Special to The Detroit News

We adore celebrating the holidays with family and friends. There’s nothing better than a house filled with laughter and aromas of the foods that bring us together.

But, when you add hosting to already challenging to-do lists, it can take your holiday stress to a whole new level. All the shopping, chopping, wrapping and decorating while juggling regular commitments can become overwhelming. If you’re already feeling the pressure, you’re not alone.

Even trained professionals find holiday meals for a large crowd taxing, especially out of a home kitchen. But we also understand that great meals are a result of planning, which begins with setting a realistic menu.

I start by asking myself questions like: What is feasible in this setting —am I entertaining at home or somewhere else — and what equipment is available? How much time do I have to get it done? What can be made ahead, and what needs to be cooked that day? Which dishes are served hot, and what will still taste great sitting out?

These answers help me design a workable plan and show where to streamline the cooking. The right menu, sticking to what you know and cooking in advance will reduce your workload the day of the party, simplify serving and let you enjoy the day. Here are a few other chef-tested tips to try for a memorable holiday feast that’s less stress and more celebrating.

Stick to Simple Favorites

Choosing one or two dishes you know you can execute with confidence helps free you up for the more labor-intensive items. Great food doesn’t need to involve, complicated cooking. Sometimes the simplest dishes can be made in minutes and are the most impressive.

Seafood platters of chilled jumbo shrimp, oysters or stone crab are a festive holiday feature. They’re an elegant crowd favorite and can be made in advance or purchased already cooked. Serve them with classic dips like these from America’s Test Kitchen or find a good store-bought variety. A seafood platter is an easy and impressive appetizer that you can cross off your to-do list well before the doorbell rings.

Chilled Shrimp

6 cups water

¼ cup kosher salt

¼ cup sugar

2 lemons, halved

1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 quarts ice

In a large pot, combine the water with the salt and sugar. Squeeze the lemons into the water and drop the halves into the pot.

Bring the liquid to a boil and stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from heat and add the shrimp, letting them cook uncovered until pink, turning, around three to four minutes. Add the ice to the water to stop the cooking and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the shrimp and pat dry. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Classic Dipping Sauces

Remoulade

Makes 1 cup

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

2 teaspoons capers, minced

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

¼ teaspoon pepper

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until combined. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Cocktail Sauce

Makes approximately 1½ cups

1 cup ketchup

¼ cup prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Lemon Herb

Makes ¾ cup

½ cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade

2 ½ tablespoons lemon juice from 1 lemon

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1 large scallion, white and green part minced

½ teaspoon table salt

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until combined. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Serve at Room Temperature

Science has shown that food tastes better at room temperature. www.researchgate.net shares a 2007 study, where researchers found at the University of Leuven in Belgium, that flavors are most detectible to our tastebuds between 70 and 95 degrees. Which is why a charcuterie platter makes the perfect no-cook appetizer to set up and get out early.

Charcuterie is endlessly customizable. Trays typically feature two to three cheeses and two to three cured meats that vary in shape, texture and flavor.

For example, a mix of gouda, chevre and Parmesan cheeses, and meats such as prosciutto, hard salami and sausage. Serve them alongside a mix of crackers and breads, and sweet and savory bites like olives, mustards, nuts, fresh and dried fruits, honey, jams and chutneys.

With such a wide variety of ingredients, even the pickiest eaters will find something to snack on!

Serving Size Guide

Cheeses: 2 to 3 ounces per person

Meats: 2 to 3 ounces per person

Nuts and olives: 2 to 3 tablespoons per person

Crackers or bread: 4 to 6 ounces per person

Fruits: 4 to 8 ounces per person

Spreads: ¼ to ½ cup per person

TO BUILD:

Choose a platter large enough for all the ingredients. Place the cheeses in different areas in an irregular pattern to anchor the tray. Arrange the meats decoratively next to the cheeses either in shingles, folds or waves.

Add the sweet and savory items in patterns, to fill in the gaps. Place contrasting colors and textures next each other. Add any sticky or oily accompaniments in ramekins or small jars, then tuck in the breads and crackers last.

Add serving utensils like spreaders, forks and spades and dig in!

Embrace Shortcuts

Chefs know when it’s OK to let the market do the work. We are comfortable outsourcing when there is a consistent, high-quality product available. Especially when it cuts the prep time in half, like with a puff pastry dough.

Baked brie en croute, or brie wrapped in puff pastry, is an easy and elegant appetizer that comes together quickly and makes a big impression. It can be assembled in advance and frozen until ready to bake.

The dough is wrapped around a wheel of brie that’s been halved horizontally and filled with dried cherries, brown sugar, thyme and pistachios. It comes out of the oven puffed, golden and bubbling. Serve with fresh fruits, crackers and breads.

This is a warm and decadent starter that’s always a big hit.

Stuffed Brie en Croute

Adapted from Nicole Aloni’s 2003 cookbook, “Cooking for Company.”

Serves 10 to 12

1 (2.2 pounds) wheel of brie

¼ cup cherry preserves

½ cup packed brown sugar

¾ cup dried cherries, chopped

¾ cup chopped pistachios

2 tablespoons chopped thyme leaves

1 (17-ounce) package of puff pastry, thawed

Flour for dusting

1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the brie in half horizontally and place rind side down on a cutting board. Add in layers on one half of the brie the preserves, brown sugar, chopped cherries, pistachios and thyme. Top with the remaining half of brie, rind facing out, then gently press the halves together to help secure the ingredients. Set aside and clean board.

Dust the board with flour and roll out each sheet of dough into a 12-inch squares. Place the brie in the center of one sheet, and pull the sides up and over the wheel, overlapping about an inch. Brush the edges with some water and invert the brie in the center of the second sheet, pleated side down.

Bring the bottom sheet up and over the wheel to overlap the first sheet. Brush the edges of the second sheet with cold water and press to seal the doughs together. Transfer the brie to a parchment lined tray with the smooth side facing up. Refrigerate for two hours before baking.

Brush the brie with the egg and bake 35 to 40 minutes until golden and bubbling. Let rest 15 minutes before serving with fresh fruit, crackers and bread.

Make What You Can In Advance

Professional chefs will prep and cook whatever they can early, with a plan to reheat gently and serve. Getting breads, homemade pastas, baked goods and soups out of the way frees up your oven space, crosses off a big portion of your to do list, and reduces your workload the day of the party.

This seasonal butternut squash soup is creamy, comforting, and can make well in advance and frozen. It’s topped with a decorative cider-infused cream and herbs that makes an elegant impression on any holiday table. Try making a big batch early to freeze and serve throughout the holidays and the chilly months that follow.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup with Cider Cream

Serves 10

3 pounds butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeds removed

6 tablespoons of olive oil, divided

Kosher salt

ground white pepper

1 cup diced leeks, white and pale green parts only

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

4 teaspoons minced garlic

4 teaspoons minced ginger

¼ cup white wine

6 to 8 cups of water, vegetable broth, or chicken stock

1 ½ cups apple cider, divided

2/3 cup of sour cream, Greek yogurt or crème fraiche

Parsley and sage leaves for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Brush the exposed side with some olive oil and place it cut down on a parchment lined sheet. Roast until tender, approximately 45 minutes. Once cool, remove the skins set aside.

Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a stock pot. Add the leeks, onion, carrots and celery and sauté until softened, around 15 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir two minutes until fragrant. Stir the wine to the pot and cook until the liquid evaporates.

Add the roasted squash, cider and cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until the squash is tender, approximately 30 minutes. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until very smooth. Strain and return to pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

TO SERVE:

Simmer the remaining ½ cup of cider in a heavy small saucepan until reduced to ¼ cup, around 5 minutes. Cool and whisk into the yogurt or cream. Drizzle over soup decoratively before serving to garnish.

Roast Something Whole

A beautifully roasted main dish anchors the meal and makes a stunning presentation. It’s ideal for achieving even color, a uniformly moist interior, and deep rich flavor. It’s also the easiest way to serve a large crowd. Just slice, display, and serve.

This maple glazed salmon creates a mouthwatering display and is flavorful and sweet, while the beef tenderloin with a horseradish sauce makes a regal entree with little effort. These are both perfectly acceptable at room temperature and are served with sauces that can be made in advance.

So roast, rest, platter and slice! Time to grab a drink and join the celebration!

Maple Glazed Salmon

I found this maple glazed salmon recipe in a Bon Appetit magazine in 2004 and have been making ever since. It’s mouthwateringly gorgeous, deeply flavorful and wonderfully sweet. It’s delicious enough for celebrations any time of year.

Serves 6

1 cup pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic

1 bunch scallions, trimmed and halved

2 ½-pound center cut salmon fillet

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Simmer the syrup, ginger, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, soy sauce and garlic in a heavy sauce pan until reduced to 1 cup, approximately 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Can be made 2 days ahead, covered and chilled. Bring to room temperature before using.

Line a sheet tray with foil and make a bed for the fish in the center with the green onions. Lay the fish over the onions, and brush with the glaze. Season with salt and pepper. Roast fish until just cooked through, between 20 and 30 minutes.

Transfer to platter and drizzle with the glaze before serving.

Slow Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream Sauce

This slow roasting method by Ina Garten resulted in one of the most tender filets I’ve ever tasted. Her horseradish cream sauce is easy to make and adds an elegant touch. Serve with some precut dinner rolls and fresh arugula to give guests the option of making a sandwich.

Serves 6 to 8

1 whole beet tenderloin filet, trimmed and tied (4 ½ pounds)

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Pat the tenderloin dry and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle salt generously on all sides, about 4 teaspoons. Transfer to a sheet pan with a rack. Let sit for two hours at room temperature, uncovered.

Season the steak with pepper. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 125 to 130 degrees for rare, 130 to 135 for medium rare, around 1 ½ hours.

Remove from oven and cover loosely with foil. Rest for 20 minutes. Slice and serve with the horseradish cream sauce.

For the sauce

Makes approximately 2 cups

1 ½ cups mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 ½ tablespoons whole grain mustard

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustards, and horseradish until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be made up to a week in advance. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

This story originally appeared in The Detroit News in November 2025.

Stress Less, Celebrate More: A Chef’s Guide to Holiday Entertaining