It's all fine and good to say that you're not going to get
caught up in the craziness of the holiday season this year.
The only little snag with this picture is: You actually
like to buy presents, bake cookies, and, well, cook.
However, there are some nice shortcuts you can take that
will take nothing from the fun of the party, but will allow
you to stay more relaxed and keep stress from ruining your
good time!
Plan Ahead. Don't forget to ask your guests ahead of time
if they have special dietary requirements or preferences
(allergies, vegetarian, etc). Decide ahead of time what you
want to cook, and ensure that you have all the ingredients
on hand. You can even go as far as to cook some of the
meals beforehand and thereby save yourself a lot of stress.
Try Fewer Side Dishes. There are loads of creative recipes
for this time of the year and it is a lot of fun to have a
feast, but you can save yourself quite a bit of time and
effort by cutting down on the side dishes. Just pick a
salad or two, home-made bread, and make a lot of them. This
way, while there's less variety, there's plenty of food.
Let Others Help. Another fun way to simplify your meal is
to let others help with the cooking. Ask friends to make a
favorite dish and bring the recipe to share. You'll have
dinner taken care of and plenty of new entries for your
cookbook. This lets everyone feel good that they've
contributed to the joy of the feast and saves you a lot of
time and effort.
For a more interesting table, use usual things in unusual
ways such as a child's inflatable water ring to hold
plates, a birdhouse feeder to hold napkins, and clay pots
to hold bread.
Greet all guests in person at the door. This will remove
any uncomfortable moments where the guest wonders if they
should just come in, where to put their items, etc. Give
them a brief tour of where the food, smoking area, and
restrooms are and then direct them to where you want to
maintain your guests. Most people will choose a living room
or parlor, though with warmer weather, you may choose an
outdoor party.
Don't forget about your designated drivers and non-drinking
friends! Keep a supply of fun and festive non-alcoholic
drinks on hand.
Set up a drink and dessert bar. Do it ahead of time and it
allow your guests to help themselves.
Allow yourself sufficient time to dress and relax before
your guests arrive and your party begins and remember most
importantly have some fun!
----------------------------------------------------
An interactive kitchen to share ideas, inspirations and
tips about cooking, crafts and life.We love cooking from
scratch and crEATing new delights in the kitchen. Reveal
the kitchen goddess in you...find out more at
http://www.foodcreations.co.za
EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=47260
0 comments
Post a Comment