Holiday Meals and Entertaining 101

With only a few days left until Christmas, everyone is focussed on getting those last few gifts. There will be a lot of eating on the run; but one cannot live on lattes and cookies alone.

Let’s not forget that with school out and a few extra days out of the office, there will have to be some eating at home. If you have a large gathering to attend, you are likely relieved from meal duty for at least one meal. But what happens if you’re hosting? What happens after the festivities?

Let’s start with the party. . .

If you’re hosting, say "yes".  That is, say yes to the offers of help you are likely to receive. No matter how great or small the contribution, it all amounts to less stress for you.  Someone bringing holiday napkins and Christmas crackers means two less things on your shopping list and at least one less line to stand in.

Make it easy to help. Even if you like to prepare the entire meal yourself, you can’t possibly like doing all of the clean-up.  Have a few zip loc baggies or disposable food storage containers on hand.  If you offer guests the opportunity to take some leftovers home, everything needed will be within reach, with less left for you to deal with.

Also, try to have extra rubber gloves and tea towels in the kitchen, for those good Samaritans who want to help with the dishes.

 

Make ahead. Look for dishes that can be made a day in advance.  This will be helpful whether you are taking a dish to a potluck gathering or opening your doors to your loved ones.

Don’t strive for perfection. Holiday gatherings aren’t about trying to impress one another (I hope). Let’s put the focus on enjoying the celebration and each other’s company. A glass may break, a side dish may get overdone.  These are just minor details to be added to the holiday annals.

Embrace catering. Just because you have graciously offered to host an event, doesn’t mean that everything has to be prepared from scratch. Ordering a dessert, side dishes, savoury pies or even a cooked turkey is perfectly acceptable. Just be sure to place your order far in advance to avoid disappointment.

And once the party’s over . . .

Plan for lighter meals. Everyone worries about putting on a few extra pounds during the holidays.  All that home-baked goodness is too good to resist. To combat the effects of over-indulging, stock your fridge with greens. Bagged salads are healthy and easily turned in to a quick and healthy meal. Grilled chicken is readily available in supermarkets and provides a lean source of protein. If you’d rather have soup on these cool evenings, you can stock the pantry with your favourite store-bought variety, or shop for the ingredients that will allow you to prepare a homemade soup with your leftovers.

Freeze. Cooked meat or poultry can be frozen.  You’ll likely want to use it for pot pies or some type of dish that has a sauce or gravy, but it beats throwing it away.

Check out some recipes. Knowing what you want to make in advance is half the battle. I’m including some recipes that I plan to make over the next few weeks, as well as a link to some new ideas.

Turkey Pot Pie (I use a pre-made crust)

Everyday Leftovers

Turkey, Brie and Pear Sandwiches

No matter how you spend your time over the next couple of weeks, I wish you all the best of the season and health and happiness in 2015.  See’ya next year!