Stress Free Hosting for the Holidays
Are you getting ready to host family and friends for the holidays? Whether you are cooking a big meal for family or having friends over for a holiday gathering. Here are a few ideas to help make your holiday gathering stress free.
Give Yourself Time - Avoid the stress of rushing around the day of your gathering. Create a party planning schedule that focuses most of the effort well before the party.
By giving yourself more time than you think you need to prepare, you make the focus of the gathering about visiting with guests instead of fussing over last-minute details.
Streamline the Menu - Rmemeber the golden rule of entertaining: less is more!! Pare down the menu to a few extraordinary dishes rather than overwhelming guests with too many options.
Choose easy to prepare recipes that either take minutes to make or can be prepared in advance so you aren't spending the entire holiday in the kitchen.
My menu for Thanksgiving dinner is turkey and stuffing, brussel sprouts, green bean casserole, root mash, sweet potatoes and gravy. For dessert we're having maple bourbon pecan pie and pumpkin pie. I cut up the brussel sprouts a couple days ahead, I made the pies ahead and set a schedule for everything so on Thanksgiving Day I'll be able to spend time with my family and friends.
Set Up Hosting Stations - Don't try to manage everything from a single location.
Arrange a before dinner cocktail and appetizer station in the living room so guests can mingle way from the main food preparation area.
Let Guests Help - Don't try to do everything yourself. When guests ask what they can do to help, it's ok to ask them to bring an appetizer or make the mashed potatoes. I like my guests to bring an appetizer or rolls or bring a dessert. I could never make dinner rolls and my friend makes fabulous rolls so I ask her to bring them. Making your guests feel special about their contribution instead of giving them a token role is a key part of the meal.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends and family, those that can join us on Thursday and especially those who can't be there.
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