Now that Thanksgiving is behind us (barely… some of us are still doing dishes!), we are looking forward to holiday parties and get-togethers. There are some people who can make entertaining seem as simple as waving a magic wand. But most of us know it isn’t that easy.
Luckily for us, with the advice of our chef, Deanna Fitchat (aka Deelicious Park City), we have some tips to make the upcoming holidays easier to handle, whether your crowd is 2 or 20.
Deanna’s Tips to Handle the Holidays like a Pro
1. Sharpen your knives. Daily honing (or 3-4 times a day) should keep your knives in prime shape. This is a great time saver and will make cooking a breeze.
2. Figure out your serveware / table linens / flatware. There is nothing worse than throwing a party and not having enough glasses or forks for your guests.
3. Make your list, check it twice. And Shop EARLY! Stock up on bulk favorites, like nuts and dried fruits. You will want these for cheese plates. If you have several occasions in a short time frame, make a bulk list and buy it all at once to save several trips to the store. Don’t wait until the day before to run to the grocery store.
4. When making an appetizer for a party, make some extra and freeze them. This recipe for Puff Pastry Mushroom Tarts is ideal to make for now and save some for later.
5. Plan for some room temperature dishes, like a yummy Hummus dip or a bowl of sweet and spicy nuts. Keep it simple without worrying about getting things out of the oven.
6. Consider hiring some help. Maybe hire a caterer to make a few apps or someone to serve drinks. You can’t enjoy your party if you are running around doing all the work.
