The holidays are here and the relatives are swarming -- the last thing you want is a party fail. And the best way to learn how to avoid mistakes? By talking to people who've been there, in the depths of holiday despair!
So we asked our savvy community of home cooks at FOOD52 and rounded up 100 of their best holiday entertaining tips to include in our Holiday Recipe & Survival Guide for iPad. Here are the top 5 potential snafus and how to avoid them.
FAIL #1: You don't have enough food on hand for unexpected (or unexpectedly hungry) guests.
FIX: Be smart -- stock that freezer.
"I make chili in the winter in large quantities and freeze it. I keep cheddar cheese, salsa, greek yogurt, and tortilla chips in the house so I always have the makings of an impromptu chili supper. I also always have different kinds of nuts and good chocolate in the house. And I make biscotti and keep them in the freezer. If someone pops by after dinner we make espresso or cappuccino and biscotti." - drbabs
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Blog Posts by Food52
Top 5 Holiday Party-Planning Fails (and How to Avoid Them)
By Food52 | Shine Food – Fri, Dec 16, 2011 4:50 PM ESTNo Hanukkah table would be complete without the symbolic (and delicious) fried foods we all look forward to year after year. And while we agree that holidays are all about tradition, why not add a few modern twists to your menu this year? Here are three recipes destined to become new Hanukkah classics from the FOOD52 community.
• Get more Hanukkah recipes from the FOOD52 community.
• See more warming winter recipes on FOOD52.
• Have a question in the kitchen? The FOOD52 Hotline is here to help.GOLDEN PANKO LATKES WITH SOUR CREAM AND CHIVES
We have a soft spot for cooks who tinker with classic recipes, retooling the periphery without over-altering the core. That's what Micki Barzilay did with her latkes. The panko coating amplifies the dry-leaf crispness you want in a latke. And Yukon Golds have plenty of moisture and sugar so once they're fried up, they toast handsomely on the edges, while at the center of the pancake, the potato strands remain silky
Read More »from New Hanukkah ClassicsIt happens every year. It's Christmas morning, the kids just finished opening their gifts and the first thing they ask is: "When are we having breakfast?" This year, you can have breakfast ready when they are.
Here are 7 make-ahead breakfast recipes from the FOOD52 community -- so no one has to wait.
• Get more breakfast recipes from the FOOD52 community.
• See more Christmas recipes on FOOD52.
• Have a question in the kitchen? The FOOD52 Hotline is here to help!
The cheese biscuits from Bluebird Coffee Shop in the East Village of Manhattan are impossibly tender and almost melting within, the subtle bite of cheddar woven throughout. Amanda and I went to visit Adam Baumgart in his pastry kitchen in the basement of Bluebird, and he taught us how to make these cheese biscuits, sharing his tips and tricks along the way. This is Adam's recipe for his heavenly biscuits. - Merrill
Save and print the recipe here.
Makes 10 to 12 large biscuits
Read More »from 7 Make-Ahead Christmas BreakfastsSome of the best parts of the holiday season are, well, the cookies that come along with it. Nothing shouts "holiday cheer!" louder than a batch of these buttery, sugary creations -- creations that will cloak your house in that unmistakable perfume of holiday spirit.
No need to slave away in the kitchen all day -- here are 3 fast, festive cookie recipes that will do the trick. Now gather up some helpers and get baking!• See 10 holiday cookie recipes on Food52, like All-I-Want-For-Christmas Peanut Butter Cookies and White Chocolate Snowflakes.
• Got a holiday baking question? The Food52 Hotline is here to help!
Secret Cookies
This recipe has truly been kept a "Secret" for 30 years but now is the time to release it. It was given to me by an elderly lady who had been given it by an even more elderly Swedish lady. The proviso: "After I'm 'gone', you may give out the recipe." The same proviso was given to me...so, here it is. Be sure to use salted butter! -
Read More »from 3 Fast, Festive CookiesThere's nothing that shouts "special occasion" more than a beautiful roast in the center of the holiday table. Here, then, are 7 succulent roasts -- beef, pork, and lamb -- to fit the occasion. Your family and friends will be thanking you until next year.
See more holiday recipes on Food52.
Check out some side dishes for that roast.
Have a question? The Food52 Hotline is here to help!
Pork Brined in Rum and Cider with Apples by Kevin
This recipe is a testament to the beauty of brining. Instead of just adding salt and sugar to water, Kevin brines his pork shoulder in a blend of rum, cider, salt and spices. Over the course of many hours, the flavors penetrate the meat completely, so you end up with savory, aromatic slices of pork that are juicy and pink all the way through. The sautéed apples, themselves infused with onion, rosemary, rum and cider, are a great, lightly sweet counterpoint. - Amanda & Merrill
Serves 6
Brined Roast Pork:
2 cups dark
Read More »from 7 Beyond-the-Bird Holiday RoastsThere's nothing more comforting (or impressive) on a cold winter night than a hot gratin from the oven. Here are 4 easy vegetable sides, a cheesy baked dip, and our favorite French Onion Soup -- gratinée, of course.
• See more cheesy recipes from the Food52 community.
• Browse more winter recipes on Food52.
• Have a question in the kitchen? The Food52 Hotline is here to help!
Pommes Dauphinoise (Potatoes au Gratin)
An oldie but a goodie, this hearkens back to my cooking school days, with some thanks also to Julia Child. - Merrill Stubbs
Read More »from Easy, Cheesy: 6 Great GratinsLet's face it: winter can get a little gray. It gets dark early. It snows. Sometimes, we crave those bright colors of summer -- both outside and, of course, on our plates.
Enter: root vegetables.
Roasted, sauteed, mashed, pureed, these veggies are just what we need on a cold winter's night. They're versatile, they're healthy, and, well, they last a while. Keep a few of these on hand, and you're guaranteed to eat well all season. They'll make your plate -- and your day -- a little brighter.
• Get more warming recipes for winter on FOOD52.
• See more winning recipes from FOOD52's contest for Your Best Root Vegetable Side.
• Have a cooking question? The FOOD52 Hotline is here to help!
I'm always a fan of recipes that only dirty one dish from start to finish. Parsnips are wonderful with sweet potatoes and the kick of horseradish adds something special to the dish. A tablespoon of maple syrup makes it complete. -
Read More »from 7 Reasons to Root for WinterAs the last of the summer jam stock dwindles, and root vegetables take up residence in our crispers, we begin to appreciate freshness wherever we can find it. It is a rare thing to find one single food (let alone a vegetable) that does the nutritional work of all of its counterparts combined -- and is built to thrive through the winter. Enter kale: this gorgeous green is lively and toothsome with an addictive peppery bite. Steamed, sauteed or dressed up raw in a salad, kale is delicious when prepared with a little finesse.
Read More »from Kale: The Little Superfood that Could
Even the most glorious greens are best paired with a little dose of decadence. No need to trick the serial carnivores into eating their veggies; these delectable kale recipes will convert even the biggest superfood-phobic. Here are 9 of our favorite ways to turn this nutritional powerhouse into a delight.
-See more kale recipes on Food52.
-Get more ideas for salads from the Food52 community.
-Have a question in the kitchen? The Food52 Hotline is here toIn the mood for something exotic? Want those punches of garlic, spice and heat? Put down the phone. You can do it yourself. Here are 10 classic takeout dishes -- Thai, Indian,Japanese, Vietnamese, and everything in between -- that are easy to make at home, and much better for it. Now, whip out your fancy china. No cartons allowed.
- • What's for dessert? Check out dessert recipes on Food52.
- • Not in the mood for takeout? Try some more entrees from the Food52 community.
- • Got a question in the kitchen? Ask the Food52 Hotline.
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Asian Garlic Green Beans by mtlabor
Serves 2-3
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
1 & 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add generous amount of salt and add green beans. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet Read More »from 10 Takeout Classics, Done at HomeThere's a lot we look forward to each winter -- snow, the holidays, hot toddies... But the coldest months of the year are also the season for coughs, sniffles, and runny noses.
Here at FOOD52, we like to stave off the flu with a different kind of shot. We've already begun stocking our fridges with immune system-boosting fruits, and come December we'll be using citrus in everything from healthful salads to (probably not-so-healthful, but definitely delicious) desserts.
Below are 7 of our favorite citrus recipes.
Read More »from Beat Flu Season with a Shot of Citrus
