Winner’s Kitchen: Holiday fare for the overwhelmed

It’s that time of year, folks. Ever sneaky, the holidays are upon us, and, once again, I feel woefully unprepared for how quickly they arrived and all I must do.
Invitations for dinners and gatherings stack up, and I thumb through my recipe journal in an attempt to find something bigger and better than last time. This year in particular, as a result of some scatterbrainedness, I overbooked myself more than usual, which inevitably leads to blunders.

When preparing for the Inland 360 photographer and taste testers, I forgot to buy cream, broke a measuring cup, gave myself a paper cut and completely forgot my skin was stained green from a “Wicked” viewing two nights prior.

When it all seems like too much, I suggest falling back on classic, simple and ingredients-already-in-the-fridge recipes like these. You’ll show up to your event with something a little different that no one needs to know is actually fool-proof and takes minimal effort.


CRANBERRY SAUCE, MADISON’S METHOD

Legend has it, I’ve been making this Thanksgiving side since I was 6 months old. In truth, my memories of this dish start at around 5 years old, when my parents began incorporating cooking into my early childhood. It’s easy, unexpected and extremely flavorful.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds fresh cranberries, rinsed
  
  
• ½ cup dried cranberries
  
  
• 1 ½-2 cups granulated sugar
  
  
• 2 oranges, zested and juiced
  
  
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped

Directions:

1. Boil filtered water* in a medium-sized pot. Once boiling, add the fresh cranberries and boil for 5 to 7 minutes. Some will burst, and some will remain whole. Drain the cranberries and add back to the pot.
   
   
2. Off the heat, immediately add the sugar and dried cranberries; mix well. The heat will cause the sugar to gelatinize with the natural cranberry pectin, creating a jammy consistency. The heat and moisture also will be absorbed by the dried cranberries, rehydrating them.
   
   
3. Add the orange zest, juice and jalapenos; combine. Check the sweetness and add more sugar if necessary.
   
   
4. Refrigerate until serving. Garnish with extra chopped jalapenos for a hint of green and beautiful contrast on your table.

*If using filtered water, the leftover water after boiling can be used to make a colorful cranberry punch or cocktail.


CELERY SALAD

This salad originated one day when I had a craving for Caesar salad but next to nothing in my fridge. Not only did it hit the spot, but it came together in less than 10 minutes. The flavor of the celery complements the traditional flavors of holiday meals. Enjoy it as a light snack or serve with the holiday spread as a contrast to richer dishes.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole head of celery
  
  
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  
  
• Olive oil
  
  
• Fresh lemon juice
  
  
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Separate celery stalks, reserving the leaves found in the core. Rinse the celery and dry thoroughly.
   
   
2. Cut the celery on a bias in thin, long pieces. Use all parts of the celery — white, pale green and dark green — because they all impart subtly different flavors.
   
   
3. Squeeze lemon juice over the cut celery. Drizzle heavily with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss.
   
   
4. Top with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and the celery leaves for some flavorful greenery. Serve immediately.

CAULIFLOWER GRATIN

This dish manages to be decadent while coming together in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole head of cauliflower
  
  
• 3 tablespoons butter
  
  
• 1 cup cream
  
  
• ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  
  
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  
  
• 2 shallots, sliced in rings
  
  
• 2 cups freshly grated cheese, such as gruyere or fontina
  
  
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  
  
• Scallions or chives, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium oven-safe pot, bring water to a boil and salt well.
   
   
2. Break up the cauliflower into small florets and chop the stems into small pieces. Blanch for 3-4 minutes and drain well.
   
   
3. In the meantime, saute the shallots in 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the cauliflower back to the pot with 1 tablespoon of butter. Let the excess water steam off, while simultaneously melting the butter to create a nonstick surface.
   
   
4. When the shallots are caramelized, add the cream, mustard and nutmeg, stirring to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
   
   
5. Pour the mixture on top of the cauliflower, mixing gently.
   
   
6. Right before putting it into the oven, mix in most of the cheese. For this, I used a combination of gruyere, fontina and gouda. Use a cheese that will melt well and create both a gooey interior and browned crust.
   
   
7. Top the cauliflower with the remaining cheese. Bake with the lid off for 10-15 minutes and broil for 2-5 minutes. Garnish with green scallions or chives.

———

Even if your holiday plans fall through, you break kitchen utensils or you happen to dye your skin green before a photo shoot, I hope you are happy and thankful this holiday season.

Rest assured that if all goes to heck, even simple dishes can shine, and backup plans can be even better than the original.

Madison is a home cook and underappreciated-veggie advocate. She can be reached at @food_for_winners on Instagram or madisonwinncooks@gmail.com.