Especially with a house full of people, it’s a good idea to make a list and plan ahead. First, get all your groceries, then decide what needs to be thawed, washed, chopped—and what can be done a day, or even two days, ahead. For example, I always make my twice baked potatoes on Christmas Eve morning so they will be ready to put in the oven when the ham has about an hour left to cook on Christmas Day. If you are having guests and your holiday dishes need a trip through the dishwasher, get that accomplished early and think about what serving pieces need to be brought out of storage and washed. I even set the table for Christmas Breakfast the night before. Make people help you! Create a list and assign everyone a task to complete. If you stick to your plan, everything will get ready and no one has to be stuck in the kitchen missing all the fun.
When planning a special meal, whether for
dinner guests or a church party, things are so much easier when you make a
detailed list. Write down everything that needs doing, then break that list
down into ridiculously small tasks, like “grate cheese,” and “wash lettuce,”
and “pull out plates.” You will
see that a “simple meal” actually has more than 40 steps. If even 10 of those steps require 10
minutes each and another 10 of those steps take 5 minutes each, you’re going to
need two and a half hours of prep time.
(And that doesn’t include phone calls, bathroom breaks, and changing the
TV channel!) Write down each step
in chronological order and cross them off as you go. Your stress level will go down and your confidence will go
up because you won’t forget anything and your meal will be ready right on time.
*Originally distributed December 2013
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