It's A No Rules Holiday Season
how to celebrate without losing your mind part 2
The holidays feel extra exhausting this time around. I know. For years I had a job where you were required to work Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. We were always slammed and needed every single person to hustle their asses off. The day before Thanksgiving at a grocery store is the hardest day of the year. Lots of people who never cook are there looking for ingredients they can’t find. They’re one roll of crescent dough away from a total mental breakdown. Every customer wants the same 15 basic items so when we inevitably ran out, people would scream-and I mean actually scream- and threaten everyone in their eye-line. But alas, no number of threats could make cranberries appear if we were sold out. I was often the person who had to talk these lunatics off the ledge, help them come up with alternative menu ideas, and then hop back on my register where the line reached to the back of the store. Not an exaggeration in the slightest. So for me, the holidays have often been about fighting with unreasonable people and celebrating alone when I got home exhausted. I have experience. That doesn’t mean it can’t still be nice though. You’ve just got to take charge.
If you’re reading this, you are probably the cook in your family-even if it’s just a family of one. That means that you are in charge of how you’re celebrating this year. Period. You should only cook what makes you feel good and celebrate with the people who want you to feel good too. Life is too short to suffer unnecessarily for people who would never return the favor. You get to pick the menu since you’re the one cooking. Well-meaning suggestions or requests can be taken, but don’t promise anyone a damn thing. Don’t want to do the full spread? Don’t. Just want to make stuffing and mashed potatoes? Sounds delicious, where do I sign up? Feel like making homemade pizzas instead? Who’s going to judge you, a bunch of non-cooks? Please. I want to hear a chorus of “Yes Chef” going off in homes across North America this holiday season. Anything less is simply not good enough. Want to argue with the cook? Go hit up the drive-thru because this chef doesn’t serve haters.
After you firmly set your boundaries, you still need to set your menu. This week I dropped three brand new holiday recipes. They’re all handheld because honestly, I’m eating like a gremlin right now and don’t want to bother with plates or flatware. I imagine many of you can relate. They are still classy recipes though. Whether it’s the Thanksgiving Empanadas, Green Chile and Cheese Twice-Baked Potatoes, or the Pumpkin Pie Bars (my personal favorite) that are calling your name, there’s a little something there for everyone. Looking for more dishes to fill up your table? Here’s a list I put together of some of my most popular holiday recipes from over the years.
Holiday Menu Ideas
Sides and Small Bites
Green Chile and Cheese Twice-Baked Potatoes
Sourdough Herb Stuffing
Delicata and Fresh Herb Stuffing
Cranberry and Quinoa Pilaf with Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Fall Challah Bread
Winter Squash Dinner Rolls
Cranberry and Corn Spoon Bread
Sauces and Dressings
Instant Cheese Sauce
Cremini Gravy
Creamy Onion Gravy
Cranberry Sauce
Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Grilled Tomatillo Salsa
Entrees
Thanksgiving Empanadas
Winter Mac with Sweet Potatoes, Buffalo Breadcrumbs, and Creamy Dill Sauce
Vegetable Pot Pies
Winter Vegetable Hominy Hash en Croute
Jackfruit Green Chile Tamales
Sweet Stuff
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Apple Pear Cobbler with Coconut Rosemary Caramel
Winter Night Rice Pudding
Cranberry Pecan Cookies with Ginger
Meyer Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Gingerbread Cookies
Winter Lemon Loaf
Pistachio Biscotti
Coffee Cardamom Rolls with Walnuts
Last and absolutely not least, let me direct you to this ridiculously cute idea from
at Sunny Side Recipes. My Fall Challah recipe would work great for this and honestly, I just think it’s so damn creative. Are people in your life begging for a turkey this year but you won’t budge? Make this Turkey Challah Bread and tell them you met them in the middle. Cackle in a way that ensures they won’t ask any follow-up questions. I believe in you.
Tomorrow, paid subscribers are getting a tutorial on how to fold the edges of the empanadas so that you have the best presentation for the least amount of work. Need help setting your menu or have questions about what to cook for people with allergies? Need help figuring out substitutions in certain recipes? Paid subscribers get a 48-hour Cooking Concierge service from me, which means that I’ll response within 48 hours to any and all of your cooking questions. Typically, it’s within a few hours but you know, sometimes I sleep. You also get access to our great subscriber chat where you can pose questions to the crew and have all of us chime in. We’d love to have you over there.
How are you celebrating this year? Any new traditions you’re trying out or old ones that you’re doing away with? Let me know in the comments!
Michelle
Here are some more holiday resources to get you going:
It's my sister brother-in-law and I now, since my step family is a bunch of trumpers and my parents and and stepmother are dead. So now it's just the three of us and it's super low-key which is so nice. Last year we did dips of many different kinds. We had chips and crackers and pita and vegetables and it was just an absolutely awesome grazing table all day while we watched crappy HGTV shows and worked a puzzle.
One of the best Thanksgivings I ever had was when everyone was too emotionally exhausted to cook, so we all basically said "Fuck it" and ordered an almost indecent amount of Punjabi food.
Very intrigued by the empanadas...