I must put a disclaimer on this month’s food article. Part of it is reprised from one I wrote five years ago. To simplify the usual frantic pace of the season, I wrote, and will include here in my article, hints for making the preparation of a holiday meal less stressful. Five years ago, however, one could never have imagined how the simplicity of the holidays would have been imposed on us, not as a measure to avoid holiday stress, but as a measure to avoid a deadly virus named COVID-19. In anticipation of merry and bright Christmases to come, we will scale down our festivities while celebrating our blessings and the Christmas holidays with loved ones through immediate-family gatherings, or virtual visits.

Our holiday cooking will also take on a more simplistic style in consideration of limited festivities, but it can still be one that provides healthy and delicious options for celebrating the season. With a little forethought and planning, time in the kitchen can be shortened without sacrificing those delicious treats we associate with the holidays. From appetizers to desserts, embellishing semi-prepared food products can save time and still bring compliments for the creative and talented cook.

A festive holiday platter of fruit and cheese provides an attractive and healthy offering as an appetizer and is helpful to those mindful of their sugar intake. The combination of whole berry cranberry sauce and one-half cup of red jalapeno pepper jelly stirred together and served over an eight-ounce block of low-fat cream cheese provides a quick and tasty dish. When served with whole grain crackers, the added benefits of calcium and other nutrients can be enjoyed.

The addition of ingredients from our local harvests of satsumas, grapefruit and pecans to our favorite leafy greens gives salads a special touch. With these add-ins, the fiber content in our diet is also increased, resulting in a sense of fullness and a decreased temptation to overindulge in higher calorie-laden food. The main courses of our holiday meals, usually the turkey and stuffing or dressings, can be made less time-consuming using products such as bagged stuffing breadcrumbs, or corn bread made ahead in advance of the big day.

The use of large turkey oven baking bags produces a moist turkey and is a nearly foolproof method of preparing this huge bird for novice cooks. Using smokers or outside gas pits or fryers to cook the turkey can free up oven space which can become a premium on the day of the holiday. Vegetable casseroles can be prepared days in advance and frozen to be pulled out and reheated in the microwave.

Deserts such as pumpkin and pecan pies figure prominently in our traditional holiday meals, and shortcuts can be taken in preparation of these favorites without sacrificing taste. Premade pie shells, individual tart shells, or refrigerated dough can hold the delicious fixings for pies without sacrificing a lot of difference in taste. The flavor and attractiveness of precooked pies can be enhanced by the addition of a crumb crust to fruit pies, or by a sprinkling of chopped roasted pecans and a drizzle of caramel topping to a store-bought apple pie fresh from the oven.

As we reflect back on the traditions of the Christmas holidays, both in the kitchen and in our families, it is interesting to note the lyrics Judy Garland sang in “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” from the 1944 movie “Meet Me In St. Louis.” Those lyrics, “Someday soon we all will be together if the fates allow. Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow” have a strange resonance to these presents times. I would rather focus today on the last lines of the song, my wish for you this year, “Hang a shining star on the highest bough, and have yourself a merry little Christmas now.”

As we enjoy a quieter Christmas this year, and savor fond memories of Christmases past, the following recipe will help ensure the simple joys of holiday cooking, as we look forward to more festive celebrations in 2021.

Crumb Crust Topped Fruit Pie

1 unbaked 9 in. pie shell, or half of a package of refrigerated pastry dough, prepared as directed

2 (21 ounce) cans of fruit pie filling of choice

½ cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

¼ cup of butter or margarine

¼ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Spoon pie filling into pastry shell.

In bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly; stir in pecans if desired. Crumble over pie filling.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until top is golden and filling is bubbly. Remove to wire rack to cool.

For an added treat, serve with vanilla ice cream or non-dairy whipped topping.

Note: Deep-dish sized pie crusts help ensure that pie fillings do not spill over during the baking process.

CATHERINE WATTIGNY embraces the “jour de vivre” as a wife, mother and grandmother, inspired by her prior nursing experience with a new focus on good mental health for all.