Holiday planning is rough on everyone involved, but for those of us whom are in charge of the entertainment for the holiday, life can get down-right insane. Well, I’m here to tell you that with a few shortcuts (gasp! I know…;), you can make your life so much easier with your guests none the wiser.
Homemade dishes are lovely, and to some, completely indispensable, but with a little knowledge and finesse, you can take some drastic stress and time off the table, literally, by mixing in some store-bought items as well. In fact, according to a recent survey done by Archway Cookies, of the sixty-six percent of us who entertain at least one party for the holidays last year, sixty-seven percent provided a mixture of homemade and processed items. These stats are augmented by the fact that the majority of Americans attend more parties during the five weeks of the holiday season than they do in all of the rest of the months put together.
There are a few items that with today’s advancement in store recipes should be a no-brainer when it comes to subbing in among their homemade counterparts, such as cookies. Believe it or not, cookies are the number one most eaten dessert eaten during the holiday season. High quality store bought cookies today can compete with most homemade recipes in terms of flavor, and lord knows, they somehow are always better looking as well. As well, if you take care to choose types of cookies that are traditionally served during the holiday season, such as gingerbread or sugar cookies, the appropriateness will absolve any doubts of preparation. Garnishing cookies of whatever kind with fresh decorations of herbs, fruit or even the smaller size of Christmas ornaments will lend a homey feel to your spread.
Another way to save time in food preparation is to seek out some store-bought appetizers & side dishes to augment your main batches of homemade fare, such as the turkey and mashed taters. Many groceries offer ready to serve appetizers and dishes, such as macaroni and cheese, harvest apples, and a variety of bite size finger foods. Another popular option that is well-esteemed with most guests are fruit, veggie or cheese trays.
Preparing the more important and more flavorful main dishes as well as a few key special desserts, coupled with a mixture of store-bought and ready to serve food items should guarantee that your guests aren’t the only people having a good time over the holidays.
