian lasagna with vegan cashew cheese
Such great tips!
I try to cook extra for a regular Shabbos and freeze what I don’t use. I have soup, roasts, kugel and muffins all ready for the holiday.
I make sausage and pasta a lot.
We tend to eat lots of salads and homemade breads.
I also love making homemade soups and stews.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
Pizza and spaghetti are our families standard meals!
My go to meal in a hurry is spaghetti
Carrot muffins are a fave at my house
We always have a savory kugel for Rosh Hashana – last year it was mushroom. I need to start planning for this year -SOON!
honey cakes a rosh hashana classic
My favorites are mashed potatoes and gravy, I could eat it every day.
Love The Joy of Kosher cookbook and magazine! Thank you and keep up the good work, Jamie!
I eat a lot of chicken and veggis!
I like to make apple kugel.
Baked mac and cheese is my favorite dishes. That and potato salad.
I love all foods and love trying new recipes.
i like sweet breads on rosh hashana.
would love to win!
I would love to win. I always make tongue polonaise on Rosh Hashanah.
Great tips! Looking forward to the holidays!
I love making all the simanim for
Rosh Hashana!! It’s my favorite part of the meal, sliced sauteed leeks, roasted beets, gummi fish!!
I love lasagna & spaghetti and meatballs, just two of my favorites!
I would love to win.