Ask Jamie Geller

Dear Jamie,

I was hoping that you might want to focus on Shabbat meals – specifically, those that can be prepared in advance and rapidly warmed for Shabbat. I plan for Shabbat from the beginning of the week, and don’t have time to prep on Fridays. (PS – I love the cookbooks.)

Thanks,
Michael

Hi Michael,

This is such a great question. Cooking for Shabbat is a challenge because you want your food to taste fresh, not be dried out or killed by the blech/hot plate/warming drawer/warm oven – whatever method you use. Even the best of the best recipes are not all suited for serving on Shabbat when you consider the need to cook in advance, throw it in the fridge, and then rewarm under unconventional circumstances.

Here are a few tips (my own, cherished, personal guidelines) that will help. Follow these, and you’ll be so proud of your Shabbat food.

(*Quick Note: there are many halachos involved with heating and reheating foods on Shabbat and differences between Shabbat Night (which enables you to place foods with liquids directly on a blech/hot plate or in a warming drawer prior to the onset of Shabbat) and Shabbat Day (which prohibits the rewarming of foods in liquids and in many cases requires the need for a 2nd tier/added layer between your food and heat source). For more detailed explanation of some of the basic laws please refer to this post from Rabbi Lawrence)

Beer Braised Brisket

1. Brisket: there are few cuts of meat that can handle the back and forth of oven, fridge (even freezer), hot plate. The brisket is one baby that not only can do it, but is better for it. It’s best to prepare it, refrigerate it overnight and slice it cold the next day. Submerge it in the gravy and re-warm; or return to the fridge or freezer until you are ready to re-warm and serve. Enjoy these Brisket recipes:

Beer Braised Brisket
Garlic Honey Brisket 
Pomegranate Braised Brisket
Brisket in Wine Sauce

For more brisket recipes click here.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2. Red Meat: Like the brisket, any cuts of meat that are completely submerged in liquid and that become softer the longer you cook them are great for Shabbat night. I have a great recipe for Asian Steak that uses 1-inch thick bone-in chuck steaks – not an expensive cut of meat by any means – and the longer they cook, the softer and more tender the meat becomes. It also freezes beautifully. Flanken and pot roast recipes are two more good examples of great make-ahead cuts. Meatballs (cocktail or entrée sized) are another wonderful prep-ahead & freeze choice. Make sure they’re completely submerged in their sauce and you’re good. But be sure to let them defrost (if frozen) before rewarming them in a heavy bottomed pan over the lowest heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Here are some great prep-ahead red meat recipes:

Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Cocktail Meatballs
Coffee Glazed Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions 

For more Meatball recipes click here.
For more Pot Roast recipes click here.

Chicken Thighs with Roasted Winter Fruit

3. Chicken: two keys to making terrific chicken for Shabbat:
1) don’t overcook it. If it’s already dried out, you can’t save it. Most everyone overcooks chicken, especially the white meat.

So here’s the deal: a 3lb. chicken in 1/8ths should take about an hour to cook at 375 F uncovered. The white meat – anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size; the dark meat pieces – about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes tops. A few tricks here: place the white meat pieces in a different baking pan so you can remove them earlier. Cook them for the majority of the time upside down; turn them right side up for the last 10 to 15 minutes to evenly brown the skin.

2) When you rewarm the chicken: allow it to come to room temperature first, and then don’t over-dry it when rewarming. If you use a warming drawer, don’t put it in prematurely. If you use a blech/hot plate, place the chicken on a second tier (always on a 2nd tier Shabbat day) so it doesn’t burn or get too much heat. Remember, you’re just warming it, not cooking. If you’re too “chicken” to try this with white meat, you could use only dark meat chicken for Shabbat; it has an added layer of (fat) juicy protection. When working with cutlets, follow the same tips as above. You have the option of serving these at room temp, if you like. Sure-fire Shabbat chicken recipes you’ll enjoy (provided you follow the tips above!):

Chicken Thighs with Roasted Winter Fruit 
Chicken with Apples
Speedy Coq au Vin
Honey Chicken
Date Glazed Roast Chicken 

For more chicken recipes click here.

Asian Shiitake Mushroom Soup

4. Soups, Soups, & Soups – are a fantastic make-ahead course. I actually make soup only 3 to 4 times a year. I cook about 30 quarts of each of my family’s favorites and freeze them in individual 2-quart containers (and even a few 1-quart containers.) That way, I can take out whatever amount I need, depending on the amount of company I’m expecting. Also consider chilled soups for Shabbat day. They last nicely in the fridge and they’re ready to serve. Keep in mind that chilled soups are not only fruity and not just for the summer. Try these traditional and chilled soups:

Mango Strawberry Soup 
Classic Chicken Soup
Asian Shiitake Mushroom Soup 

For more soup recipes click here.

California Avocado Salad

5. Salads. I am always my own sous-chef – if I can’t commandeer Hubby. I wash, check, and cut my lettuce in advance and keep it in a salad spinner/crisper so it’s ready to go. In fact, I cut all my veggies and store them in the fridge in separate containers for easy salad assembly just before serving. (Hey, all the restaurant chefs have sous chefs. Why shouldn’t we?) And I usually double, triple (and even) quadruple my dressing recipes, so I have a big batch on hand for a few weeks’ time. I keep that in yet another container so I can assemble a fresh salad and dress it quickly just before serving. No soggy salads for us! Most leafy green salads are a one way ticket once dressed; you can’t go back. Check out these recipes:

Pomegranate, Orange, Papaya and Kiwi Green Salad 
Strawberry and Mango Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette 
Spinach Salad with Japanese Ginger Dressing 

Then there are those salads that just get better with age – the ones that benefit from marinating in their dressing to allow all the flavors to marry nicely. They can be made 1-2 days in advance. Just remember to slice in avocados if called for just before serving. One more hint: most salads are best served at room temperature, unless otherwise specified in the recipes. This allows all the flavors to emerge. Try these make-ahead winning salad recipes:

Israeli Cabbage Salad 
California Avocado Salad
Cucumber and Black Bean Salsa Salad

For more salad recipes click here.

Sweet Kugel

6. Sides: I find any potato sides are absolutely best made as close to serving as possible. They benefit from the crispy finish generated by oven cooking vs hot plate re-warming.

The exception is potato kugel, which can handle both prep ahead and fridge time. But I never, ever freeze a potato kugel (though I know people who vehemently insist that it’s ok. We’ve never gone to the mat over this one). If at all possible, allow roasted potato dishes to crisp up again in the oven before placing in a warming drawer or on a hot plate to keep warm. (Of course, this only works on Shabbat night and is the main reason I serve those types of dishes Shabbat night.) But even here watch that you’re potato dishes don’t dry out. I save the kugels for Shabbat day. Kugels are so popular because they re-warm very nicely – and aside from potato kugels (am I drilling in my POV here?) — freeze quite nicely as well. Noodle kugels, Challah kugels, and vegetable kugels (broc, spinach, zucchini, butternut squash, etc.) all fare well in both the fridge and freezer. Maybe that’s the reason kugel is such a Shabbat-y food – I mean, when’s the last time you made a kugel to serve on a Tuesday night? Try these make-ahead kugel recipes:

Salt and Pepper Kugel with Roasted Garlic 
Broccoli Kugel 
Sweet Kugel with Dried Fruit
Potato Kugel Cups 

For 67 more kugel recipes and ideas click here.

Baby French String Beans with Slivered Almonds

And when it comes to veggies, green beans are my fave Shabbat choice. They hold up best from fridge to blech. Again, just make sure not to overcook them initially. In fact, I usually prep them a drop under – until barely tender with still a bit of a crisp bite – and then rewarm them on the blech on a tier (whether serving them night or day). If you use a warming drawer, don’t put them in prematurely. Get ’em warm and keep ‘em green; not piping hot, soft and soggy. Try my favorite green bean recipes:

Green Beans with Three Onion Sauté
Baby French Green Beans with Slivered Almonds
Green Beans with Walnut and Green Olive Tapenade

For more green bean recipes click here.

Caramel Pear Lattice Pie

7. Desserts: the ultimate make-ahead dish. Of course, any freezer desserts are perfect to prep ahead, in fact, designed so. Cakes, muffins, cookies all do well in a cake plate or covered container for a few days, or even in the freezer and then defrosted. The trick is not to lock in moisture. So let any baked goods cool completely before covering or packaging and freezing. I use freezer bags, not foil. Another tip: when you pull it out of the freezer – if the bag has condensation inside, take the goods out of the bag and allow to defrost before placing in a new, clean, dry bag or covered cake plate. Try these great dessert recipes:

Caramel Pear Lattice Pie
Carrot Apple Mini Cupcakes with non-dairy Cream Cheese Icing
One Bowl Amazing Chocolate Cake
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Mousse Pie

For more dessert recipes click here.

So now you’re all set! With these recipes you should be able to start cooking for the next 10 (or at least 7) Shabbatot.

Q. What can I do with lots of old challah, aside from the usual French toast or breadcrumbs? Also, do you have a recipe for challah kugel?

While French toast or breadcrumbs may seem overdone, consider making creative versions of these typical bread-centered dishes.

Instead of pan-frying and topping with butter and syrup, overnight French toast is a simple, make-ahead casserole that can be easily prepared for a small family breakfast or doubled for a large brunch. For a creative rendition, try French Toast a la Crème Brulee where melted butter, brown sugar and corn syrup is spread in a 9 X 13 pan, covered with slices of challah, on top of which a mixture of eggs and milk is poured. After soaking in the fridge, the casserole is baked in the morning; and once plated, the overturned challah slices are deliciously caramelized (and addictive!).

Instead of breadcrumbs, consider making homemade croutons, which can be easily used to enhance a soup or salad. To make croutons, dice leftover challah into small cubes, transfer to a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil or generously coat with non-stick cooking spray, and sprinkle with Za’atar or whatever spice blend you have on hand. Bake in a 300 degree oven, tossing every 20 minutes, until golden and dried. Feel free to bake the croutons at a higher temperature, just make sure to monitor them more frequently so they don’t burn.

Of course, you can’t go wrong simply freezing sliced leftover challah. When stored in slices, making sandwiches which call for hearty bread, such as paninis or tuna melts, becomes an easy chore.

And, as per your request, here’s a savory version of challah kugel from “Quick and Kosher: Recipes from the Bride Who Knew Nothing” (Feldheim)

Q: Jamie I want to make your Vegetarian Pad Thai from Quick & Kosher Meals in Minutes cookbook, but I can’t find kosher rice noodles. What do you suggest?

Amy, Skokie IL

A: Now that everyone knows my secrets — how to make anchovy paste and fish sauce and the pareve substitutions for sweetened condensed milk, this is my most frequently asked question. If you’re not familiar with rice noodles, I’ll tell you that they are made from rice flour and water. Guess where they come from. (C’mon, you can do this.) Yes, of course, Southeast Asia. They are terrific in Asian recipes and they are a satisfying substitute for wheat-based noodles for people who are sensitive to wheat or gluten. If you have tried rice noodles before, you’re probably as obsessed with them as I am.

When I was developing the Pad Thai recipe, Willi Food used to import and distribute these thin-as-glass dream noodles with a reliable kosher certification. To my dismay (Can you believe they didn’t call me?), the product is no longer on the shelves in the US. Rumor has it that the absence is only temporary and the noodles are on the way back. I have been nagging my store manager about this so regularly that when he sees me coming he calls, “no, not yet Jamie.”

In the meantime, I asked the OU and Star-K kosher certification agencies if rice noodles need a hechsher in the first place. It turns out that while “it’s always better” to have every food supervised (remember that there are hechshers given to everything from water, to vodka, to kitchen rugs – for Pesach – really!), plain rice noodles (even with tapioca or corn starch added to improve appearance and texture) have no kashrus concerns and can be used even with no certification.

Ya learn something new every day!

Q: What is orzo and how do you cook it?
Temi, Long Island, NY

A: Meet Orzo – what I call “Supergrain.” It looks like a large grain of your mild-mannered rice, but it’s really a form of pasta that can stand up to any recipe and leap tall buildings in a single bound. If it’s made from semolina (milled durum wheat, a “hard” variety) it will remain resilient in cooking, and can even be simmered in a stew or baked without losing its chewy character. Let it become your new all-purpose best friend in the kitchen.

The name is Italian and means barley, because orzo used to be made from it rather than the wheat varieties used today. It’s terrific in soups and you can use it as a side or cooked into all kinds of dishes. Orzo my new favorite and I use it in tons of dishes.

I actually have two NEW favorite recipes from my new book Quick & Kosher Meals in Minutes : Orzo with Feta and Basil is delish as a side dish for tuna steak (or at any milchig meal). Italian Wedding Soup will be your new Friday night swap for classic chicken soup.

You can cook orzo as you would pasta (with lots of water and then drain it) or as you would rice (with just enough water to be absorbed.) Use four cups of water to 1½ cups of orzo and let it cook for about 10 minutes.

It’s another one of those fab presto-chango foods that gets you out of the kitchen fast!

Dear Jamie, any idea how to substitute sweetened condensed milk? I am trying to make my own pareve (dairy free) Irish cream.
Thanks.
Shira, Baltimore MD

Mmmm, what a great idea! Shira, when you get this down pat, you’ll have to invite me over. Irish cream, folks, is a cream liqueur that can be served alone or mixed in other drinks. There are numerous recipes for this treat, but they all typically include Irish whiskey, cream, coffee, and sometimes sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk.

Sweetened condensed milk is just evaporated milk with sugar added. There are lots of recipes out there to make your own pareve version. I found 3 really creative recipes that were meant to be used in a 1:1 ratio for sweetened condensed milk in recipes. Go Dairy Free – click here! At least one of them should work well for you, Shira.

And check out this handy-dandy list I put together of other great kosher, pareve and when-you’re-in-a-pinch substitutions.

Dear Jamie,

I love fish but I always seem to overcook it. How do I know when it’s done? Thanks.

Linda, NJ

Linda, this can be a tricky question when it comes to almost every protein — poultry, beef and yes, even fish. There are a number of factors to keep in mind when preparing fish.

First, there are varying degrees of doneness: seared/rare, medium- , and well-done. And of course, there are degrees in between. Usually it’s a matter of preference, but most chefs will not recommend cooking some fish — tuna, for example — over medium (still nice and pink in the center), because it dries out so terribly. Still, if you like tuna well done (and dry) I say that’s your prerogative.

Secondly, there are several methods to cooking fish: searing, poaching, grilling, broiling and baking. Most are appropriate for most species, but some methods (such as broiling) cook the fish faster, so you have to be careful.

Know that cooking times will depend on the degree of doneness you prefer, the cut (steak, fillet or whole fish), the thickness, and size of your fish. Obviously, if you’re cooking a thin fillet, you must watch it carefully.

Fish should not smell fishy, not raw and not while it’s cooking. (The exception is whitefish, which has a clean distinctive scent even when it’s fresh.) If you smell fish in the house, it’s overcooked: the fats have begun to sizzle and you’ve compromised the nutritional value (of those wonderful omega 3s).

The same way you can test a cake for doneness with a cake tester or a turkey with a meat thermometer, there’s a way to test fish for doneness. Fish will cook for another 5 minutes after you remove it from the heat source, so it should be just a bit underdone before you do so.

To avoid dry, rough and tough fish, follow these pointers:

Fillets and steaks:
When you think the fish might be done (or about 2 minutes before, if you use the timing guide below), poke a fork into the thickest portion (at a 45° angle, if possible); twist gently and pull up a bit of fish so you can see inside. (Don’t worry, you can always tuck it back in – or serve that piece to yourself!) Fish that is undercooked resists flaking and is translucent (clear enough for light to pass through). When fish is done, it flakes and appears opaque (thicker-looking, not clear).

A few points to remember about specific species:
It is safe to eat tuna and salmon when they are still translucent (if you like them rare), but any fresh water fish should be cooked through till it is opaque.

Striped bass, mahi-mahi and other dense fish do not flake easily. You may have to cut it with a knife to see inside.

Whole fish:
Insert a knife between the top fillet and the backbone. Try to lift up some of the flesh. If it does not separate from the bone, the fish is not done. Check again after a few minutes.

Cooking Guide
High heat (broiling, grilling, steaming, pan frying)
Fillets — 8 minutes per inch of thickness
Steaks –10 minutes per inch of thickness
Small whole fish (1 lb) — 10 minutes
Medium whole fish (2.5 lb) — 14-17 minutes

Moderate heat (baking at 425° or poaching)
Fillets — 10 minutes per inch of thickness
Steaks – 12 minutes per inch of thickness
Small whole fish (1 lb) –14 minutes
Medium whole fish (2.5 lb) — 20-25 minutes

Q: I can’t find kosher anchovy paste or fish sauce. How do I make my own?
Amy, Tulsa OK

A: Amy, believe it or not, you are not alone. I hear this question often. It is hard to find these products with reliable kosher supervision just about everywhere.

Specialty products like these usually come on and off the market either because of low demand or importing problems. One day, when I was griping over this problem to the Gourmet Glatt supermarket manager, he said his wife had the absolutely best recipe for anchovy paste. So I called her and we’ve posted it here for you!

For a fish sauce recipe, try this one on for size and let me know what you think: Kosher Fish Sauce

Hi Jamie,
I am a harried mom of 3 and find cooking healthy meals in the last few days before Pesach a real challenge. It’s no big deal to eat out once or twice – but the challenge is feeding everyone well while bringing minimal chometz into the house. What kind of suppers do you advise?
Thanks, Jenny in Boston

Jenny,
I am struggling with this too. For me it’s even harder because I “turn over” my kitchen to Pesachdig early on (to get a jump on the cooking) and it feels like Pesach here for 15 days, not 8.

But no matter what stage we’re at, we are all trying to clean, shop for food and supplies, finish last-minute work commitments, get the kids new clothes (“No , you can’t go to shul in those torn pants.”) buy that spring jacket … and everyone needs haircuts.

Then Hubby and the kids stroll in and ask, “What’s for dinner?” So guys, here’s my attempt at keeping the family satiated while really doing 100 other things.

1. Breakfast for Dinner: omelets, frittatas, even scrambled or sunny side up eggs. You can make it feel a little more like dinner with a side of fries — or just embrace it and make hash browns.
2. Latkes are not just for Chanukah. They’re perfect for Pesach and pre-Pesach. Make ‘em straight up potato or go for the pumped up veggie variety and serve with a side of salad.
3. Roasted chicken, grilled meat, poached or broiled fish with steamed veggies (or sauté with some garlic or shallots, and a touch of olive oil and salt). This is a meal even weight-watchers can be proud of.
4. If the weather cooperates, it’s a great time for a backyard barbecue – everybody stay outside with those hot dog buns! (Or skip the buns if you’re already K for P and just let go on the hamburgers & sides.)
5. Salads that eat like a meal are perfect this time of year – not just because of Passover but as the weather warms up we are all looking to lighten up our food. Gravitate towards power packed veggie and fruit versions with a solid protein and you are good to go.

Here are some great recipes for Pre-Pesach dinners that are totally K for P that you can use this week or even on chol hamoed.

Spinach and Cheddar Frittata with Fries
Eggplant Omelette
Speedy Coq au Vin
Baked Oniony Chicken
Leek and Mushroom Chicken with Herbed Spaghetti Squash
Chicken Cacciatore
Italian Tomato Salad
Roasted Sweet Vegetables in Spicy Cinnamon Cider
Quinoa with Fried Onions and Chestnuts

Hi Jamie,
I love your recipes and would like to know how you might recommend “lightening” them to comply with heart healthy cooking. For instance, would love to make homemade hamentachen, but what can I substitute for all or some of the butter or margarine in a specific recipe and still retain the delicious taste it’s meant to have. Can you provide your readers with a list of appropriate substitutions that can be used if one is looking for more healthful versions of your recipes?
Thank you!
Shoshanna

Hi Shoshanna,

I love that you are running such a healthy household! As we have an in-house expert on this very subject I will defer to her. My dear friend and personal coach – nutritionist and dietitian Tamar Genger MA, RD.

Thanks Jamie. Hi Shoshanna! This is a great question, especially with the Passover holiday approaching. Luckily, many of Jamie’s recipes are heart healthy already! Try Jamie’s Brown Rice with Peas (filled with whole grains) and her vegetarian slow cooker recipes (bursting with beans and vegetables). For recipes with margarine or butter, the best option is to substitute oil for some (or all) of the fat. You can easily replace whole wheat flour for white flour in bread and cookie dough. Have realistic expectations, though. Any time you make changes to a recipe, the taste and texture will be affected. Margarine (or butter) gives a flakiness that may not be possible with oil, but that doesn’t mean it won’t still be delicious. For best results, I often only substitute half the margarine or white flour. Cooking is a compromise – between time, taste, budget… and ingredients. Here are a few “heart smart” suggestions you might want to consider:

• In creamy dips, use low fat or non-fat yogurt, sour cream or mayonnaise.
• Reduced fat or evaporated fat free milk can substitute for cream in recipes such as quiches.
• Egg whites can replace some of the whole eggs in a recipe (2 egg whites for 1 egg).
• Reduced fat cheese can be substituted for the whole milk variety.
• For meat, choose leaner cuts of beef, such as round roast or first cut brisket, and trim any excess fat. For poultry, go skinless.
• Decrease sugar in a recipe and/or substitute with Splenda or Truvia.
• Use cooking oil spray in place of oil when cooking vegetables or eggs.
• Try to bake rather than fry potatoes and chicken.
• Watch your sodium! Replace some of the salt with fresh herbs or a seasoning blend. Use low or no salt added canned products such as vegetables, sauces, broths.
• Make your own bread crumbs from day-old whole wheat bread, it is cheaper than store-bought, plus it is a source of whole grains with less sodium.
• Finally, practice portion control. Eating too much of anything, is never a good thing.

Photo Credit: Eric Michael Johnson for The New York Times

Dear Jamie:

I know someone who is thinking about going to culinary school. I’d like your opinion about going to culinary school. Is it needed? If so, should a kosher cook seek out only a kosher school, or would the regular schools be good enough (without eating what is cooked)? While searching online we found two different schools that have exclusively kosher programs.

Chanan in Colorado

Dear Chanan,

I am a big fan of the Center for Kosher Culinary Arts, located in Brooklyn, NY. It’s a school that provides professional training in all culinary arts, as well as baking and pastry arts. In addition to learning their way around a professional kitchen, students learn about the application of kashrus in a professional environment. Of course, all standard skills are taught too, including butchering and cooking of meat, fish and poultry. There’s also menu design, plating and presentation, fruit and vegetable garnishing – and so much more! If you’re interested, take a look at the CKCA website:
www.kosherculinaryarts.com.

The advisability of going to culinary school depends on your goals. If you want to work in a professional kitchen such as a restaurant or in catering, etc. I think it’s essential. Before there were kosher programs available Stateside, I would have said just go and get the most that you can out of any course, but there is nothing like having the opportunity actually taste the chef’s example and cook and taste as you go. Cooking is such a tactile experience and to be able to truly use all your senses – especially your sense of taste – is important. It’s wonderful to have kosher programs!

If you have dreams of building a career in the culinary arts, culinary school also opens so many doors to you: there are internships and networking opportunities. And you learn how many careers there are in the food industry: food chemist, food stylist, food photography, executive chef, pastry chef, personal chef, cookbook author, restauranteur, and on and on.

The instructors at CKCA are real professionals at the top of their fields; it’s not a second tier program. So I don’t know why any aspiring kosher chef would shy away from this wonderful experience.

And no, CKCA is not paying me to say this. I truly believe in it. I always fantasize about having an extra hour in my day to hit CKCA for a knife skills class.

Are there any kosher cooking pros, culinary school attendees or family and friends of culinary school attendees out there who would like to share their experiences and advice about cooking schools?

Dear Jamie,
Purim starts right after Shabbat is over and I am so panicked! How I am going to get everything done for the seudah, what with cleaning up from Shabbat and all? Is there any way to prepare in advance? What advice can you give me to keep my cool and stop my panic?
Thanks,
Heather in Toronto

Dear Heather,
First, breathe! Remember that we’re all in the same boat, and breathe again. Seriously — it can be done. After all, you’ve done harder things than this – like a three-day Yuntif. Unlike Shabbat or Yom Tov, on Purim you have the opportunity to serve fresh food, right out of the oven, the way it was meant to taste. Every cook who has slaved over a meal knows that value here. This is our dream, and we get to live it on Purim.

But you’re worried about doing it all in the space of time from havdalah until the seudah on Sunday afternoon. I must digress for a moment to tell you how I really love when the Megillah–reading is right after Shabbat. I’m in a much more patient frame of mind when I’m not fasting. So coming to shul after Shabbat – on a full stomach – makes the Megillah much more enjoyable. Don’t ruin the experience worrying about how you’ll pull off the seudah!

Relax: Follow these tips and tricks and your big seudah won’t cause big panic.

• When you invite your guests, delegate some of the work. Assign a salad (the time-consuming washing and checking and chopping) to one of your guests beforehand, so you won’t have to worry about it. People love to help and bring something to the meal. Dessert is another great course to farm out. The less you have to do personally, the less overwhelmed you’ll feel.

• Clean up from Shabbos right away and set the table for the seudah. It will make you feel that you’re ahead of the game already.

There’s no rule that says you have to cook everything on Purim day, so use the following do-ahead tips and chill out.

1. Soups are fantastically forgiving when made in advance. Make your soup now and freeze it so all you have to do is defrost and warm it before the seudah. Another great idea: go with a chilled soup – mango strawberry or gazpacho or perhaps chilled cucumber dill. They can be made before Shabbos, kept in your fridge till the seudah, and served chilled!

2. When it comes to the mains, think about which steps can be done in advance. If you are doing pasta: cook your pasta al dente (even as early as Thursday), drizzle it with olive oil and toss to coat. This process keeps it from becoming a sticky clump in your fridge. Store it in an airtight sealable bag or container. Likewise, most sauces can be made in advance, but keep the pasta and sauce separate until just before serving. Warm your sauce first, then toss in your pasta to combine and warm over the heat.

3. If you are doing a chicken dish, pick something easy: a one dish, one step oven-baked recipe is best. Clean your chicken and place it in your baking dish so it’s all ready to go and all you have to do is season before baking it fresh and serving.

4. If you are using vegetables, you can wash, check and cut them as early as Thursday. That way, you just need to assemble everything before the seudah. Trust me, this is such a mind-relaxing way to cook – you will adopt this practice year round!

5. Any salad dressing can be made in advance — up to a week, at least in most cases. Just toss it on your pre-washed and cut veggies and serve.

6. If you are serving meat, choose something that’s better prepared ahead of time, such as brisket. Make it Thursday or Friday, slice it and immerse it in your gravy or sauce. Then just reheat and platter it Sunday. If you want to serve something freshly made that day — like a standing rib roast or steaks — leave only that dish to prep and cook the day of the seudah. Again, consider any steps you can prep in advance – vegetables, measuring — at the very least, make sure you have all the ingredients in the house before Purim. (Discovering at the last minute that you don’t have a major ingredient for your main induces nightmare-level panic.)

7. Consider frozen or chilled desserts such as mousse, frozen pies, homemade ices or ice cream bars. They are so refreshing and all can be made the week prior to the seudah. And remember, you needn’t go overboard with dessert: one nice one will do just fine ‘cuz people will be candied out. Also think fruit platter, which can be cut and prepped in advance of Shabbos.

So there’s no need to panic. Think of the Purim seudah as the finish line of a week-long jog that you can do at your own pace.

Heather, you’re in control. It’s going to be a great!

Chag Purim Sameach to one and all!

Dear Jamie:

I scrub my slow cooker for hours on end, yet I still cannot get those cholent stains out. Help!

Shayna in Chicago, IL

Hi Shayna,

Oh the post-Shabbos, Sunday (and Monday ritual) of trying to clean that cholent pot….Take heart! There are several solutions. First of all, before making your cholent (or any slow-cooker dish), liberally spray the entire inside of your pot with cooking spray. This can cut down on the food that gets stuck to the sides.

Some people use a crock pot liner so when it’s clean up time, you just toss out the liner. But my mom always goes crazy when she sees me cooking plastic for 12+ hours – so you, your mom or mom-in-law have to be comfortable with this solution. So do you research on this option.

If you opt for the no liner method, here’s is a handy dandy tip from my good friend Hadassah: fill your pot with a solution of 3 parts water and one part vinegar, and put it on low for about 4 hours. This should really help eliminate some of that ingrained cholent stain.

Happy cleaning (if there is such a thing!)

Dear Jamie:

I would like to share my joy of cooking with my children, and you always say that the best way to do that is to get them involved in the kitchen. My kids range from age 3 to 11. What kitchen duties are good for each age group?

Dana, Washington DC

Dear Dana:
Excellent question: anyone who is eager to help you in the kitchen should be given the opportunity. I am all about equal opportunity. Of course, especially when it comes to kids, you have to keep in mind their abilities and/or limitations. So your question about age-appropriate tasks is right on target.

First, you need to ensure that you keep the children safe. Adult supervision is necessary at all times.

So how do you convey “kitchen love” to your offspring? It can start really young – and I mean young. When my first child was born, it was just the two of us. I would bring her into the kitchen (to keep me from getting lonely, I admit) – and I would talk to her the entire time. It was like the play-by-play announcer at a basketball game: “Now I’m loading the dishwasher. Here goes the plate, oh and another plate, and the spoon, and the fork — tossed, dropped, it’s in!”

When your baby is big enough for a high chair, park him there with a wooden spoon and a plastic bowl. He can drum and feel like part of the action as he watches you. A ring of measuring spoons is a great toy too.

Toddlers are old enough to unload groceries, mix cake batter, set a table, and put snacks on plates. They can also knead dough, wrap potatoes in foil for baking, and shape cookies on a cookie sheet. This is the age that they learn about washing hands before prepping food. And they can be assigned simple clean-up tasks after cooking. They can put peelings in the garbage, even wipe down the counters.

At one point in their toddler years, my kids loved to be big helpers by taking things to the garbage for me, even if it was one bean or one item at a time. I would say “now this” — they would waddle over to the garbage and put it in, and come back for more. “And now this” — and they would go and come back again and again. I could keep them busy for 20 minutes that way. It was great!

Preschoolers can mash up bananas and cooked veggies with a fork or masher, and peel potatoes, cucumbers and other veggies. They love playing sous-chef; every professional chef has a sous chef, so why not you?

You can teach them about how to measure and add dry and wet ingredients and allow them to do this with your supervision. A preschooler is old enough to learn how to peel a hard-boiled egg. And you can look for opportunities to start working on basic math skills, as when you are doubling a recipe, etc.

Young grade school children are ready to take on more responsibility in the kitchen. They can spray baking pans with cooking spray, chop up veggies with a dull knife, and they can even be taught how to peel onions, garlic and potatoes! You can teach them how to wield a can opener – so long as it’s safe to use. They can wash vegetables and fruit. At this age, many children have the coordination to crack eggs — but be prepared to waste a few eggs until your child achieves this skill.

Fourth graders and older can follow recipes and instructions, operate small appliances, and plan basic meals. Show them how to make a shopping list for the meals they plan. Under your supervision, they are able to chop, fry, sauté, boil and broil. Once they learn these techniques, and the safety measures for them, take a couple of steps back and let them fly. The more experience they get, the more confident they will be in the kitchen.

Remember that having your children with you in the kitchen gives you a wonderful opportunity to teach them about food and nutrition, food safety and cleaning up after themselves. As with anything you are trying to teach, model correct behavior. Make sure that everyone’s hair is tied back, and you are wearing aprons. Use oven gloves to remove baking trays from the oven, utilize pot holders to move pots on the stove. Cook on the back burners as much as possible, and face the handles toward the back of the stove. Whatever they see you doing, children will copy.

I’m not saying that your children will help you save time in the kitchen. Usually it’s quite the opposite. Consider it a worthwhile investment. If you take the time to show the children how to wash hands correctly, the way you like the dishes washed, how to stack a dishwasher properly, how to clean and inspect vegetables – you both benefit. Then you will actually come to welcome their presence. It’s a wonderful bonding experience. Moreover, you are giving them great skills and the priceless gift of confidence — the kind of know-how that will enhance their cooking and everything they attempt in life.

What are your tips for cooking with kids? What’s your best cooking-with-kids experience? Tell me your story. You know I want to know — we all do. Leave a comment here and share your masterful “kids in the kitchen” secrets with all of us!

Dear Jamie:

I am making a Sunday wedding shower and I wondered if I could have some suggestions for what to serve.

Rayna, Cleveland, OH

Dear Rayna:

At a party like a wedding shower, there is a lot of mingling going on and it’s often hard to find a place to sit down to slice up dinner meats. So the best foods in this case are foods that are easy to eat. I’ll give you some suggestion for some fab finger foods that will really stand out. I also suggest you make the menu dairy: I’m envisioning a Sunday brunch or lunch.

The additional beauty of finger foods is that they are cute, sweet looking, and pleasing to the eye. You and your guests won’t feel like they are eating too much. Bite size always is a winner with a weight-conscious crowd.

Try these interesting and delectable dishes:

Potato and Goat Cheese Triangles
This is a light, flaky, savory app, and you can vary the fillings if you are feeling adventurous. Think cheese, perhaps?

Tomato Basil Skewers
I love the idea of food on a stick. These are the elegant vegetarian version of a kabob.

Pavlovas with Lemon Curd Whipped Cream
Don’t you just love the name? The meringue part of this yummy dessert can be prepared ahead of time, and filled just before the guests are due to show up. I say, serve sweet foods at a wedding shower to wish the bride sweetness in her marriage. (Of course, I say serve sweet foods for practically every occasion.)

You can also have a lot of fun creating pretty drinks. My Sparkling Lemon Cocktail is delicious and refreshing — and the bubbles will certainly tickle your taste buds. You could also whip up some Cherry Smash for some contrasting color; or how about some Pomegranate Champagne Punch? It is a celebration, after all!

Some other delicious party/simcha foods:
• Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
• Crispy Artichoke Hearts
• Party Pinwheel Finger Sandwiches
• Pimiento Cheese
• Apricot Canapés
• Deviled Eggs
• Smoked Salmon Tartare
• Fennel and Parmesan

What’s your favorite finger food recipe? Please let us know. Rayna and I would appreciate it.

Dear Jamie:

What’s a good appetizer to have already plated for an at-home DIY Sheva Brachos?

Leah Z

I love Do It Yourself entertaining. Though I’m genetically engineered to call in a caterer for a big crowd, there is something so gratifying about doing it on your own! You feel you’ve really accomplished something, and when people say “This is so delicious! Did you make it?” you can answer “yes” without blushing.

For the uninitiated, let me explain the challenge of a Sheva Brachos dinner. For a full week following a Jewish wedding, the bride and groom are hosted at banquets every single day (or evening). This is to ensure that they will never again fit into their pre-wedding clothes. They start life together as a new couple, with a new diet. Traditionally, there should be a minimum of a minyan (ten men) at this dinner because seven special blessings for the bride and groom are included in the Grace After Meals. (The Hebrew term Sheva Brachos means literally “Seven Blessings.”) Now, unless you know a lot of single guys, inviting ten men means inviting their wives too, and possibly their children. Do the math, people. We’re talking about at least twenty guests at your table.

So this is a high volume meal, and we also want to make it elegant and memorable. The bride and groom will remember nothing, of course. They’re oversaturated with rich foods and their brains stopped working after the second night. But you want the guests to remember it, at least until they get home.

And you want to be able to serve everything quickly and easily. You also want to take latecomers into account (typically the bride and groom). After all, you don’t want to greet them with, “NOW you show up? My roast is ruined.”

But let’s start at the beginning. Apps are so important — they are your intro to the meal, setting the stage and tone for what’s to come.

Leah, I see that you are one smart gal: starting with something that’s already plated takes some of the stress off your shoulders. You have enough to do greeting everyone, making sure the bride and groom are comfortable, and keeping an eye on your main course. Starting with a plated app frees you up to be the mostess.

You want something that is best served at room temperature and that won’t sog if it takes folks a few extra minutes to find their seats. Here are my favorite starters. Take your pick.

• Chilled Salmon with a Duet of Dipping Sauces. I use the term “chilled” loosely. Just don’t serve this warm! Room temp is perfect, and if you make both the wasabi scallion dipping sauce and the dijonnaise, the dish is doubly fancy. You can decorate the bottom of the plate with the sauces. Take special care to trim each fillet equal size so that it all looks uniform and inviting when people enter the room. A fresh lemon wedge or lemon twist on each plate finishes off the look.

• Avocado and Seared Tuna Steak Salad – now this is a gorgeous fresh delicacy. Choose Yellowfin sushi-grade tuna; the dressing is made from lime juice, olive oil, wasabi, and Tabasco sauce. Despite these ingredients, the dish isn’t too hot and the acid in the dressing keeps the avocados from browning too quickly. But remember that avocados do oxidize once out of their skin, so this dish needs to be prepped just before the first guests arrive. If you think there will be major dilly dallying, skip this one.

• Israeli Salad Plate –Turkish Salad, Charif, Hummus, Tahini, Israeli Salad and Israeli Cabbage Salad. Choose 2 or 3 of your favorites and pre-plate them with a few homemade pita chips, hot pita bread, colorful tortilla chips or gourmet crackers.

• Bowties with Salmon and Peas in Lemon Dill Sauce is a colorful, light starter. (This recipe and the Melon Salad below are both in my new book Quick & Kosher Meals in Minutes)

• Melon Salad – or any fruits in season – lightly dressed in fresh squeezed, lime juice, fresh mint leaves or chiffonaide and lightly dusted with powdered sugar.

• Nicoise Salad – string beans, red bliss potatoes, tuna steak, artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes on the vine, hard cooked eggs, white beans and romaine, lightly dressed.

• Three other starter salads that I love: Long Grain and Wild Rice Salad, California Avocado Salad, and Italian Tomato Salad. All are best at room temp and their flavors are enhanced as they sit in their dressing (and they don’t sog.) You can choose one, or do a medley of three and present them in a lettuce cup (one nice large lettuce leaf or a nice red cabbage leaf.)

• Chilled Soups are good starters too. Mango Strawberry Soup is my favorite. Make it with frozen mangos and strawberries and it will hold its chill nicely while guests arrive. Alternatively, make it beforehand and keep it chilling in your fridge. Also chill your bowls, then pour and put them on the table just before guests arrive. Another choice would be Quick Gazpacho (also from my new book). Serve it in a chilled mug. How homey!

Mazel Tov and good luck with your Sheva Brachos!

Please send pictures and let us know what you choose and more importantly what everyone thought of your starter.