Are you expecting some special guests?  Your in-laws are coming over? Are you having a special holiday dinner?

In these days, with all the Jewish New Year holidays, I am having those “special occasions” all the time.  But I believe we all, Jews and Gentiles alike, have those moments in our lives which we want to make really special.  We want to have everything right. When it comes to cooking for these occasions, many of us find ourselves so nervous we cannot make anything right. We feel we keep ruining everything: overcooking the rice, burning the stew etc.  Usually, this is far from the truth.  Even if the stew is not as good as it could have been, it is still delicious.  And anyway, although the meal is the center of the occasion, the real memories will come from the interaction between the people present.  The meal serves as the décor, the setting for the family or social meeting.  What we eat helps make it special, but is not the most important factor.

 

That said, we cannot deny that the food served helps build the atmosphere.  For this reason, you need to work up a repertoire, if you will, of simple to make special occasion cooking recipes.

 

You will be shocked and amazed at all the sinfully rich and delicious meals and side dishes that are out there, that are amazingly quick and easy to prepare. You do not have to set aside a full week for preparations, and you do not have to resort to buying from some near-by restaurant.  You can do it; you will survive and will still manage to have a wonderful meal that is enjoyed by all.

 

The trick is in choosing a rather simple meat dish and dressing it up with the more decadent side dishes. Incredibly rich side dishes that are simple to prepare are greater in number than meat dishes that require little culinary effort. You should also keep in mind the audience for your special occasion. Sometimes a family favorite makes the occasion seem much more special than an all out effort for some fancy dish with a French-Sounding name. There is no point in going to an extreme effort to create a culinary masterpiece if it is going to be riddled with picky children proclaiming that they do not like this or that about your meal.

 

Another great idea when it comes to cooking for special occasions is to prepare as much as possible ahead of time in order to alleviate the pressure during the event and to allow you more time to enjoy the event rather than dealing with the details of meal preparation. One of the wonderful sides of the Jewish Shabbat rules is the fact you have to prepare everything in advance.  You work hard on Thursday nigh or Friday morning, but when the Shabbat starts on Friday evening, that’s it!  You can now relax, whatever was done is what there is, and now you can enjoy or rest without any guilt.  You cannot enjoy the special occasion if you get there with your last breath.  You cannot also enjoy your cooking if you are in a rush to finish everything in time.

 

Foods that can be prepared ahead of time and reheated just prior to serving are often the best when it comes to cooking for special occasions. By simply performing a Google search or opening some of the cookbooks you have at home you will be able to find a big selection of appetizers, entrees, and desserts that will work perfectly in this particular instance.  The important thing is that you do not get so caught up in the idea of cooking for special occasions that you forget to actually enjoy the occasion.  When I write this I remember my late grandmother, who was on general a neurotic type.  She would get so nervous about cooking.  She would be caught up in the planning weeks ahead, and be so worried about everything!  I am really not sure if she ever enjoyed all the hosting she did.

 

Of course, some of us thrive in high stress situations.  Some people do not function without a short dead line ahead.  The key for these types is to do the planning ahead of time.  If you know exactly what you are going to do and you are sure you have all the ingredients, that’s fine. Mistakes occur when people feel rushed and hurried in their culinary efforts.

 

Another common mistake that is made when cooking for special occasions is cooking outside of your comfort zone. If the particular dish requires things you dislike to do, if you hate meals that involve soaking things for days ahead, don’t do it.  Especially not when you are already under stress.

 

Special occasions are a great time for friends and family. The hope is that you will have many special occasions throughout your life. Do not waste too much time and energy fretting over cooking for special occasions. Instead, put all of your effort into enjoying those occasions.