What are some of the things you do when preparing a holiday meal?
By MaryLynn321
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
United States
March 21, 2009 10:29pm CST
When preparing a holiday meal. I like to get most of my preparing done the day before.
I will peel my potatoes and soak them in salt water, and then put in the refrigerator over night. The next morning all I have to do is pour them in a kettle and cook them.
I do the same with my vegetables.
I prepare my dressing the night before and then put it in casserole dishes, and put in the refrigerator until the next day.
The turkey is washed out, and then put on a platter, and covered with saran wrap until the next day. The next day I put it in a Reynolds Turkey Oven Bag, it cuts down the cooking time by 1/2 and you also get 3 times as much gravy then normal.
All the desserts are made the night before, along with the jello's and fruit salads.
Pickles, olives, etc. are put in their dishes and covered with saran wrap.
Raw veggies are gotten ready and soaked in water and put in the frig until the next day. The dip is made the night before, but put in a dish to serve.
By getting things prepared and ready to go, it saves a lot of time, and it also helps you not to forget anything you need for the day. Also by preparing in advance, if you are in need of something, you still have time to run to the store.
1 person likes this
6 responses
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
23 Mar 09
u sound like me. i do everything i possibly can the day before. i have everything ready to go in the oven the day of. it's so much easier to do that & if u have last minute things like creamed potatoes or whatever u can do it w/ease. i'm not nearly as tired the day of. to be honest i couldn't do it all in one day anymore.
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
23 Mar 09
I agree with you. I remember the first couple of times I did a holiday meal, lord I was non stop busy the day off, never realizing to start things the day before, it didn't take to many times, to finally realize to get the stuff done the day before, it sure relieves the stress, and the meal is done on time too.
Thank you for sharing.
1 person likes this
@Aquilis (175)
•
23 Mar 09
I always make sure i have loads of ice cubes for juice made up in a flask to keep it very cold in hot weather..there is nothing worse then lukewarm water or squash to drink on a hot day.
Also make sure if you are taking a cool box or ice box to make sure you put the freeze boxes in the freezer the night before to keep your food chilled the next day....keeping things wrapped in foil and newspaper keeps things cold for longer and this is ideal if you plan to take meat out in hot weather for a BBQ.
If you prepare a salad DO NOT put the salad dressing on....take it with you in a separate tub as it will make your salad very stodgy...again this is the same with sandwiches...they are best prepared on the day as sometimes sandwiches can become soggy by some fillers used.
1 person likes this
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
23 Mar 09
Great tips with the BBQ and taking things to someone else's home or a picnic.
Also great tips for the holiday dinner.
We always have family that offer to bring something. So we mostly have to make the potatoes, dressing, turkey or ham, raw veggies, vegetables, buns, and a dessert or two.
Thank you for responding
@Aquilis (175)
•
23 Mar 09
Saying that, if your holiday meal is not a picnic and is at home with a large group of family and or friends....what i have done before now is get everybody to bring something....its interesting to see what people bring and adds an element of fun and surprise...you end up with all kinds of things....however if you are wanting the perfect meal celebrations this is not the way to go....but is most certainly fun :) x
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@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
22 Mar 09
You sound so organized; I bet you are a great hostess! I am "gastronomically challenged" which means that I am an awful cook and I hate doing it; I love having people over so my husband who is not a great cook either, bought a Weber and in it, we have cooked the best roasts with no fuss no mess and minimal preparation.
Thanks to the Weber we even had Christmas at our house, my sister brought some cannelloni which is her speciality, my mum brought dessert and we provided the roast turkey and vegetables and I managed to make some salads. It was so easy and stress free! 
1 person likes this
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
23 Mar 09
The Weber can make so many wonderful things. I guess I am organized to some extent, I just kept notes, and found more efficient ways of doing things over the years, which helps make the time in the kitchen a whole lot less. Sounds like you can have more gatherings using your Weber. I am just a plain cook, nothing fancy, it all depends on what I am making.
Thank you for sharing.
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
22 Mar 09
I begin making my menu weeks before the meal. Then, I get everything I need and have it all set in one general area. I make what I can a day or two before, but do most of the cooking on that day. I get up really early to get started and spend the majority of the day in the kitchen.
1 person likes this
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
23 Mar 09
I like to get things done in advance too. I especially like to use the Reynolds Turkey Oven Bags, as I can sleep in longer, and the Turkey takes 1/2 the time to roast, then normal. It saves so much time.
@susie34668 (71)
• United States
22 Mar 09
For the dinner, I do it all the same day. It takes me 6 hours from start to finish. Been doing it that way for 42 years.
I make sausage rolls for Len, on Christmas eve, every year.
1 person likes this
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
23 Mar 09
Hi Susie,
Use the Reynolds Turkey oven bags, and you won't have to be in the kitchen so long.
Hugs MaryLynn
@susie34668 (71)
• United States
23 Mar 09
The reason I cook my turkey just with foil, is so that I can put the roast potatoes around it, to get the juice from the turkey. Then I take the potatoes out and finish them in another pan.
I have this off to an art and Len wouldn't let me change any of it.
Also my turkey is normally at least 20 pounds in weight.
Susie.
@rebelmel (1386)
• United States
23 Mar 09
I like to plan the menu the day before. I don't usually cook for a whole lot of people, and this past year I was cooking for a few vegetarians, so it only took about an hour and a half to roast the piece of turkey that I bought. I wake up pretty early, prepare a punch or two and small appetizers, like dips, chips and veggies. Then I start all my baking. While baking, I prepare the seasoning for the turkey. Once that is finished, I pop the turkey in the oven, and start on preparing the batter for the biscuits and cooking the other veggies. Once the turkey is done, I put the biscuits in the oven, put all the food in pretty dishes, and start heatingup the gravy. When the biscuits are done, almost everything else is too!
1 person likes this
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
23 Mar 09
This sounds quick and easy, and delicious too. I love to cook for large groups. But, it is always nice to have just a small dinner too, plus we can enjoy the left overs.
Thank you for commenting.
