Depends on what kind of matzoh kugel it is! Sort of. If it's the kind where the matzah is turned back into wet flour--that is, with a solid wet texture like potato kugel--I don't think anything can bother it. If the matzot are whole sheets and you want them to retain some of their texture (assuming it has survived the freezing, which it may not have because water shifts), you might try partially defrosting it in the fridge (assuming there's room!) then putting it in the oven. That is, don't let it get warm and soupy before putting it in the oven. You could do the same on the counter, just stinting on the defrost time. But if it's for Seder, you probably don't want to fuss with any of that, so ignore it! Defrost whatever kugel it is to the point where it's still cool. I can't say how long because the dish, room temp, etc., are too variable. 2-3 hours? Or defrost overnight in the fridge. For any dense casserole, assuming it's not currently frozen, the rule of thumb is to reheat it at the same temperature and for the same time as you initially cooked it. Basic starting point for time and temp for an average sized casserole, lasagna, bread pudding or kugel, is 350° F. for 45 minutes. Adjust for your own oven and particulars. If it's already very brown on top, go below 350° and add some to the time.

Oh! Westsider's must be the quickie way. I've never done them in a covered pot. It's great that the butcher is putting all those parts together for you, agmss, so you don't have to break down the chickens yourself to get them and still make the best use of your sister's chickens. Since she's giving you fat, here's what I do to render it: Rendering chicken fat Put the lumps of fat in a little pan with a small onion or half a large onion, cut into large pieces. Don't put in too much onion or it'll soak up all the fat. Never turn your back on it while it's on the heat. Start on a medium high heat until the fat starts to melt. Turn it down a bit so it won't spatter Once all the fat is melted, turn it off and let it cool just a little.. Pick out the onion and any other solids with a fork, or use a strainer. Put a spoon in a clean glass jar (sterile if you're not going to use it all up right away). The spoon keeps the jar from breaking. Pour in the fat, carefully. (Remove the spoon.) Cover and chill. Keep in the refrigerator. When the fat solidifies the onion juice will separate out of it, on the bottom, as you'll see through the jar. The fat will be yellow from the onion, as well. Once it's solid, chicken fat can be frozen in an airtight package. Don't put a glass jar in the freezer. ------------ So, in my house, he who wants to eat chopped chicken liver gets to make chopped chicken liver. :) I checked. It's the sinew that makes it bitter, but it's easy to remove. Here's a great little how to de-sinew chicken livers video. Also make sure to remove any bits that aren't the right color. :) LPink, I don't judge! If the mix suits you, why not? Some mixes are very good.

Breville Smart Oven is terrific! We have the Compact Smart Oven (it's smaller, doesn't have convection), so it's not as useful as a back-up or second oven, but certainly quite useful for its size. We love it! I was very reluctant to spend the $ on it initially. When the timer knob (?) broke on our second or third replacement Delonghi toaster oven, I looked at every toaster oven out there. Many seemed flimsy (and poorly made), and/or looked too chintzy to leave out on the counter, so I bit the bullet and got the Breville (@BB&B with my coupon!). No regrets (though it would be nice at times to have the larger one). My parents got one, too when their toaster oven died, because they knew how well-made ours is. This post was edited by cat_mom on Wed, Mar 27, 13 at 10:35

Thanks, everyone! The secret to setting a pretty table for a lot of people is being willing to store settings for a lot of people :) I spent a lot of money on the cabinets to store them in, but I didn't spend much on the the stemware, flatware, dishes, or chargers. The trick is to go for decent rather than fab quality, have a unifying look, choose over time, and shop closeouts of house brands. Plus, fill in with "heirlooms" (see below), and the real heirlooms, the candlesticks my grandfather gave my mother, his d-i-l. Steph, thanks for the extra credit grade! Cat_mom, Morgne, Donnakay come on down! Thanks, Alabamanicole! Malhgold, I only have matching for 24. I have plenty to fill in for double that (i.e., the whole family minus the out of town dwellers). I'm sorry you missed the service, but at least you made it before Elijah! :) We have a "tradition" of people coming in just when we open the door, but I think that only happens at my parents' house. I have stairs. :) Darbuka, I hope you'll be able to have your Seder next year. In the "pulled togetherness" of the table are the gold color rimmed personal ashtrays for the horseraddish from my mother's young married days, the white glass nut dishes with the faded gold paint rim for the charoset from the same source, and the pyrex custard cups for the salt water. Over the years we've given my mother enough Lennox oddments for her not to need these, so now Seder is at my house? You put lots of colorful vegetables, some pretty flowers, and use whatever you have that fits! We've been using the same Haggadah all my life (it's excellent!). I think there were 20 of them. Though they were hardbound, they did finally start needing repair. The typeface is also hard for the old folks to read. So a number of years ago I typed it up, and added in a couple of side things to fill in the gaps. Plus, I gender neutraled it as much as I could, and updated other language that was way dated. We had xeroxed copies for a couple of years. Then, after I edited a published Haggadah, I got adventurous, found some interesting art to dress the text with and laid it out. I used my art printer and laminator for the cover and bound them myself. But my printer didn't like the cover paper and stopped printing it after 10 copies (apparently normal behavior according to the company), and the 8.5"x11" size was awkward, so while I was restricted in activity this year, I reformatted to the half size pages and had it professionally printed with a different cover. And did the song book too, which has the silly songs as well as the traditional ones. Owls, thanks! Chag Sameach! John, the trick is that while it feels like a separate room because of the beams and lighting, the dining room is wholy open to the living room. The table extends 8-10 feet beyond to within a few feet of the hearth on one side, and the TV and computer cabinets on the other. My actual table (minus the folding) seats 8 in the large chairs. A few more squeezing in on folding chairs. Country, the photos were all with no guests, except the bird. The camera was right there, and the family were reading the service. I just had to have a picture. :) I found the posts about how a kitchen actually worked, with dishes and towels and stuff all over were a big help to me, so I'm trying to pay it forward. I'm glad you're enjoyed it too! The girls are hired help. With all those dishes coming in and out, and needing to be washed, it's worth my sanity to have help. The family also carried soup and cleared, and all the other food was passed family style. I can't believe yours just schmoozed! Maybe they were overwhelmed by your competence? Or scared of your new kitchen? Maybe you just need to tell them what to do? Even with the Twilight Zoneness of it all, I hope it was a lovely meal and a happy holiday!! Thanks, Squigs and Fori! The bird has traditional stuffing: We freeze the leftover matzah and mandelin from the previous year, and supplement as needed with new. There's plain, egg and whole wheat in there. Sauteed veg (onions, mushrooms, colored bell peppers, and celery), a little seasoning and some eggs. Chag Sameach, Tomuch2chus! Thank-you for all the kind words! And I'm so glad you're rockin' the baby beets. :)