Easy, inexpensive entertaining for the holidays

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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Drinks on the house
Skip that bartending course and dazzle your guests with some tasty concoctions that can be whipped up in seconds. "Most cocktails can be made in 30 seconds," says Michael Fagan, the Matchmaker for the LCBO's Food & Drink magazine. "Half the battle is presentation."

Focus on serving two cocktails throughout your party so that you don't have to spend a fortune on liquor or purchase various styles of glasses. From www.martiniclub.com, Fagan recommends a drink called the Cinnamon Supper: to a highball glass filled with ice, add 1oz Navan, 1/2 oz Goldschlager and 5 oz apple cider. Garnish with a crisp apple slice.

Ready-to-pour beverages are all the rage and can save you time. Try Mott's Clamato Caesar. Or try Party-A-Go-Go, a chocolate martini packaged in an easy-to-pour box. Most importantly, don't let guests take over your bar as "you have a social responsibility as a host to control the situation," says Fagan. Check out www.lcbo.ca for more hosting tips or www.webtender.com for more drink recipes.Trim the halls
Inspire your guests to burst out singing "Deck the Halls" by filling your home with a festive aroma via a homemade potpourri. Bib suggests boiling a pot of water with cinnamon, cloves and a sliced orange about a half hour before guests arrive.

Stay in and decorate your home the night before your party so you're not tied up with last-minute attempts to pretty up your home when company arrives. If you're planning a buffet-style spread, Bib offers this suggestion: "Use an organza overlay (or sheer material) on top of your table cloth and place a few strands of fairy lights underneath. Once lit, and the overhead lighting dimmed, these lights will look very festive." For other decorating ideas, buy plastic holly berries at a local craft store to place on napkins or buy a decorated miniature tree to set at the center of the table.

Though my mom still wakes up in a bit of a tizzy on party-hosting days, she's calmed by a set table and a well-stocked bar so solicit help to get important tasks like these done early and everything will fall into place.

Keep the festive spirit alive during party preparations by giving yourself plenty of time to finish all the tasks needed to create a holiday wonderland. When you've planned well, you'll feel relaxed and be able to enjoy the company of your guests.

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