Whether you are cooking in your own home or
bringing dishes to a potluck get-together, food preparation
can be the most stressful part of the holidays (aside from
having your in-laws stay with you.) To eliminate stress
and make the holidays more relaxing, we suggest the following:
1) Always, always prepare ahead of time. For
complicated dishes, schedule preparation time for at least
two days in advance. If you are preparing an entire menu,
start more labor-intensive items such as turkeys or hams
as early as possible. That way, throughout the day, you
can prepare easier items and have them ready before the
turkey is done. This is particularly helpful if you are
planning to serve food in courses rather than all at once,
buffet-style.
2) If you have a recipe that calls for fruits
or vegetables out of season, consider dehydrating and preserving
several months before the holidays. Once it's the season
for that fruit or vegetable, gather, pick or buy as much
as you can, then dehydrate and store.
3) When you host a holiday party, make note
of any food allergies or dietary preferences. Entertaining
means making everyone as comfortable as you can with good,
healthy food.
4) The fun of making holiday cookies will
be tripled if you assemble all the ingredients you will
need days in advanced. Some cookies, such as "mold"
cookies, need dough that must be pre-made. Most others require
no advance freezing or preparation.
5) If you are bringing a dish to a holiday
party, confirm the date of the party in advance. Ask the
host or hostess what other people will be bringing. You
do not want to end up with ten bowls of Waldorf salad, even
though you know yours is the best! By the way, dehydrators
will help preserve large quantities of apples in-season.
6) Traditionally, holidays have been a time
to over-indulge on fatty, greasy and sugary foods. While
you can do that, there's no reason Christmas shouldn't be
healthy and delicious.
7) A word on beverages and alcohol: Have non-potent
beverages available for a safe and still-enjoyable party.
Juicers can provide a delicious, satisfying cocktail. Buy
oranges, apples, grapes, raspberries, watermelons, mangoes,
and exotic fruits and juice--the sky is the limit.
