Holiday Party Planning

Hello Friend,
Major party time lies just around the corner -- Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Years. You can stay on top of your entertaining with a little bit of planning.

In this blog, I hope to give you useful tips for entertaining and a recipe for our favorite holiday tea. :)

The 2 basic components of entertaining: cleaning the house & the food.

1. Your greatest asset is planning ahead. As soon as you know you are on point for the Thanksgiving or Christmas feast -- start planning!

**Plan your menu -- you may want to try a few new recipes and then of course, the tried and true favorites.
**Divide up who will bring what & e-mail or notify them right away. Keep a copy yourself; post on the refrigerator. You can send a friendly reminder the week of the celebration.
**Keep the easier food tasks at your house, as well as, those items which are difficult to “bring in” like the mashed potatoes.
**Also, keep the food items you insist follow a certain recipe at your house. We love our sweet potato puff recipe and would really miss it at a holiday celebration. :) You’ll love it too.
I have never served it when the recipe wasn't requested.
http://www.keep-your-home-cooking.com/sweet-potato-puff.html

**A nice division of food could be;
At the party house:
Meat, potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, holiday tea, coffee, creamer & sugar.
Assign to guests:
Salad or vegie, rolls, pies or dessert, olives, pickles & cranberries, paper products, drinks.
You may also include appetizers.

**If you are providing all the food; it will be a little more challenging, but doable. Go easy on new recipes, so it doesn’t add too much stress.
**Make your bars & cookies early and freeze them.
**Make pies a day ahead.
**Consider just tossed salad for the vegie or simple buttered green beans.
**You could order your rolls from a local bakery to save on time.
**The olives, pickles, and drinks just require purchasing and storing in the refrigerator.

**Plan your menu with timing, food preparation difficulty and your oven’s cooking capacity in mind.

2. Set up your schedule for the week prior to the party -- this will include grocery shopping & specific cleaning tasks. Follow this schedule to complete all your cleaning within the week. http://www.keep-your-home-cooking.com/cleaning-schedule.html

OK, your menu is planned, food items distributed, and your schedule is planned for cleaning.

3. Some cleaning tips: clean as you go. This is my greatest cleaning tip of all time.
Put things away right after using them; tidy the living area & kitchen every day; wipe the counters; load the dishwasher; etc.
This will help you prepare for your holiday entertaining, because you will only need to do your standard cleaning for the party.
The clean as you go philosophy allows your house to essentially, be clean all the time. :)

THE WEEK OF THE PARTY:
1. Post your schedule on the refrigerator & follow it for cleaning -- each day do what’s on the schedule, so you don’t run behind.
If you find yourself falling behind; don’t fret, just keeping moving forward. The next day may involve a few more tasks, but you have allowed enough time for everything to get done.
**Involve your kids, http://www.keep-your-home-cooking.com/chores-for-kids.html
**If your week is really busy the week of the party; plan to do some of your cleaning tasks the week before. A little touch up the week of the party should suffice.
**Your schedule should include grocery shopping a day or two prior to the party.

2. Be sure your linens are ready for the party -- table cloths, etc. Be sure to put them in the wash if needed and allow time for ironing if necessary.
This is the time to dig out your serving platters -- clean ahead and set out. Add this to your posted schedule.
**I recommend using sturdy, decorative plates, cups and paper products for large parties -- it’s the only way to go!
Makes clean up a breeze -- you’ll still have plenty of pots and pans to do.


3. THE FOOD:
You should be able to complete some tasks ahead during the week of the party; mix pie crust, crack ice, stock drinks, make cookies or bars and freeze.
http://www.keep-your-home-cooking.com/perfect-pie-crust.html
Add it to your posted schedule.
**Some dishes can be assembled a day ahead, and stored in the refrigerator, like sweet potato puff and mashed potato casserole.
http://www.keep-your-home-cooking.com/mashed-potato-casserole.html
**You can also make your pies a day ahead or the night before.


THE DAY OF THE PARTY:
1. Relax. You are well prepared, so you can enjoy your celebration.
2. Depending on what meat you are serving, you will most likely need to start this early in the morning.
2. Make your rolls -- you may need time for dough rising, so get this done early in the morning.
We love this delicious, very simple bread recipe. http://www.keep-your-home-cooking.com/60-minute-bread.html
3. If you haven’t assembled your potato recipes (sweet & regular); do this next. If you are making mashed potatoes on the range, peel your potatoes, and place in a cooking pot with water. This will keep them from browning until you are ready to cook -- plan for enough time to mash them. OR, if baking, a little bit before you want to start eating.
4. Wash the vegetables or salad. Cut up additional vegetables if necessary. Mix the dressing.
5. Place the olives, pickles and cranberries in a dish or tray; cover and refrigerate.
6. Place butter on trays & set out salt & pepper on serving table.
7. Have your family help with rearranging the furniture or setting up the tables and chairs. This can be done a day or two in advance.
8. Make the holiday tea.
9. Get your coffee brewing. If you aren't using a large pot, make some ahead and put in air pot to keep warm; brew some more. Set out your powder creamer, sugar & spoons. Liquid creamer can come out once your guests arrive.
10. Have your meat ready about a half hour before serving, so you can carve.
11. Make gravy.

When your guests arrive, have a place for their coats, boots/shoes and purses, so it’s not all dumped at your front door.
Put your kids in charge of that if they are old enough to handle it.

I hope this helps you enjoy your holiday celebrations!
Blessings to you,
Julie :)


Our favorite Holiday tea; recipe from Jean

5 individual tea bags
5 cups boiling water
5 cups unsweetened apple juice
2 cups cranberry juice
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1. Bring water to a boil in large stock pot; add tea bags.
2. Steep tea for 8 minutes; discard tea bags.
3. Add remaining ingredients to tea; simmer & stir until sugar dissolves.
4. Turn off heat & reheat as needed.

Enjoy!