How to make the holidays….easier!
I love to entertain. My life is rather busy at times, and I like to spend the precious little time I have with my friends and family not slaving away behind the scenes but instead sharing stories and good times. That means I don’t want to be a kitchen prisoner after guests arrive, I want to be out and enjoying the moment. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy my time in the kitchen, however I consider myself to be an average person with an average sized kitchen. My kitchen would only fit a few people, not all of them and I’d rather spend more time with more people.
To make life easier, I do take a small amount of time plan my ‘event’. I prepare recipes that take minimal preparation with maximum impact. I look for items that can be prepared ahead, preferably atleast a day ahead and often even frozen. Mini meatballs (which can be pre-made, frozen and popped straight in the oven) and cheeseballs (kept in the fridge) are great examples.
I also plan out my preparation so that I only have to do the same thing once. If I need minced garlic for 3 recipes, I do it all at the same time and then portion it out for each recipe. I also make a written cooking plan – each item has it’s cooking time and temperature written out, and my timer is my friend.
I ensure that I don’t make too much food. Maybe it’s the culture on the gulf islands, but there is always a portion of guests who bring treats with them even if not asked and this gift is always very welcome. As a back-up, I always have some ready made snacks ready in the event that the food does run a little bit low.
When the time comes for guest to arrive, I usually have to do little more than put trays into the oven for heating and plate up items for serving. All items are prepared, the dishes are done, and the festivities begin. I have little kitchen time other than the quick oven changes and refreshing dishes as they empty out.
This strategy leaves me more time with with family and friends, which is the purpose of inviting guests. And isn’t that why we invite them in the first place?