How to be a great guest for a Shabbat Meal and More!

Since I recently spent almost 3 weeks in Israel for the Pesach holiday, I ate at a lot of people’s houses for Shabbat and Holiday meals. We also slept over a couple of times at other people’s houses.

I’m no Miss Manners, but I’ve given a lot of thought about how to be a great guest and also how to be a great hostess. I’ll devote this post only to how to be a great guest and write another one or two on how to host guests.

- Leave the house cleaner than it was before you came. This applied primarily to a house that I slept in, but we always left the house cleaner than it was when we got there. Yes it was a HUGE effort and we dedicated a couple of hours cleaning up as we left the place, but it was worth it.

Here’s how I know.

There was an apartment we wanted to rent that we had stayed in last year and we were fearful it wouldn’t be available because we were a little “last-minute” in securing it.

When we called the owners, they said, “Oh, we really weren’t going to rent it this year but since you left it so clean last year, you are really the only people we are willing to rent it to.” That really made me happy

- When you’re sleeping over someone’s house, try to stay out of the way of the family. If you have a basement guest room or upstairs room that you are to stay in, try to stay in the room for things like reading or even playing with your kids. I think it’s really hard to share a living room space between two families and because each family has their own routine and own parenting style, it may be more difficult than you think. Perhaps set aside ahead of time that you can “bond” with the family you’re staying with. Ask them when they will be napping after the Shabbat meal and could you watch their kids for them or perhaps shmooze when they wake up.

It might sound a little anal to stay in your room and perhaps it doesn’t bother everyone, but I have a little bit of a hard time when people decide to take a nap on my sofa in my small living room when I’m trying to entertain my own 3 kids (and want to sit with them and read for instance, on my sofa!) and am also trying not to wake my husband up while he is napping. Think about it.

- Try to bring your own snacks and breakfast foods. Most likely the hostess will have prepared really nice Shabbat meals but not have thought of things like snacks and breakfast foods. Keep the crumbs to a minimum but have a couple of snacky foods in the room you’re staying in- maybe even a couple of plastic bowls and spoons for messier things like cereal. You may even want to let them know that you have food with you and is it okay to bring it up to your room.

- Think of things you MUST have ahead of time and bring them with you or have a conversation with your host. One thing I can’t live without is hot tea so I always ask for a kettle or something or if it is easy for her to set one up. I’ve had people come to my house a nervous wreck that I don’t have Diet coke for them and so now I always say to my guests, “Please bring what you can’t live without.”

Phyllo-wrapped salmon with roasted mushroom casserole and red wine sauce

This recipe was inspired by Eric Ripert , chef-owner of Le Bernardin, and we just had to change the butter to make it available at a meat meal. A little bit of work but oh so worth it!

Ingredients for Phyllo wrapped Salmon recipe

• For the salmon
• 4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets, boneless and skinless
• 4 tablespoons margarine, melted
• 4 sheets phyllo dough
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• Fine salt and ground white pepper to taste

For the red wine sauce
• 3 large shallots, peeled and very finely diced
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 cup cold, unsalted margarine, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• Fine sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground white pepper, to taste

For the mushroom casserole
• 1 pound mixed mushrooms such as cremini, chanterelles, porcini or morels
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Directions for the Phyllo wrapped Salmon Recipe

For the salmon

1. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper on all sides. Brush the top of 1 sheet of phyllo with melted margarine and fold the sheet in half; brush the top with margarine again. Place the salmon fillet on one side and roll it in the phyllo dough. Repeat 3 times and reserve.

2. For the sauce, put the shallots in a medium saucepan and add the wine and vinegar. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Boil until the shallots are only about half covered with liquid, about 7 minutes.

3. Lower the heat to medium and begin whisking in the margarine 1 piece at a time. Keep the sauce at a slow simmer throughout the process, pulling the pan off the heat as necessary to keep it from getting too hot. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Divide the canola oil in between two nonstick pans and heat over medium heat; add two fillets of salmon to each pan and sauté the salmon for about 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and a metal skewer can be easily inserted into the fish and, when left in for 5 seconds, feels just warm when touched to the lip.

5. To serve, slice the salmon into 3/4 inch pieces and arrange on the plate. Drizzle the red wine sauce around the fish and serve the mushroom casserole on the side.

For the mushroom casserole

1. To prepare the mushrooms, trim the ends and cut them in half, depending on size.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Heat an ovenproof cast-iron casserole over medium heat with the canola oil. Add the minced shallot and garlic and lightly sauté until soft. Add the prepared mushrooms and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the margarine and roast the mushrooms until tender and lightly browned, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Remove the casserole from the oven; place the pan on medium-high heat and add the chicken stock. Reduce the chicken stock enough to glaze the mushrooms; add the herbs to the mushrooms and adjust the seasoning. This is a delicious salmon recipe!

Sugar Baked Salmon Recipe

Sugar Baked Salmon Recipe Ingredients

6 salmon steaks or 2 to 3 lb fillet
½ cup brown sugar
4 TBSP melted margarine
3 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP lemon juice
2 TBSP white wine or water

Directions for Sugar Baked Salmon Recipe

Put fish in glass dish. Mix ingredients and pour over fish. Marinate 30 minutes or overnight. Bake at 400 basting often. Also one of my favorite salmon recipe!

20 minute Salmon Recipe

I call this 20 minute salmon because when you leave it in for longer, it gets overcooked! Salmon that is perfectly cooked is so delicious in that it just melts in your mouth and flakes off the fork.

Ingredients for 20 Minute Salmon recipe

Appetizer pieces of Salmon or 1 fillet
1 tsp Asian Sesame oil
2 TBSP Soy sauce
Black pepper
¼ cup honey

Directions for 20 Minute Salmon Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375. Arrange the salmon on a baking sheet and brush the combined ingredients over the top of it with a brush. Season with pepper. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. If you need to cook it any longer, watch it like a hawk to make sure it doesn’t overcook! It’s not called 20 minute salmon for nothing! Enjoy my favorite 20 minute salmon recipe!

Tilapia Recipe

My husband made this once for Shabbos and my kids (who hate fish!) kept begging and begging for more!

Tilapia Recipe

6 Tilapia Fillets
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Ginger

Instructions for Tilapia Recipe

Take out a large frying pan. Mix flour with spices. Dip tilapia in egg, and then flour. Fry it.

Gefilte Fish Recipe 3

Ingredients for Gefilte Fish Recipe

2 TBSP Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 small zucchini cut into ½ inch pieces
1 ½ tsp. oregano
1 can diced tomatos
1 loaf gefilte fish

Directions for Gefilte Fish recipe

Saute onion, garlic, oregano and zucchini. Remove paper off gefilte fish loaf. Pour diced tomatoes over gefilte fish loaf, and then the vegetables on top of the loaf. Cover and bake at 350 for an hour or until browned. Enjoy your Baked Gefilte Fish recipe!

Baked Gefilte Fish Recipe 2

Inspired by Shabbos Recipes facebook group

Ingredients for Baked Gefilte Fish Recipe 2

Gefilte Fish
French Dressing

Directions for Baked Gefilte Fish Recipe 2

Take paper off loaf (I use ungar)–no need to defrost. Pour french dressing over to coat the top and bake at 350 for 1hr. 15min. comes out perfect every time. Enjoy your baked Gefilte fish!

Baked Gefilte Fish Recipe

I always bake my gefilte fish instead of boiling it as most gefilte fish loaf recipes call for. It’s easier and comes out fluffier, in my opinion.

Ingredients for Baked Gefilte Fish Recipe

1 Frozen Gefilte Fish Loaf
2-3 carrots chopped
2 or 3 stalks celery chopped
1 onion chopped
1 TBSP oil

Directions for Baked Gefilte Fish Recipe

Lay vegetables and onion on botton of a loaf pan. Pour oil on top and mix with vegetables. Place loaf of fish on top. Spray a piece of foil with pam so fish won’t stick to foil. Cover and bake at 375 for 1 hour and 15 minutes until fish is brown. Enjoy your baked gefilte fish recipe!

Muffin Gefilte Fish Recipe

This is a great recipe when you need to cook in bulk for many holidays or for a large gathering like sheva brachos! My mother uses this recipe all the time and every time she contributes to a Sheva Brachos, people beg her to make her famous Gefilte Fish muffins. They freeze wonderfully and I always make about a 10 loaf batch before the start of a long holiday.

Muffin Gefilte Fish Recipe Ingredients

5-6 frozen gefilte fish loaves

Dill spice

Rosemary and Thyme

Onions

Celery

Carrots

Directions for our Muffin Gefilte Fish Recipe

Defrost all of the gefilte fish and peel off wrappers. Mash up the fish in a large bowl. Chop up vegetables very finely and stir into the bowl of fish, mixing with spices. Cook in muffin tins at 350 until tops are browned. Enjoy your Gefilte fish!

Water Challah Recipe

Ingredients for Water Challah Recipe

2 pkgs yeast
3 cups water
½ cup oil
2 tsp salt
1 ½ cups sugar
10 cups of flour

Instructions for Water Challah Recipe

Dissolve yeast in warm water and 1 tsp sugar. When bubbly, add oil, salt, and rest of sugar. Mix. Add 10 cups of flour. Mix and let rise for 2 hours. Braid. Rise 1 to 3 hours after braiding. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.

I look forward to hearing the results about the yummy results of your water challah recipe!