Here are some stress-free dishes to make for your holiday gathering

The gifts are half-wrapped (or half-bought!), one string of lights on the tree is out and the stockings have not yet been hung by the chimney with care. And somewhere on the ever-growing to-do list is the dish you promised to bring to Christmas dinner. With just a few days left to throw something together, that realization can be panic-inducing.

But never fear! With a quick trip to the store for just a few ingredients, it’s possible to whip up something tasty and festive at the last minute. Easy-to-make appetizers, simple sides and impressive desserts are just a few steps away with these ideas.

For a no-fuss way to fancy up a staple side, Dan Robinson, former chef and owner of Kaleidoscope Cafe in Lawrenceville, said “loaded mashed potatoes” are a great option.

“Leave the skins on and fold in bacon and cheese and sour cream when you mash,” he said.

Robinson also said to not be afraid of the freezer aisle of your local grocery store when it comes to sides.

“Frozen riced cauliflower is fast and can be flavored in numerous ways,” he said. Heating up cauliflower rice and then adding in savory flavorings — such as roasted garlic and shredded Parmesan cheese or sauteed mushrooms — can elevate a side that only took a few minutes to prepare (and no one has to know it wasn’t made from scratch).

It doesn’t get easier — or more crowd-pleasing — than wrapping something in bacon and calling it a day. In the case of Erin Alvarez, a local food blogger also known as The Almond Eater’s favorite appetizers, those things are dates. The recipe requires only three things: bacon, dates and brown sugar. Just take 24 pitted dates, wrap them each in a slice of bacon, dust with brown sugar and secure with a toothpick. Then bake at 375 for 12 minutes — turning once for even cooking — or until the bacon is cooked through.

For something “merry and bright,” Sausalido’s chef/owner/inventor Nick Mineo recommends a salty-sweet vegetable side. He said to wash two pounds of Brussels sprouts and cut them in half, then toss with olive oil. After roasting at 375 for 40 minutes, mix in two cups of dried cranberries for a sweet, zesty note. For a unique flavor, he advised his own spice blend, Energy Salt, which is available online at sausalido.net and at several local retailers, including Labriola’s, Soergel Orchards and Strip District Meats. It contains some fragrant and delicious additions that work well with the sprouts and cranberries.

“The ginger, turmeric and black pepper actually make you feel better and give you a boost of natural energy that you need this holiday season,” Mineo said.

Alvarez has a delicious addition to your table of holiday pies. Her gingerbread pie has only five steps — and you can use a store-bought pie crust to simplify even more. The filling is eggs, brown sugar, milk, molasses, melted butter, cornstarch and warming spices (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger). It takes 30 minutes to bake and can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until it’s carted to your family dinner. It’s topped with homemade whipped cream (but no one will tell if you use store-bought). Alvarez said that the pie is “a smooth, silky texture that tastes like gingerbread … it’s both light and decadent.”

Find the full recipe at thealmondeater.com/ginger bread-pie.

For something else simple to make in big batches, Robinson recommended bread pudding, “because of the infinite flavors that can be applied to a very simple formula.”

Bread pudding can be made with so many different things: leftover bread, croissants and sturdier pastries. Plus, he said, you can add in frozen, canned or dried fruit so that you don’t have to do any chopping. Chopped nuts and chocolate chips are also common in bread puddings and are easy to measure by the handful and toss in.

He’s made combinations like bourbon cherry — using chocolate donuts and dried cherries; peanut butter and banana; and apple chai.

“Throw stuff together and hold it together using a basic custard,” he said.

Basic custard for bread pudding uses one egg for every cup of liquid (milk or half-and-half, but you can add in some bourbon or rum for flavor), and four ounces of whatever bread or pastry you’re using for every egg and cup of liquid. Make sure to leave some time for the bread to soak up the custard before throwing it in the oven at 350 for at least half an hour, checking for doneness by inserting a knife and seeing if it comes out clean. Make ahead or day of your event — just warm up a little before serving.

Alvarez also suggested another dessert that can be made ahead — chocolate peanut butter fudge. It only has five ingredients: sweetened condensed milk, butter, chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla extract. Many Christmas cookie bakers may already have those staples sitting around, and it’s a super-simple recipe: just melt together the chocolate, melted butter, condensed milk and vanilla, pour into an 8x8 pan, and swirl in the peanut butter. Then refrigerate (or pop into the freezer for 30 minutes, if you don’t have much time). See the full recipe at thealmondeater.com/chocolate- peanut-butter-fudge.

Amanda Bacharach, executive sous chef at The Porch at Schenley in Oakland, has an idea for those looking to get a little bit creative. She recommended baking cupcakes and craftily decorating them with fun, seasonal flourishes. For example, inverting an ice cream cone so it’s pointed up on top of a cupcake and then covering it with green frosting will make it look like a Christmas tree.

“One year, I did white covered with sprinkles for snow,” she said.

It’s also less of a mess when it comes to dishes and makes serving simple, and it’s a unique dessert that will stand out on a dessert table laden with typical holiday fare.

“If you don’t like apple pie or you don’t like pumpkin pie, it’s something a little different,” she said. Peppermint cupcakes decorated with candy canes and hot chocolate cupcakes with marshmallow frosting are popular options.

Mineo has catered about 150 holiday parties this year alone, and he had some general tips for those stressing about their culinary contributions: remember the reason for the season.

“The best advice I could give is keep it simple,” he said. “Remember why you’re celebrating. Don’t let the anxiety of planning the event ruin the ultimate picture of what you’re trying to do, and that’s gather with people and spread holiday cheer.”