Ciao 2017 - A Year that Warmed My Heart

Another year.  Another 365 days of "what did I do with all that time?"  I do recall many moons ago an older person said to me that time goes by faster when you are older.  I didn't quite get it, but now that I am older, I see that it is true.  But I still don't get it. Time flies by quicker now. But how? But why?  Is it because as adults we wish for the weekends to come so we can have some rest? Only to find out that we have cleaning and laundry, errands and bills to attend to.  Is that why time blows past us?  Who knows, except, here it is the end of 2017 and I am still wondering what happened to March!!  What have I done with all that time?

I have accomplished some things but will readily admit that I wasted too much time.  2018 will be about making more of each moment. Well, that was the goal of 2017, so wish me luck... again.

As the year comes to a close some of you will host big parties.  Great.  But if you are like me, and don't make such a huge deal out of New Year's Eve, or feel pressure to do something, or maybe you feel sad because nothing special is happening.   Please remember it's just another night like the one before it and the one after it.  You can choose to how to honor it or not. You can use it to ump start a fresh beginning. But if you don't have big plans, so what.  You can do what JC and I like to do.  Sit quietly, rejoice in what we have now and make a list of our wishes  for the coming year. Without pressure but just gentle reminders of what we would like to reach for.

As we wrap this year, that was filled with tons of emotion for most of us, let me share some moments of just how lovely a year can be.  (Lots of photos, so keep scrolling for another message from me.)

January
Shared time with my sister Jill and nieces, Nikki and Gabrielle, as we cooked together making the original "something from nothing" recipe, Zucchini Orzo Pie and an old family tradition, stuffed breads.

February
Starting the month with an invite from our family friends, the Marzullos, to kick start a month of eating well.
Celebrated my birthday with my parents in Miami showing them cool restaurants for them to visit, like Prohibition. Then back home to celebrate another Pisces birthday with my 'niece', Lauren, serving up a traditional Spanish tapas lunch.

March
Stirring it with love with Gabrielle at her workplace, Traditions, in Charlotte, NC promoting my Think...then Jump™ children's book series and reading to the kids. Back home, taking in nature with a walk through our favorite local spot, Rockefeller Park.

April
Another trip to Italy, because... Well, it's Italy and you can never get enough. And let's not forget this is the land of beauty, love and of course...pasta.  All things I hold dear.

My own fresh pasta made in the Tuscan Hills.  Recipe here

My hubby, falling in love with Cortona in the Tuscan region of Italy.

May
JC's birthday, celebrated as usual with good food and wine.

Cucumber, radish, mint salad

Roasted pork loin

Roasted fennel, peppers, onions

June
A full month of gatherings with family and friends, both in NY and Miami.  

Us and the Nardolillo Family.  Finally, after many dates were thrown around, we found one in June!

Always love visiting Miami for sun and the warming of my soul.

Miami gang,  Marta and Me with JC to celebrate Emilce's Birthday.

Krista and Me.  I babysat for her.  Yes, I did and now she is getting married!

July
Spent the 4th sharing good times, good food and good fun with dear friends Emily and Lorne at their Bay home.

Rocked a successful event aboard a NYC nighttime cruise that Despaña co-sponsored.  Boy, was I tired after that one.

A NYC visit from my bestie, Dominique, ending a perfect  girl's day with her daughter, Lauren.

Despaña Gang AKA Chicas Poderosas = Powerful Girls!

Dominique and Lauren. Don't you love those smiles!

August
Too many photos to even think about sharing from our trip to Northern Spain, but the highlight was spending time with our dear friends, Marcos and Angelica, at their home in Amieva, Asturias.

Amieva, a beautiful view

Marcos, Angelica and JC

Angelica and me

September
How do you celebrate fall with Cuban in-laws?  Roast a pig.
How do you celebrate a friend's birthday? Call and say "I'm coming over with food and cake!"

How do you celebrate a life? By honoring it with memories, laughter and love. Sharing as a family a most beautiful memorial to rejoice in life of my dear Aunt Catherine.

Porky the pig in La Caja China, the Chinese roasting box

I made a gluten free cake to celebrate Carl's birthday.

Alla familia

Aunt Catherine's favorite hat and her corn cob pipe.  No button nose here.

October
Thanks to my sis, Alys and Mastercard, we got to visit the Chiluly exhibit at the NY Botanical Gardens. 

Then had a wild production experience as Team Despaña, Angelica and Master Carver Jaume Guerra were slicing up jamón on The Untitled Action Bronson Show appearing on Viceland TV.

Angelica & Jaume showing how it's done.

Action Bronson checking out the jamón

November
NYC Marathon with my amazing sis, Alys.

Stats that make her cream of the crop.

Family support after 26.2 miles.  Ready for a meal.

December
That time of year when spending time with flour, butter and sugar is how I pass my time, baking up a storm. Thankfully, I had one brave soul to help me, my niece, Gianna to the rescue.

Gianna, directly home from college and before seeing friends, helped me make cookies... all day.

I also had to say ciao for now to my nephew, John, as he moved away to Colorado.

So as we close the books on 2017, I wish for you all the health and love life has to offer... And there is an abundance of it. There truly is no end to that well.  You can continue to tap it and unearth it's riches.

May you find the path you were searching for.

May the passions you dream of become realities.

May the struggles you have be released and resolved.

May good friends, good food find their way into your home.

May each day bring a wonderful mixture of laughter and smiles, inner peace and joy, satisfaction and accomplishment, confidence and strength.

May you step closer to knowing and loving your true self and rejoice in your essence.

I wish all these and so much more for you.

Happy New Year

The Feast of the Seven Fishes

Another request from the readers...

What to make on Christmas Eve.

If you are an Italian American then Christmas Eve is celebrated by serving a boat load of fish.  Some call it The Feast of the Seven Fishes.  In Italy they just call it a grand meal. 

It appears that the root of this tradition is based mostly in the religious fervor of abstaining from eating red meat until Christmas day.  Folks stayed away from meat eating during various religious days throughout the year and the eve before Christmas was no exception. La Vigilia or Vigilia di Natale; the vigil held until midnight when baby Jesus was born. However, in true Italian style, just because one is abstaining from one type of food doesn’t mean you go hungry.  Oh, the contrary.  Instead they serve an abundance of something else.  Hence, bring in the fishes!

My mom and grandmothers prepping. It takes a village and a few generations to feed an Italian family!     Photo credit: Paul Majewski

So serving seven fishes is a made up number really.  Some Italian American families go up to 13. These are clearly people will a ton of time on their hands. Preparing that many dishes, and ones that are not so easy to pull off is no simple feat.  But usually this group has a team of grandmothers, aunts, cousins, etc all pitching in.  It seems that whatever the number count, it is always an odd number since that brings good luck.  However, the number 7 is believed to hold a higher significance as it is based in religious reasons. Some theories:

• The number 7 is the most repeated number in the bible, making appearances over 700 times.
• God did all his work in 6 days and the 7th he rested.  I would say he could use a day off.
• In the Roman Catholic Church there are seven Sacraments.

Blah blah blah.  The number isn’t as important as the tradition of serving fish.  I’m not so big on the why but continuing traditions that bring good memories.  If it’s a tradition that is based on something religious and that has meaning to you, great.  If not, but the tradition evokes love and laughter with family and friends, well that my friend is what it is all about.

Family meal. Eat up everyone!                                                                                                                                            Photo credit: Paul Majewski

If you are going to attempt the feat of The Feast of Seven Fishes, start early.  And I mean that.  You will need several days of prep if you are going to make any of the tradition recipes.  I have listed them at the bottom of this post with links to popular recipes.  This list is the most common fish used for the feast.

• anchovies 
• salted cod fish
• clams
• eels
• lobster

• merluzzo (cod)
• mussels
• octopus
• sardines

• scungilli
• shrimp
• smelts
• squid
• whiting

So let's say that you are interested in trying this tradition but just want to give a nod to the fishes, as opposed to swimming with the fishes, which is another reference entirely. Then swim along with me. I like abundance but I don't have a team of helpers. Below are a few dishes that are simpler in preparation and in numbers.  Pick and choose among my recipe list below. I’m suggesting you start off with 3. Still an odd number for good luck, if you believe in that sort of thing, and much easier to manage. These recipes are not traditional Italian but a lighter version than all the usual fried options and much less demanding. You should only need one day of prep prior and help on the day of.

I had every intention of writing about some of the dishes below prior to this post but alas I had other recipes I wanted to share with you all year long. So you will just have to give it a whirl with my quick instructions.  You can always call or email me with questions.  I mean that.  

The FIsh usually swim onto the plates in an order like this:  First course, something light and snack like.  Then followed by a salad of seafood. Then a dish that is a bit heartier, like a roasted, grilled or seared fish, followed by the pasta course then a hearty seafood stew.  I think I hit most of these courses with the exception of the stew.  But remember I was trying to ease up on the workload for you.

Smoked Trout served on potatoes with sour cream & chives

• Cut small new potatoes in half, slicing off a tiny bit of the rounded edge so they sit properly.  Boil until tender. Let cool.  Top with flaked pieces of smoked trout, a dollop of sour cream and sprinkling of chives.

Little bites of yum, smoked trout with sour cream & chives on potato rounds

Crabmeat & Citrus 'Martini'

• Combine fresh crabmeat, with yellow bell pepper, celery, grapefruit and orange sections and mint. Serve in a martini glass with endive leaves and spoon the juice from the citrus into each glass.  

Boquerones 

•   Fresh anchovies can be served in several ways.  Check out the highlighted title link for serving ideas.

Salmon & Cucumber Rounds

• Cut English cucumbers into 1/2” rounds. On plastic wrap, spread smoked salmon out to create a full layer.  Spread whipped cream cheese over the entire layer. Sprinkle with chives (capers and minced shallots optional).  Roll up the entire layer to create a log. Wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Before serving cut into 1/2” rounds, place on top of the cucumber and finish with a small piece of fresh dill

Bellini with Crème Fraiche & Roe

• These mini bellinis that can be store bought, top with crème fraiche & your favorite roe.

Whole Baked or filet of fish: Salmon, Trout, Sole , Grouper or Grilled Shrimp

Roasted Salmon

Stuffed Dover Sole

Oven Roasted Grouper Filets with roasted tomatoes, onions and garlic

Grilled Shrimp served with grilled yellow peppers and onions, and creamy polenta.

Linguine & Clam Sauce

Yes, JuanCarlos was out in the snow cooking a paella!

All the above dishes not only would be my choices for Christmas Eve, but these were the dishes I served for a New Year's Party, only I swapped out the linguine & clams for seafood paella.  That dish is one that my 'also good in the kitchen' husband likes to tackle. The fun part about a paella (although not a traditional Italian dish,  is that guests love to watch it come together.)

If you feel that you have the strength of a mighty Italian, then go for the gold.  Below is a list of some of the most common dishes served during the Feast of the Seven Fishes.  I provided links to recipes from popular sites for your reference.  Please note that I have not tried these recipes. My goal was to do some of the leg work finding  links to make your search less stressful.

•   Baccalà (salt cod) as a salad or fried

•   Baked cod or Baked cod & potatoes

•   Baked Clams casino or a lighter, easier version Clams Casino

•   Cod fish balls in tomato sauce

•   Deep fried calamari

•   Deep fried cod

•   Deep fried fish/shrimp

•   Deep fried scallops

•   Fried smelts

•   Insalata di mare (seafood salad)

•   Linguine with anchovy, clam, lobster, tuna, or crab sauce

•   Marinated or fried eel

•   Octopus salad

•   Oyster shooters

•   Puttanesca traditional tomato sauce with anchovies

•   Scungilli salad (sea snail)

•   Shrimp cocktail traditional version   or Roasted Shrimp Cocktail version

•   Stuffed calamari in tomato sauce

•   Stuffed-baked lobsters

•   Whiting

Whatever you serve, whether it's 7 or 13 fishes, or no fish at all, just remember the most important ingredient of all... LOVE.

After all the fish, leave room for the dessert!                                                                                                                  Photo credit: Paul Majewski    

Buon Natale, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays. Eat well. Be well.

Napkin Folding - 5 Basic Folds - Countless Options

I asked. You answered. Now the ball is back in my court to deliver.

Some of you have requested simple, yet elegant ways to fold a napkin.   Sure, you can just plop a napkin down next to the plate. Why not, what's all the fuss, right?  Guests are just going to place them on their laps anyway.  But I will ask you this one question, and then see how you feel about just plopping that napkin down.

When you enter the home of a host/hostess and see a table set with place settings and napkins lovingly positioned, how do you feel? 

1. Oh Ah, what a beautiful, welcoming setting. I feel special.

2. Oh yeah, that's where we're going to eat

If  you answered #1, keep reading.  If you answered #2 grab some other reading material and forget about scrolling through the rest of this post. I promise next week will bring something of more interest for you.

Setting a table can be as easy or as complicated as you want. The same goes with the finishing touches such as  folding a napkin.  I choose the simple method, but still try to make an impact.  Some of the styles below are quite basic with a twist. They are geared a bit more towards the festive side for the holidays, yet any of them can be used or modified for any occasion.  

The idea here is not to twist yourself up as you fold napkins.  Sure those fancy, schmancy, origami style versions look impressive.  But let's face it, those take a ton of effort and time only to have sadness kick in when your guests pull apart your time consuming creation and place them on their laps.  I'm all for making the table look pretty.  You guys know that about me by now. But I am also practical.  Employing simple techniques for maximum impact.  Whether it's preparing a dish, plating it or folding a napkin.

I pulled out a few items to play with for this episode of how to fold a napkin... Fast but pretty.

Let the folding, or rolling begin. The best part about these suggestions is that you don't need the exact napkin or ribbon or decor that I show in these examples.  These are guides and intended to motivate you to look around your house to see what you can use.  Any of the ideas shown can be easily refashioned to incorporate what you already have.  In fact, all the ribbons I use are from packages I received, or remnants lingering around just waiting to be given the chance at another useful life.  I also cut the ribbon handles off of nice shopping bags.  These are usually good quality and the perfect size.  Give a good think about what you have readily available.  Need more hints. How about using twigs or acorns, cinnamon sticks or nutmeg rounds. A feather, a flower, chives. 

Although most of these are for individual place settings, I've shown two napkin options for use on a buffet or cocktail setting.

The Simple roll

This method is a no brainer.  The art comes in how to finish it with a little extra flare.

• Fold the napkin in half and in half again.

• From the open edge side of the napkin, begin rolling towards the folded edge of the napkin. This helps to create a cleaner finish.

• Tie a 3/8" ribbon around the mid section and finish with an adornment.

Once you have rolled the napkin up, tie a ribbon, knot it, place an ornament down and tie a bow. Place in the middle of the plate.

3/8" ribbon + ornament

Note the folded edge on the left side is where you want to roll to.

The Simple roll - Candy Caned

Using the same simple roll technique, wrap the roll with a wider ribbon to create a candy cane or striped effect.

• Tuck one end of the ribbon under the bottom right side of the napkin

• At an angle begin to wind it around leaving equal amounts in between.

• Tuck the edge under.

Chic, simplicity

Roll the napkin

Using 1/2 grosgrain ribbon, tuck on end under the napkin and wind it around leaving equal amounts in between. Tuck the edge under.

The simple roll - Crisscross

Can this simple roll be more versatile?  Duh, of course, it can.  If you don't want to spiral the ribbon around, why not create a straightforward crisscross effect.

• Place the ribbon midway under the napkin, then crisscross in front placing the ends across the plate.

Modern, simple and elegant.

The buffet Roll

Using the roll technique, find a vase or bucket or even a wide bowl that coordinates with your table theme.  Then place all the rolled napkins in an orderly fashion. Place your napkin bucket near the flatware and dishes on your buffet table for easy access for your guests.  

I didn't have enough black napkins so I used a cream/green one to coordinate. The way to make it look planned is to concentrate the colors. I choose to use the darker color for the circular perimeter with the light colored center. It feels like a flower.

 

The Simple fold

I know you are saying, "What the heck? This is a napkin folded over in a rectangle.  Is she serious?"  Yes, I am.  This is a straightforward approach but by turning the napkin horizontally it feels slightly different.  Don't worry, keep scrolling. There are more plays off this easy technique.  

Is there anything easier than folding a napkin and placing it in the middle of the plate. I think not. But we can pump it up. Read on...

The Simple Fold Doubled Wrapped

You see.  The rectangle fold slightly jazzed up. (Fun tip: The sage green, crinkle organza ribbon is from our wedding.  Yes, you read that correctly.  I saved the ribbon from our wedding 16 years ago, and just like our marriage, it's still going strong!)  

• Using a wide ribbon, starting on an angle tuck one end under the bottom left hand side.

• Wrap the ribbon around twice, slightly overlapping in the middle so there is no gap.

• Leave enough ribbon for the tail to poke out on the bottom right hand side. You may need to adjust as you go.

The simple rectangle napkin has a more powerful impact with a doubled ribbon wrap tail peeking out.

Fold napkin in half, then half again, than half yet again.

The wide ribbon is what makes this angled wrap have more presence.

The Simple Fold & Half Knot

Same rectangular fold, same ribbon but with a bit more sass.  

• Place the wide ribbon under the napkin in the center with the top portion of ribbon being slightly longer than the bottom.

• Bring the the top portion of the ribbon to lay down over the napkin.

• Take the bottom ribbon and cross over front.

• Then tuck that piece under and flare the tail out to the right.

Once you pull the short side through to the right, make both tails lie flatly down.

The top portion of the ribbon rests across the middle of the napkin while the bottom/under portion gets crossed over front.

Tuck the ribbon under the midsection and pull to a loose knot.

The triangle

Yes, this is another no brainer fold, but one that also has versatility.  

• Fold the napkin in half and half again

• If you have a nice finished edge like the one shown below, fold the point down only to the trimmed edge. (You can also use this approach even if you don't have a fancy edge. It will actually make your triangle fold a bit more special.

• You can also just fold it point to point.

Simple Triangle & Ornament tuck

Tuck an adornment under one side.  Use a cinnamon stick, or a flower stem or this stem of pearl like buds.

 

The Triangle Tower - Buffet Style   

Using the same triangle technique but folding edge to edge, you can then stack them to create a uniformed row for a buffet table

The fold & hold

Easy fold in half fashion and tying in the middle.

• Lay the napkin right side down and fold each edge into the middle

• Flip the napkin over placing a ribbon midway. Add an adornment

• Tie one knot to secure and place onto the plate

The Drape

The more elegant dropping of a napkin. 

• Fold the napkin in half

• Grab the middle folded edge and let the napkin naturally drape

• Place the napkin on the plate. It will create pretty folds

Fold the napkin in half and grab the folded edge.

The Tied Drape

Just add a ribbon tied 1/3 the way down from the top

As I mentioned, none of these are ground breaking.  They are simple techniques with a little extra pizzaz, which is what I believed you asked for.  I hope I sparked your creative spirit using the napkins and odds/ends pieces in your home to create a festive, happy landing place for your guests.  

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Spinach, Feta & Goat Cheese

I love when we have friends and family stay with us.  It gives me even more motivation to cook and find some new dishes to test out.  Such was the case when my brother came to visit from L.A. for an extended stay.  He was in town to research and write a movie script which the timing of his visit just so happened to coincide with my mom's knee replacement surgery.  Lucky for me, he was able to do all the heavy lifting in helping her recup. He bopped back and forth from our house to my parents, where he did all the cooking while staying at their house. So naturally I wanted to give him a break when he was at ours.  He is most definitely into healthy eating and steering clear of wheat and bread.  Which was perfect, since so do I. We enjoyed a few good meals mixing up the proteins and sides but mostly keeping it simple.

With chicken on the menu for his last night in NY, I wanted to make it slightly more special than just oven roasted.  You can count on me to rev up the creative juices when the fridge is full with stuff that needs to be used.  Hence, "let me stuff chicken breasts with spinach, feta and goat cheese."  All of which were in some crazy abundance in the fridge that week.  (The goat was was originally destined for a tart idea that's been brewing. The spinach was supposed to have been a side dish. And the feta was one cheese that my brother asked for salads and for Greek inspired dishes. So that explains it.) 

Besides just enjoying his company, I double downed on my good fortune of having him around as he snapped photos while I prepared this meal. Among his many talents, add photographer with a keen eye. So while my hands were full or messy, he documented the prep work.  I'm telling you, as much as I love taking photos of what I make, it was a real treat to be able to just cook and not worry about cleaning my hands, taking the shot, then back to mixing, stirring or chopping.  I'm spoiled now.

ingredients

4 chicken breasts
14 oz baby spinach*, sautéed
2 T shallots, minced
2 T garlic, minced
1/2 c goat cheese
1/2 c feta cheese
1/2 c white wine (I used Muga Rosé, as it was leftover)
Oil roasted tomatoes
Magic 3 (Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper)

* I used 20 oz of spinach which was more than enough for filling but I used the rest as leftovers the next day to make corn quesadillas with feta.

Instructions

Sauté the shallots, garlic in oil seasoning with salt and pepper.  Add the spinach, cooking until wilted, then set aside to cool. 

I chopped the spinach because I thought it would be easier to eat as well as insert into the chicken.   Photo credit: Robert Perri

Clean, wash and thoroughly dry the chicken breasts.  Then cut a pocket into the thick middle of each breast. (Note: making sure your protein (chicken, meat, fish) is thoroughly dried ensures you will get a good sear.)

Photo credit: Robert Perri

Stuff each one with spinach then add the goat and feta cheeses into the pocket.  Secure with a toothpick. 

Photo credit: Robert Perri

Photo credit: Robert Perri

Photo credit: Robert Perri

Season the chicken with salt, pepper and olive oil, then sear them on both sides in a cast iron skillet.  Add wine and oven roasted tomatoes and then place in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken.

Photo credit: Robert Perri

Photo credit: Robert Perri

Photo credit: Robert Perri

Photo credit: Robert Perri

It just so happened that my sister, Jill, was also in town, which made it a nice send off.  It was too bad that my other sis, Alyssa, couldn't make it.  Since we were a party of four I needed some side dishes.  Pulling items out of the fridge, here's the list of extras.

• Shisito peppers (as a little appetizer)
• Broccolini with oil and garlic
• Warm up the sautéd mushrooms from another meal.
• Quinoa with fresh parsley, scallions and chopped baby kale. 
• Eggplant with feta, parsley, garlic and roasted tomatoes
• Tossed an arugula salad with cucumbers 

And there you have a goodbye meal that felt like we were sending him back home with love.

Photo credit: Robert Perri

Photo credit: Robert Perri

He doesn't like his photo to be taken, so you will have to take my word for it that he enjoyed the meal with a smile.  Enough so that he ate some of the leftovers the next day before we drove to JFK. And just the other day he told me that he recreated this dish when he got home. A Winner.
I think this could also be a good brunch dish.  If you slice the cutlets in thick pieces, place them all on a large platter and pour the juices and tomatoes over top, it's an easy pick up and go dish for a buffet.

Feeding the people you love is what cooking is all about.  Whether you are making a meal for someone coming into town or someone who is leaving, nourishing their bodies and souls is always better stirred with love.  A most wholesome gift indeed.

Print Friendly Recipe

Holiday Hosting Tips - Less Stress

Photo Credit: Paul Majewski

Don't let hosting stress you out.  Serving up love during the holidays shouldn't cause grief.  On the contrary, it should bring joy.

In an attempt to ease any pain, I will share some of ways I keep organized when hosting.  I know this type of post has been a long time coming, as many of you have asked for helpful entertaining tips.  With the holidays only a month away, now's the time. Better sooner than later.  What good would a post on hosting tips be if it arrived right before the holiday when you smack in the thick of it.  "Thanks, Dana for the heads up!"  

Hopefully some of these will be of help right now.  Others you can tuck away and retrieve just in time to plan prior to any event or holiday madness.  Speaking of which, when did the holiday season go from being fun to stressful? I have two answers from my perspective.  (In the movie business this is known as foreshadowing. I am giving you a hint about how I organize my thoughts. Be prepared for many more lists and numbering of ideas to come!)

First answer: Perspective
The POV of a child simply enjoying holidays versus the POV of an adult hosting them. There is definitely a major difference. When you are a kid, holidays are completely stress free.  You didn't have to do any buying or prepping, cooking or hosting.  Just sit back, wait for someone to pass you another gift and have a blast. 

Photo Credit: Paul Majewski

Photo credit: Paul Majewski

Second answer: Competition 
Maybe not for everyone, but there seems to be the pressure of one up-manship. Somehow when we host we feel the need to outdo what we did from the previous year.  How can I make it different, better? This goes for gift giving, too. Why can't one present be enough?

UGH, the pressure.  So, let's start with giving the ole heave ho to those two reasons.  How about we revisit the feeling of being a child and just have fun. Bring back that kid again and find the joy and excitement of the holidays.  Be thrilled with a homemade ornament. Gather with family just to rejoice in all that we do have.

Photo Credit: Paul Majewski

Ring in a joyous feeling. Whatever it was for you, whether it's playing Christmas carols, stringing old fashioned decorations like popcorn strung garland, or have a pot of cinnamon and apples simmering on the stove.  For me, it's baking traditional cookies and reminiscing about my grandmothers.  Let that holiday spirit knock on your door, enter into your home and your heart.

On the competition side, what I have found over the years is that guests come because they enjoy the company and whatever food is prepared.  So let's just take the 'one up-manship' out of the equation and prepare an event that has as little stress as possible.  No one is keeping a scorecard.  So do what you can with the time and budget you have.  Your generosity of spirit will be enough.

Once you have the emotionality back, then comes the practicality. Preparation is the key.  In the film/tv production world this is called pre-pro.  The pre-production work that is done prior to ensure that the production goes as smoothly as possible.  There are usually lists and budgets and contact sheets with phone numbers and schedules.  Guess what?  All these apply whenever throwing an event.  I guess this is why the transition from production to catering, events and home hosting was an easy one for me.  I love lists.  Even better, I love checking things off my lists.  Call me anal. Call me crazy.  Call me whatever you like but having a plan keeps you on track and avoids unnecessary spending and work. Once you try it, you will call me brilliant.

JC is fond of taking pictures of my lists.  I'm glad he does because now I have photo evidence to share with you. Some are handwritten like this image. Others I type up and print out.

Here's how I usually go about planning any party.

Step 1:  Guest List 

• Family or friends or a mix

• How many people do you want to host

Step 2: Event/party type

• Decide the day and time

• Is it down dinner, cocktail party, brunch?

Step 3: Menu Selection

Begin planning 2-3 weeks prior.  For me, quite time is when ideas come to me. So I sit in a corner of our living room known as the Moroccan bed and gather pen, pad, magazines, cookbooks and iPad. With a cup of coffee or glass of wine depending on the hour of the day I start my research, thumbing through recipes I have made or page through other materials for additional ideas. Then I begin making a list of menu items that I think would work with the theme or holiday.  At this stage it's the pie in the sky list.  I throw in all the possibilities.

Step 4: Menu Review and Refinement

This portion will be dictated by the guest list, the budget and how much time you have. When preparing a menu, it's fine to start with jotting down all the things you would love to make. But upon the all crucial review time, that's when you need to get down to brass tacks and make sure that you can pull off what you are dreaming about. Because I only have a 4 burner stove and 1 oven.  Yes, you read that right.  How this is possible I just don't know?  Believe me, I did my best song and dance to try to convince JuanCarlos that we should cut into our counter and cabinet to make room for a 6 burner/2 oven Wolf and take a wall down. Alas, I suck at singing, and clearly I didn't have the dance skills for that miracle to occur.  So planning out what gets cooked and warmed up in what order is essential. The dream list turned reality part starts here:

1- Budget:  This really helps narrow down your fantasy menu. It can be the deciding factor between serving monkfish vs. lobster. Sometimes JC and I have a budget in mind.  However, I must be completely honest with you, when we throw parties, we rarely feel constrained to stay within a certain $$.  We buy and make whatever moves us. But if you do need to stay within a budget, then this is the first item you should determine, as it will dictate what you can make. Having and sticking to a budget is also a good way to prevent you from overdoing and overspending,

2- Time: Next important reality check.  How much time and effort will each of these menu items take and is it realistic? A good way to cut down on time is incorporating a mix of homemade items with store bought/prepared items (like roasted nuts or marinated vegetables: mushrooms, artichoke hearts, etc) The only time required:  placing them on a platter or bowl.

3- Guests:  Who is coming, what would they like and are there any special needs (gluten free, vegetarians, Meat lovers, fish lovers, etc)

I review my menu with these crucial guidelines in mind and start revising ensuring that I have a variety of foods for everyone that I can make in the allotted time, and budget.

I also review the menu to include that there are cold, room temp and warm items.  This is for three main reasons. 

One, having cold or room temp items means one less thing to cook and need stove space.  

Two, these items can already be placed on the buffet table so that when guest arrive they can begin the nibbling.

Three, these items usually can be prepared ahead of time, stored in the fridge, and frees up time for you.

Step 5: List making 101: have a page for each list. That's right, there is more than one list.
(Clearly, I like putting things in order.  Plus, I promised you there would be plenty of lists and numbering and I like to keep my promises. I do believe lists help, especially when you reading so much information.  You are easily able to identify the things that are of value.)   Let's move on to the making of the lists, shall we.

• Guest List

• Shopping List

• Daily To Do List

• Day of Event List

• Menu (with categories for appetizer/main/dessert)

1- Guest List: 
Send out invite or make phone calls and keep a list of who is coming, total number of guests and make any specific food restriction notes

2- Shopping List:
This will ensure you get everything you need and don't have to make any emergency runs during cooking preparations. It will also keep you from buying items that you do not need and thereby overspending. (Another confession, I sometimes don't stick to this list. I see things in the store that look great and toss them in my wagon thus adding to the menu. It's the nature of my something from nothing style that is engrained in me. But I am getting better at sticking to the list!)

This was one of 2 pages of my master list.

3- Daily To Do List:
This list will be the life savior in keeping all the moving parts organized so you are not cramming everything into the day of the event. Remember pre-pro.  This is at the heart of it.  I review my menu, my theme and think of all the prep that needs to happen. Then I start to list everything that can be done ahead of time.  You can usually begin several days out, completing small tasks and spreading out the work so it truly is much less stressful.  Prep what you can a little at a time in manageable chunks, thus setting yourself up for an 'easy to assemble' approach on the day of.   One trick that has worked incredibly well for me is mise en place.  You remember what that is: French for, everything in it's place.  I cut, chop, prep ingredients, then place them in bags, containers and group each dish's ingredients together.  On the day of the party, all I have to do is combine them.

Get everything prepped, in the amounts you need. Then all you need to do is toss in a bowl. This method is ideal for handing off to a helper because all the hard work is done already.

A sample Daily To Do List, can look like this:

Tuesday/Wednesday:

• Shop for non perishable items

• Iron linens for table

• Straighten up house

Thursday

• Shop for remaining food items

• Pull out all platters and serving utensils

• Buy and arrange florals

Friday

• Food prep with exact list to check off

  • cut carrots

  • make dressings

  • marinate meat, etc

4- Day of List:
Write down all the pending tasks you need to accomplish the day of the event.  

• Assembly charcuterie/cheese platter

• Shave zucchini, etc

• Add toilet paper to bathrooms

• Change hand towels

5- Menu List:
I know you may feel this one is silly but I have found that having an actual menu sheet is incredibly helpful. I started incorporating it ever since I forgot to serve an item that was tucked in the back of the refrigerator. Having a complete menu in full sight reminds you of every item that you prepared so you won't forget a single thing.

Food & Beverage Amounts. 
There are standard calculations to follow. Check here for a comprehensive summary.  I have my own take on this, as my experience has shown me that our guests enjoy grazing a bit more and longer than the usual estimates.

Appetizers/Hors d'oveurs
When figuring on amounts for each appetizers, plan on making 1.5-2 times the amount of each appetizers for each guest. For example, if you are serving mini meatballs to 20 guests you should have between 30-40 meatballs.  Below are approximate amounts for the different types of events.  My estimates are slightly higher than what is usually recommended.  That's what I learned from years of party throwing.  Plus I come from a long line of women who like to feed people, so being short on food is NOT an option.

Hors d'oveurs Before a Meal: Plan on 6-8 pieces per person.  
Hors d'oveurs as Main for Cocktail Party: Plan on 12-14 pieces per person.  

Serrano ham alongside slices of cool cucumber

Marinated mushrooms, store bought and then enhanced with fresh parsley and roasted peppers

Goat cheese stuffed piquillo peppers

Beverages

• 1.5 drinks/per hour per person

• Wine bottles 750ml provides 5 glasses of wine

• Champagne/Cava/Prosecco 750ml bottle provides 6 glasses per bottle

• Water: 1 liter/4 guests. Offer both flat and sparking

• Soft Drinks/Juices: Plan on 8 oz/person if you have wine/beer and have a variety of juices, soft drinks. Triple that if you are only serving non alcoholic beverages.

Help:
When throwing a big party it's so important that you have help.  Don't be afraid to ask a family member or friend to come early to help you with the last minute items.  Or if your budget allows, hire someone who can assist in a variety of ways, from setting up, to arranging food on platters to serving and clean up.  Having been hired to do this for clients, I know what a huge difference this can make.  Recently I was able to hire one person to help me out during a family party.  It was a gamer changer since it meant that my party goers didn't need to lift a finger, and it freed me up to be able enjoy without any worries.  If you can't afford this option, then hopefully you are as lucky as I am to have guests that do help out.

Well, that was a ton of info to read through. Sorry for the lengthy post but I have found that these are the keys to keeping me sane, on track and able to enjoy a party.  I wish for you a smooth holiday party throwing season, and that this post provided some helpful hints on how to host a bit more stress free.

Happy Holidays