Take The Hassle Out of Preparing Large Holiday Meals

When cooking for a large group or for a holiday, such as, Christmas, it is paramount that you be organized.  If you are in charge of preparing multiple dishes, it is easy to forget an ingredient, or a necessary dish.  How many times have you forgotten to prepare the gravy for the mashed potatoes or left the onions off the grocery list.  Here are a few tips that will, hopefully, help you prepare a hassle free large meal.

• Decide on and write out the final menu.  From the menu, you can create a complete shopping list.  Take both the menu and the shopping list to the grocery store.  This will help you remember anything that you may have left off the list.
• Post the menu on the kitchen cabinets to help you stay focused.  Having the menu right in front of you will help you prioritize.  This will keep you from jumping from one task to the other, only to realize that you forgot to do something.
• Organize your utensils and appliances that you will be cooking with.  Pull out the mixer and wash the beaters and set them to the side to be used when needed.  
• Keep your counter free of items that you don’t need.  No need for the mixing bowl, until it’s time to bake the cake; or a line of spices when you are baking cakes.  
• Wash and layout your serving dishes, especially, if you have timed yourself in such a way that you are literally going from the kitchen to the dining room.
• Keep a large bowl on the counter to catch peels and trash; this will keep you from running back and forth to the garbage can.
• Wash as you go.  When you are done cooking, the last thing that you want to see is a pile of dirty pots and pans.  This is a good time to have helping hands, but, if you don’t; save yourself a little heartache and wash, while you cook.
• Take a moment to rest.  Breathe. Then, move on to the next task.  Don’t tire yourself out to the point that you can’t enjoy your own meal.  No one is going to really care if they have to wait an extra 30 minutes to eat.

Taking the time to organize yourself will help you appear calm and will help your guests enjoy you and the meal better.  If you are frantic and on edge, the guests will not have fun and probably cut their stay short.  The first time cooking for a large group is always hectic, but, practice makes perfect.

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Follow me on Twitter @mphsglo; also, enjoy reading:

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