Leftovers, Day 3

Arrange leftovers on trays in finger-food format and leave them out in tempting locations. Use crackers, apple slices, and lettuce leaves for snack platforms. People won't be able to help themselves! Refresh often to get rid of leftover odds and ends.

Leftovers, Day 2

A twist on turkey hash is turkey scramble. Fill a nonstick skillet with Thanksgiving leftovers -- just toss everything in there together -- and warm through. Try adding some new seasonings here, too: chili flakes, herbs, hot sauce, or Indian flavors like garam masala. Pour in a couple of beaten eggs to bind everything together. Yum!

Leftovers, Day 1

As an alternative to the turkey sandwich, that time-honored use of Thanksgiving leftovers, try a turkey quesadilla. They're easy to make, either in a non-stick skillet or in an electric countertop grill. Load 'em up with turkey, onions, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, whatever you have. Glue them shut with cheese and enjoy!

When Disaster Strikes

A burned entree or a dropped pie may feel like a hostessing disaster, but it isn't. A burned roast will not ruin a party, but a hostess going to pieces will. The guests take their social cues from you, so you if you declare that the evening has beein ruined, they will be forced to agree. If, on the other hand, you laugh and order pizza, your guests will laugh with you and the fun will continue.

Thanksgiving Ahoy!

Thanksgiving is coming right up -- a favorite holiday of hostesses and foodies! Share your favorite Thanksgiving recipes and tips by leaving them in the comments or sending an email to zenhostess@gmail.com.

"What can I bring?"

Guests often like to bring a contribution to the party, and you should certainly take them up on it! If a guest asks what they can bring, assign them the dessert, the wine, the salad, an appetizer...

Favorite Cocktail: the Pittsburgh

This twist on the Manhattan is named for the city of its invention, and it's not for the faint of heart. Mix 3 parts whiskey (or bourbon) with 1/2 part sweet vermouth and 1/2 part bitter orange liquer. Serve with ice in a lowball glass, and garnish with an orange slice.

Bold Cranberry Sauce

For a very spicy cranberry sauce, grind 1 bag fresh cranberries in the food processor, then grate in 1/2 an onion. Add 1/2 c. sugar, 2 Tbsp. horseradish, 1/2 c. sour cream, 1/4 c. orange juice, and 1 tsp. orange zest. Refrigerate and serve cold. (This makes a fantastic relish for turkey sandwiches!)

Thanksgiving: Oven Logistics

If you ask me, the trick to making Thanksgiving dinner is fitting everything in the oven at once. Do a test to make sure all the baking dishes you'll use will fit in the oven at the same time. Cooking the turkey somewhere other than the oven (grill, smoker, deep fryer) makes lots of space for oven-roasted potatoes and green beans!

Weekend Zen: The Nap

Weekend houseguests can be wonderful, but it's important to conserve your energy. Excuse yourself on Saturday afternoon to "take a nap" -- you don't have to sleep, but spending an hour by yourself is wonderfully refreshing.

Floral Centerpieces

Flowers are the classic table centerpiece. Try potted flowers as a nice alternative to cut flower arrangements. Potted flowers can be purchased for under $15 at the grocery store, and they'll last longer than an arrangement. Later, when you inevitably forget to water them, you can throw them away guilt-free.

Fast Food

In my college days, pasta was my go-to meal. Boil water, open a jar of sauce, dinner was served. And it served one to four people with no problem. (More than 4 people meant logistical difficulties, because my pasta pot couldn't hold that much pasta at once.) Now, my go-to fast food is Chinese dumplings. I have made them by hand, but I buy them frozen now that I have a rugrat. It's a little more unusual than pasta, but just as easy -- boil water, open a jar of soy sauce, and dinner is served!

Recipe Collections

I collect recipes from newspapers, magazines, and the internet. (I also swipe some now and then from my mom's recipe box.) I used to keep all these clippings, index cards, and loose pages in a bowl on the countertop, which proved to be a perilous filing system. A better method is to use a 3-ring binder. I have permanently moved my hole puncher to the kitchen, and I have a few plastic sleeves for clippings that are too small to hole punch.

A Love Story

I love my stand mixer. Baking is soooo much easier now that I don't have to mix, whisk and knead by hand. Instead, the workout is in lifting the heavy thing onto the countertop!

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

These cookies come together quickly and easily, with ingredients you likely have in your pantry already. Cream together 1 stick butter and 1 cup sugar. Add 1 egg and 1 tsp. peppermint extract, then 1-1/4 c. flour, 1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa, 1/4 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt. Once combined, stir in 4 or 5 smashed-up candy canes. Shape into small balls, and flatten them out a bit. Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes. Makes about 18 cookies. (These cookies store beautifully in airtight containers.)

Paper Napkins

I hate laundering cloth napkins, and don't even get me started on the concept of ironing them! Paper napkins are much easier, and the colorful ones add a dash of fun. (Ikea, of all places, often has a great supply of brightly-patterned paper napkins at unbelievable prices.)

Easiest Marinade Ever!

Bottled salad dressing makes the best marinade. Try vinaigrettes, Italian, Greek, or any kind of oil-based dressings. (Creamy dressings, like Ranch or Ceasar, are likely to burn and won't impart as much flavor to the meat.) Use a Ziplock bag rather than a bowl to marinate -- you'll only need a few tablespoons.

Famous Coleslaw

This zesty coleslaw is best consumed on day 2 or 3... or even 4! Slice up one small cabbage, one knob of fennel, and two carrots. Combine with 2 T sesame seeds, 1/4 c. slivered almonds, and one smashed-up package of ramen noodles. Whisk the dressing together in a separate bowl: the packet of ramen seasoning, 2 T sugar, 1 tsp onion salt, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp pepper, 2 T cider vinegar, 1/2 c. vegetable oil. Pour the dressing over the slaw and stir it up every few hours to distribute the dressing. Yum!

Cold Citrus Asparagus

This is one of my favorite brunch dishes! It's delish, and it's served cold, so you can make it in advance. Steam or boil 2 bunches of asparagus. When they're done, dunk them in ice water to stop the cooking. Arrange asparagus on a tray -- they look spiffy all pointed the same direction. For the sauce, zest and juice a grapefruit into the bowl of a food processor. Add salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons of smooth mustard, and 2 garlic cloves. Whiz to combine, and while still whizzing, drizzle in 1/4 cup of vegetable oil. The asparagus and sauce can be refrigerated at this point, but store them separately. When you're ready to serve, pour the sauce through a fine mesh strainer before pouring over the asparagus (the zest and garlic look kind of clumpy and gross if you don't strain them out.)

Party Games!

Catchphrase(TM) is a fantastic game for a large-ish group to play after dinner. The handheld disk player displays a word, which one person has to describe until her team guesses the word. Quick, though -- there's a timer! Hilarity ensues, even if the wine hasn't been flowing. ("You'll find this in the basement..." "Dismember!!")

Cupcakes for Dessert

Cupcakes make great dessert, especially at a stand-up kind of party. Not only are they whimsical, but they don't require new sets of plates and forks for your guests. Cupcakes made from boxed mixes can be made a couple of days ahead of time and stored in airtight containers.

No-Chop Salad

This salad assembles from your fridge and pantry, without having to touch a knife or cutting board!




Bagged lettuce or spinach

Grape Tomatoes

Feta Cheese (fat-free tastes just as good as full-fat)

Craisins

Sliced or slivered almonds

Canned artichokes

Canned garbanzo beans or white beans

Jarred roasted red peppers




What else can we add to a no-chop salad? Suggestions welcome!

Hostess Gifts

A token gift for your hostess is always thoughtful and appreciated. Soaps, notecards, chocolates, flowers, and wine are all great ideas -- no need to be extravagent. If you bring something edible, though, don't expect it to be consumed at the party. After all, it's a gift for the hostess. Let her savor it on her own.

Quick Clean-Up

Line baking sheets with aluminum foil before loading them with food and putting them in the oven. No need to wash them when you're done!

Background Music

A great way to do set-it-and-forget-it background music is to load a multi-disc CD player with several CDs from different genres and then put the player on "random." I like to use jazz CDs for interesting but unobtrusive music.

Another fantastic idea is to buy CDs that are movie soundtracks. Try the soundtracks to "What Women Want" and "Swingers."

Zen Lasagne

This is the simplest way to make lasagne, but you could make some of these ingredients from scratch if you have the time and the inclination. Quantities below make two 9 x 13 lasagnes -- freeze one for later!


3 boxes of oven-ready noodles

2 large jars of garden vegetable pasta sauce

6 cups shredded mozzarella

1 lb. ricotta (reduced-fat is fine)

2 boxes frozen spinach (defrost and squeeze out the water)

1 lb. ground beef or turkey (or omit for a vegetarian entree)


If using the meat, brown in a skillet with a little salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Then let the assembly begin! A dab of sauce, then noodles, meat, spinach, pasta sauce, ricotta, mozzarella. Then more noodles, meat, spinach, sauce and cheeses. Top with noodles, sauce, and mozzarella. (Can be frozen or refrigerated at this point until you're ready to bake.)


Bake at 375 until cheese on top has melted and the sides are bubbly, about 45 minutes. Let the lasagne rest before you cut it! Like the Thanksgiving turkey, the lasagne needs to sit before you slice into it. 15 or 20 minutes should be fine.