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Easy, inexpensive entertaining for the holidays
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From food to drinks and decorating, there are easy and cheap ways to entertain holiday guests without sacrificing style. Read on for smart ways to be the hostess with the mostest.
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By Karyn Wilson
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When I was growing up, it seemed that every time my family entertained guests, panic overtook our home as my mom, dad and I raced around the house, cleaning, setting the table and prying the turkey pan from its tight spot in the cupboard. Over the years, and many heated exchanges later, we learned it's imperative to plan ahead so the day turns out to be fun -- not frantic. The following holiday entertaining tips would've served us well too:
Food preparation 101
Preparing food well ahead of serving leaves you with more time to spend with guests -- and less chances of ending up with burnt offerings.
Christine Bib, of Christine Bib Catering (www.christinebib.com) likes to pre-cook all her veggies and potatoes and store them in glass serving dishes one or two days before an event. About a half-hour before serving, use a microwave to reheat each dish for 2-3 minutes, then repeat once after the last dish is heated. After they have been heated twice, they should be hot however, Bib cautions, "allow less time for green veggies, more for dense potatoes."
Place the dishes on the table with a cover to keep them hot for several minutes. When your guests sit down, remove the covers and "each dish will release a fragrant steam," says Bib.
Although turkey is a holiday favourite in many households, Bib suggests serving ham because it's easy to prepare. Visit your local butcher and purchase a bone-in smoked ham, then follow Bib's preparation tips: Preheat oven to 450F. Cut off the skin and fat from the top and sides of the ham and stud every two inches with whole cloves. Put ham into a roasting pan and slather with Dijon mustard. Fill 1/4" of the pan with water and cover with foil. Immediately reduce heat to 225F. Bake for 18 minutes per pound.
After ham is baked, pour off the accumulated juices (great for making split pea or lentil soup). Decorate with fresh cranberries and chunks of pineapple skewered on toothpicks and drizzle with maple syrup. Bake for an additional hour at 350F, uncovered.
If your family will cry fowl if there is no turkey on the table, Bib advises making your stuffing ahead, but not to stuff the turkey until just before baking to avoid food contamination. Desserts can also be made days ahead but asking guests to bring their own creations adds variety and, most importantly, saves you time.
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