A true marker of adulthood is when you plan and host your first holiday dinner. There is no day quite like it. However, at some point, probably about six hours before you'd like to serve your dinner, you'll look around a kitchen that resembles a war zone, at a beloved dish that looks nothing like it should, and you'll wonder how your uncle, mother, or grandmother ever managed to pull it off. They did, of course, and with a little luck so will you.
That's right, surviving your holiday dinner has everything to do with planning. And you'll not just be planning the cooking, but the hosting as well. You'll want to consider where you're guests will be sitting. Go ahead and take a check of your dinnerware supplies including glasses, silverware, and serving sets. Once you have a handle on your serveware, you also want to take into account who the guest will be. Will it be your picky aunt and cousins who analyze everything or will it be a more casual gathering with a few friends.
The next step in planning is coming up with your menu. This is an area where emotions run high. Thanksgiving, to me, means my grandmother's stuffing. A dear friend says it is not a holiday without green bean casserole. However, unless the family is moving their celebration en masse to your house, you probably won't be cooking for the crowds that we usually associate with holiday dinners.
If this is your first holiday dinner, and you need to allow for that in your planning. You probably aren't yet experienced at cooking a lot of dishes in large quantities, so edit your list. Include some sentimental favorites, maybe add something new you think is interesting, but keep it as simple as possible. Assemble your recipes (from the family files, cookbooks, or the Internet) and write down a shopping list. Again, check and see what equipment the recipes need.
So you have your kitchen supplies in order, and now you can concentrate on the food. Double check your grocery list to make sure you have it all covered - this way you'll avoid last minute dashes to the store. If you're planning the meal around a main dish such as ham or turkey, make sure you have the ordered or purchased days in advance. Then purchase the rest of the items you'll need for your side dishes and drinks, waiting until the day or 2 before to buy the most perishable items.
A week ahead of time, you'll want to prepare your home and especially the kitchen. Do a thorough cleaning including a good scrubbing on countertops and sinks for a sparkling clean kitchen. Try to avoid buying too many foods not related to the holiday so that you'll have the room you need in the fridge and the cabinets. Place the things you'll need the most in easy reach of your cooking area the day before the holiday.
The next step is the most important thing you can do to ensure a stress free day. Get out all of the recipes. Now make a schedule. The schedule should have every step you will need to prepare every dish listed and the time you will need to do it. That way, at 9am on the big day you know exactly what you should be doing. Pin the schedule somewhere easy to see. As you complete each task, mark it off. That you won't forget in the stress of the moment if you remembered to baste the turkey. Don't forget to enjoy the holiday! - 15266
That's right, surviving your holiday dinner has everything to do with planning. And you'll not just be planning the cooking, but the hosting as well. You'll want to consider where you're guests will be sitting. Go ahead and take a check of your dinnerware supplies including glasses, silverware, and serving sets. Once you have a handle on your serveware, you also want to take into account who the guest will be. Will it be your picky aunt and cousins who analyze everything or will it be a more casual gathering with a few friends.
The next step in planning is coming up with your menu. This is an area where emotions run high. Thanksgiving, to me, means my grandmother's stuffing. A dear friend says it is not a holiday without green bean casserole. However, unless the family is moving their celebration en masse to your house, you probably won't be cooking for the crowds that we usually associate with holiday dinners.
If this is your first holiday dinner, and you need to allow for that in your planning. You probably aren't yet experienced at cooking a lot of dishes in large quantities, so edit your list. Include some sentimental favorites, maybe add something new you think is interesting, but keep it as simple as possible. Assemble your recipes (from the family files, cookbooks, or the Internet) and write down a shopping list. Again, check and see what equipment the recipes need.
So you have your kitchen supplies in order, and now you can concentrate on the food. Double check your grocery list to make sure you have it all covered - this way you'll avoid last minute dashes to the store. If you're planning the meal around a main dish such as ham or turkey, make sure you have the ordered or purchased days in advance. Then purchase the rest of the items you'll need for your side dishes and drinks, waiting until the day or 2 before to buy the most perishable items.
A week ahead of time, you'll want to prepare your home and especially the kitchen. Do a thorough cleaning including a good scrubbing on countertops and sinks for a sparkling clean kitchen. Try to avoid buying too many foods not related to the holiday so that you'll have the room you need in the fridge and the cabinets. Place the things you'll need the most in easy reach of your cooking area the day before the holiday.
The next step is the most important thing you can do to ensure a stress free day. Get out all of the recipes. Now make a schedule. The schedule should have every step you will need to prepare every dish listed and the time you will need to do it. That way, at 9am on the big day you know exactly what you should be doing. Pin the schedule somewhere easy to see. As you complete each task, mark it off. That you won't forget in the stress of the moment if you remembered to baste the turkey. Don't forget to enjoy the holiday! - 15266
About the Author:
You can prepare your holiday meals in a lot less time by having qualitykitchenware in your home. Need more storage containers? Check out these great Glasslock containers from Kinetic for glass food storage containers to store your holiday leftovers in.
