Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Health & Society
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Health & Society

Take the Pressure off Holiday Cooking

Tuesday, December 20, 2016, By Kathleen Haley
Share
facultyFalk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
Ingredients necessary to make gingerbread pastry

Chef Mary Kiernan, an instructor in Falk College, offers some tips for making holiday cooking time less stressful.

Chef Mary Ann Kiernan teaches students about creating delicious dishes in a hectic environment in her “Restaurant and Food Services Operation” course. Holiday cooking may not be quite as chaotic as a restaurant kitchen, but for those feeling harried by the thought of making the perfect holiday feast, the pressure is on.

An instructor in the Department of Public Health, Food Studies and Nutrition in Falk College, Kiernan shares some tips for cooking over the holidays to help make them a bit less stressful and keep you less tied to the kitchen.

Mary Ann Kiernan

Mary Kiernan

Q: When you have unexpected guests over the holidays, what might be some good ingredients to have on hand for quick hors d’oeuvres?

A: Good ingredients to have on hand would be: puff pastry, cheese, pickles (I pickle lots of things), cured meats, nuts, good chocolates. I find Trader Joe’s to be a great go-to stop for all of the above. They have great snacky things—sweet, salty and fatty!

Q: Can an overcooked, dry turkey, ham, rib roast (or any meat) be saved?

A: Not always as the main item.

Q: How do you salvage it?

A: I actually thought about this one for a bit; stew keeps coming to mind. Chicken (turkey) and biscuit, scalloped ham and potatoes or add it to mac and cheese. You could also make ham and pickle (probably dating myself)—it is good in deviled eggs or stuffed in salt potatoes with cheddar. Casserole cooking comes into play in this category of salvage.

Q: What are some good ideas for a hearty vegetarian entrée for a holiday meal?

A: Lasagna—it is great because it can be made ahead and frozen; also any kind of chili made with textured vegetable protein. It behaves like ground beef and is very versatile. Also for vegetarian entrees, think winter squashes and go from there—they all pack great flavor and pair well with many other flavors and are hearty.

a group of people in a kitchen

Chef Mary Kiernan with students during the Klenk Teaching Café dedication in Falk College in September. (Photo by Professor Alejandro Garcia)

Q: Do you have any general time-saving tips for spending less time in the kitchen and more time with family and friends?

A: Understand what the holiday is for—getting together with family and friends. There is no shame in buying ready-made products—the market is full of good quality.

Q: What’s your favorite holiday dish to make?

A: I make cod cakes for Christmas Eve dinner but really enjoy them the next morning as a leftover. We celebrated La Vigilia [Feast of the Seven Fishes, a traditional meal on Christmas Eve served with a variety of fish courses] growing up and they remind me of the traditions of my father.

 

  • Author

Kathleen Haley

  • Recent
  • Whitman’s Johan Wiklund Named a Top Scholar Globally for Business Research Publications
    Tuesday, June 17, 2025, By Caroline K. Reff
  • Lab THRIVE: Advancing Student Mental Health and Resilience
    Thursday, June 12, 2025, By News Staff
  • On Your Mark, Get Set, Go Orange! Faculty and Staff at the Syracuse WorkForce Run (Gallery)
    Thursday, June 12, 2025, By News Staff
  • Oren Lyons Jr., Roy Simmons Jr. Honored With Alfie Jacques Ambassador Award
    Wednesday, June 11, 2025, By John Boccacino
  • McDonald Assumes New Role as Associate Vice President for Research
    Wednesday, June 11, 2025, By Wendy S. Loughlin

More In Health & Society

Lab THRIVE: Advancing Student Mental Health and Resilience

Lab THRIVE, short for The Health and Resilience Interdisciplinary collaboratiVE, is making significant strides in collegiate mental health research. Launched by an interdisciplinary Syracuse University team in 2023, the lab focuses on understanding the complex factors affecting college students’ adjustment…

Timur Hammond’s ‘Placing Islam’ Receives Journal’s Honorable Mention

A book authored by Timur Hammond, associate professor of geography and the environment in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, received an honorable mention in the 2025 International Journal of Islamic Architecture (IJIA) Book Award competition. The awards…

Snapshots From Route 66: One Student’s Journey to Newhouse LA

“If you ever plan to travel west, travel my way, take the highway that’s the best.” It’s been nearly 80 years since Nat King Cole uttered the now famous lyrics, “Get your kicks on Route 66,” but still to this…

Studying and Reversing the Damaging Effects of Pollution and Acid Rain With Charles Driscoll (Podcast)

Before Charles Driscoll came to Syracuse University as a civil and environmental engineering professor, he had always been interested in ways to protect our environment and natural resources. Growing up an avid camper and outdoors enthusiast, Driscoll set about studying…

Major League Soccer’s Meteoric Rise: From Underdog to Global Contender

With the 30th anniversary of Major League Soccer (MLS) fast approaching, it’s obvious MLS has come a long way from its modest beginning in 1996. Once considered an underdog in the American sports landscape, the league has grown into a…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2025 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.