Easy feast

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  Michael Henninger/Post-Gazette
  Post-Gazette food writer Gretchen McKay places a tray of roast tenderloin with creamy mustard sauce onto her dinner table at her home in Ben Avon.
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  Michael Henninger/Post-Gazette
• 
  Michael Henninger/Post-Gazette
• 
  Michael Henninger/Post-Gazette
• 
  Michael Henninger/Post-Gazette
• 
  Michael Henninger/Post-Gazette

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This time of year can be insanely busy.

Between holiday shopping, decorating and eating our way up a pant size, we're whipped -- physically and mentally -- by the time Santa arrives. The last thing some of us might feel like doing on Christmas Day is to spend hours cooking the family an elegant feast.

If you're not completely comfortable in the kitchen, preparing a sit-down dinner from scratch can feel like being a Rockette making her debut on stage at Radio City Music Hall. You want the meal to be kind of fancy because it's Christmas. At the same time, it needs to be simple because it's, well, Christmas -- a day when relaxing with the people you love is paramount.

With thoughtful planning and some careful menu choices, though, even the beginning cook can whip up a meal that is as impressive to the eyes as it is to the palate. The key is organization.

Here, we offer a timeline for Christmas dinner, from when to do your shopping to a day-of countdown to preparing each dish. It's meant for eight to ten, but could easily stretch to 12 if your family (like mine) spends the day grazing on cookies, cheese, beef stick and other seasonal goodies. It's adaptable for any special gathering, holiday or otherwise.

To keep things manageable, we've limited the sides to two and chosen an entree so simple that even a cook with two left hands would have a tough time messing it up: roast tenderloin. We've also broken up the prep work throughout the day so there's only about an hour of real crunch time; recipes have been adapted so they're all cooked at the same temperature. To further simplify, make the biscuits and dessert ahead of time and simply warm in the oven right before eating.

We know beef tenderloin is one of the more expensive cuts of meat (you can find it at Wholey's for $8.99 per pound). On the flip side, virtually every morsel will make its way into someone's mouth since there's no fat, gristle or bones. And the taste is incredible.

Our timeline is based on a 5 p.m. Christmas dinner, but it could easily be modified if your family likes to eat earlier or later. Whenever you plan on sitting down, don't panic if an unexpected event or mistake takes you a few minutes off schedule. Things happen. To stay sane in the kitchen, you need to go with the flow.

Also, consider enlisting family members to help with some of the chores, such as peeling, chopping or taking out the garbage. A meal tastes better when you've helped to prepare it.

The countdown is on . . . good luck, have fun and happy holidays!

The week before:

• Read recipes, and familiarize yourself with ingredients. Check pantry to determine what ingredients you have in stock.

• Prepare shopping list and shop for non-perishable items. Don't forget paper towels and plastic baggies.

• Clean refrigerator of empty cartons, moldy leftovers, etc. You'll need the space.

Three days before:

• Make candied nuts and store in air-tight container.

Two days before:

• Shop for perishables (beef, veggies, creme fraiche, etc.).

• Clean produce before refrigerating.

• Curse three different grocery stores for being sold out of frisee, a bitter, curly-leafed lettuce. Substitute radicchio.

Day before:

• Set holiday table, chill wine, gather recipes.

• Trim and thinly slice brussels sprouts (chiffonade), and place in plastic bag in the refrigerator.

• Tear washed salad greens into bite-sized pieces and place in baggie in crisper.

10 a.m. Christmas Day:

• Prepare biscuit dough, roll out and cut into circles. Place on cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.

10:25 a.m.

• Put on a second pot of coffee, and some slippers. Why do the kids have to get up so darn early?

11 a.m.

• Peel and chop shallots and place in a baggie in fridge.

• Peel grapefruit and oranges, divide into segments, and refrigerate in a plastic container. Contemplate why oranges on TV always look so much juicier than ones in real life.

Noon

• Walk the dog, have a light lunch and settle on the couch with your family (movie or football -- your choice). Christmas cookies optional.

12:36 p.m.

• Whine like a middle-schooler when daughter No. 2, an actual middle-schooler, opens the bag of pearl onions and you realize they have to be individually peeled. All three dozen. Add 20 minutes to prep time and make a mental note to buy 'em frozen next time.

2:30 p.m.

• Remove tenderloin from refrigerator, place in roasting pan and let rest on counter. Consider having a glass of wine to settle your nerves.

3 p.m.

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

• Peel and core pears, slice and place in iced water with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Set aside.

3:30 p.m.

• If using, prepare horseradish cream sauce. Set aside on counter to thicken.

• Prepare mustard coating for beef, slather on top and place tenderloin in oven. Place meat thermometer within easy reach on counter.

3:50 p.m.

• Check tenderloin with meat thermometer; when it reaches about 135 in at least two places, it will be medium-rare.

4 p.m.

• Prepare potato recipe and place in oven.

4:15 p.m.

• Drain pears and pat dry. Prepare fruit crisp, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Sometime between 4:16 and 4:30 p.m.

• Take roast out of oven (temperature 135 for medium-rare, 150 for medium); cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest 15 minutes before carving into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

4:30 p.m.

• Prepare brussels sprouts recipe and place in oven.

• Make salad dressing in large bowl and add fruit. Toss. Add greens. Set aside.

• Open wine, and place on table.

4:45 p.m.

• Place biscuits in oven.

• Check brussels sprouts and potatoes for doneness. Remove when tender and plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.

• Whisk together mustard sauce for tenderloin.

• Toss fruit salad with candied nuts.

4:55 p.m.

• Take biscuits out of oven and place in basket.

• Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.

5 p.m.

• Place prepared dishes on dining table.

5:01 p.m.

• If the smell of dinner hasn't already drawn them in your direction, call guests to table. Ask someone to pour wine.

• While family is arguing over seating and who helped more with the cooking, put cranberry and pear crisp in oven.

• Pat yourself on the back, and enjoy your meal. You worked hard!

• When you can't manage another bite, get kids to clear plates and load dishwasher.

5:50 p.m.

• Remove crisp from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm, with whipped cream and coffee.

Citrus Salad with Spicy Candied walnuts

PG tested

Slightly bitter greens provide a nice contrast to winter's sweet fruits. I'm not a fan of walnuts, so substituted pecans for the candied nut garnish. They're also excellent for snacking!

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 4 naval oranges, peeled, segmented, each segment cut in half
• 1 grapefruit, peeled, segmented, each segment cut in half
• 1 head frisee
• 1 head escarole
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup Spicy Candied Walnuts (recipe follows)

Mix the olive oil, vinegar and salt in a salad bowl. Add the shallots, then orange and grapefruit segments.

Remove the pale inner leaves of the frisee and escarole and tear them into bite-sized pieces. You should have about 4 tightly packed cups. Add the greens to the salad bowl. You can let this stand up to half an hour. When you are ready to serve, add half the walnuts to the salad and toss well. Garnish with the remaining walnuts and serve.

Makes 8 servings.

-- "Gather: Memorable Menus for Entertaining throughout the Seasons" by Georgeanne Brennan (Sasquatch, 2009, $22.95)

Spicy Candied Walnuts

PG tested

These will keep up to 2 weeks at room temperature or up to 3 months in the freezer.

• 1 tablespoon cayenne
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 6 egg whites
• 3 cups (about 12 ounces) walnut halves (I substituted pecan halves)

In a small bowl, stir together cayenne, sugar, salt and ginger. Place egg whites in another bowl and beat with a whisk or mixer until frothy but not stiff.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

Using a small brush or your fingertips, lightly brush each walnut half with a small amount of the egg white, then sprinkle it with the spice mixture. As each walnut is coated, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

When all nuts are coated, place baking sheet in the oven and bake until nuts are toasted and crunchy and the coating is crispy, about 20 minutes.

Remove the pan from oven and let the nuts cool completely. Pack the spiced nuts in an airtight container.

Makes 3 cups.

-- "Gather: Memorable Menus for Entertaining throughout the Seasons" by Georgeanne Brennan (Sasquatch, 2009, $22.95)

Maple-Thyme Biscuits

PG tested

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Have ready an ungreased baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and thyme. Add the butter chunks and, using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is the size of peas. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and maple syrup and pour into the dough. Using a fork, mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Using your hands, gather the dough into a rough ball and knead a few times in the bowl.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a circle about 1/2-inch thick. Using a floured 21/2-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out as many rounds as you can and place them on the baking sheet. Gather dough scraps and roll again, then cut out more rounds. These may not be as perfect as the first ones. Add to the baking sheet.

Bake until the tops are pale gold and the biscuits have puffed slightly, about 10 minutes. Serve at once.

-- "Gather: Memorable Menus for Entertaining throughout the Seasons" by Georgeanne Brennan (Sasquatch, 2009, $22.95)

Rosemary New Potatoes and Pearl Onions

PG tested

I doubled this recipe to allow for leftovers. Peeling fresh pearl onions isn't difficult but it is time-consuming, so you may want to consider substituting frozen pearl onions ... or rounding up the kids to help.

• 2 pounds red new potatoes
• 1 pound white pearl onions
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and peel around center only of the new potatoes. Place into a lightly sprayed large casserole dish. Cut tips off onions and peel away the outer skin and place into casserole with the potatoes. In small mixing bowl, combine olive oil and rosemary. Pour over potatoes and onions and mix until they are coated. Cover casserole and place into oven and bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn potatoes and onions and continue baking for 10 more minutes, or until fork tender. Season to taste.

Serves 4 to 6.

-- Adapted from "The Four Ingredient Cookbook: Holidays and Celebrations" by Linda Coffee and Emily Cale (2007, $19.95 at fouringredientcookbook.com)

Roast Tenderloin with Creamy Mustard Sauce

PG tested

It doesn't get any easier than beef tenderloin. This recipe is served with a creamy mustard sauce but you could also pair it with a traditional horseradish sauce. Be sure to let the meat rest before carving or the juices will rush out and the meat will be dry.

• 5-pound tenderloin, trimmed of fat
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard, plus 4 tablespoons, divided
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon ground fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup creme fraiche
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Remove tenderloin from refrigerator and place in a roasting pan about an hour before you're ready to cook. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup mustard, oil, rosemary, fennel seed, salt and pepper. Slather the mustard mixture over the top of meat. Roast for about 20 minutes, then check with a meat thermometer; when meat has reached 135 degrees in at least 2 places, it will continue to cook to medium rare after its removed from the oven.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, make mustard sauce by whisking together remaining 4 tablespoons mustard, creme fraiche and lemon juice. Season lightly with salt, to taste.

Transfer the roast to a carving board, tent loosely with foil, and let meat rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Serve with the mustard sauce at the table.

Serves at least 10.

-- Loulies.com

Horseradish Cream Sauce

PG tested

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup prepared horseradish
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 medium garlic clove
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and let stand 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Makes about 1 cup of sauce.

-- "Holiday Entertaining" from Cook's Illustrated

Brussels Sprout Chiffonade with Caramelized Shallots

PG tested

Brussels sprouts are often prepared whole, but they're also delicious chiffonade-style (sliced into long, thin shreds) and sauted with shallots. I cooked this dish at 450 degrees, which reduced the cooking time in the oven to about 10 minutes.

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 large shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt, divided
• 2 1/2 to 3 pounds fresh brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut lengthwise into chiffonade
• 2/3 cup dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon walnut oil, butter, or extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In an ovenproof frying pan or sauté pan with a lid, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add the shallots and half the salt, and saute until the shallots just begin to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring from time to time, until the shallots are a rich, golden brown.

Add the remaining butter, increase the heat to medium-high, and add the brussels sprouts and the remaining salt, stirring until sprouts become limp, 2 or 3 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the wine, and scrape up any browned bits clinging to the bottom of the pan.

Cover the pan and place it in the oven. Cook until the brussels sprouts are tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven. Season the sprouts with the pepper and drizzle them with the oil, turning several times. Serve hot.

Makes 10 servings.

-- "Gather: Memorable Menus for Entertaining throughout the Seasons" by Georgeanne Brennan (Sasquatch, 2009, $22.95) .

Cranberry and Pear Crisp

PG tested

Dried cranberries add a hint of tartness and holiday color to this classic fruit crisp. If you can't find perfectly ripe pears at the market, speed the process by placing them in a brown paper bag and folding down top to close.

• 2 pounds firm but ripe Barlett or Bosc pears
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
• Whipped cream for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter an 8-inch square or round baking dish.

Peel and core the pears and cut them lengthwise into slices 1/2-inch thick. Arrange them in the prepared baking dish and drizzle with the lemon juice, turning them once or twice. Scatter with the dried cranberries, tucking them among the pears.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar and salt. Add the butter and, using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is the size of small peas. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit.

Bake until the top is golden and the juices are bubbling around the edges, about 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve the crisp warm, scooping directly from the baking dish. Accompany it with whipped cream, if desired.

Serves 6 to 8.

-- "Williams-Sonoma Holiday Entertaining" (Oxmore, 2007, $34.95)