For me its starts with planning... lots of planning.
What's the menu? how many? who's bring what? what time are we eating? Where everyone sitting ( if you have a big crowd) ?
Then I make a list of everything that I need for the meal... I mean everything thing - Grocery store, Wal-mart/ Target,
As well as anything needed if we are having overnight guest..
So here's a run down of the next couple of days...
I already have done the major shopping...
Today - Tuesday
Go through the house and double check making sure everything is clean clean, especially the bathrooms, extra rolls of Toilet tissue, I like the throw away paper hand towels, open new hand soap, put a plunger in the downstairs bathroom for the just in case. Air freshener. I also make sure there is some cleaning products under the sink if I need to freshen up the restroom.
Make sure the down stairs bedroom is picture perfect, so that guest can put their stuff in the room.
Do all the laundry..
Make 2 list - Match my recipe's and ingredient for my dishes...
1) if anything is missing write it down for last run to the grocery store. Double check foil, zip-locks, and plastic storage containers.
2) write down cooking time, as well as temperature. I do this with the meat, and all the side dishes so that everything is ready and hot at the same time... as well if something needs to be warmed up a guest is bringing... This year everyone is bringing desserts, and cold appetizer platters so I don't have to worry about that, just the way it worked out.
Double check with guest to make sure they are still bringing what they said they were, and make any adjustments in the menu... adding or subtracting from the menu and list. This is also a reminder for them...
Take list number 2 - and figure out all the timing, what time everything will need to go into the oven to be ready... What time do you want to eat, and work backwards... I have a double oven, so I do get some wiggle room, but when I had only one oven.. this was a trick... I make sure to included prep time so that you can keep to your time table, when the dish needs to be ready and when it's suppose to hit the oven.
Hit the grocery store one last time... Any other errands
Wednesday -
Start cooking...
I will make ahead the pole beans, with bacon, and onions - my plan is to reheat them in the crock pot on Thursday...
Blanche the veggies for veggie pot pie casserole - cooling - then put the casserole together everything except the crust - refrigerate
Cut, shred, or prep anything that can be done ahead of time.
This year I am going to add in some roasted veggies to the menu, we have some dietary issue's... so I will to roast them ahead of time to almost done mark - doing each one separately to control the cooking of each veggie, then cool and store in the refrigerator...
Boil the eggs for deviled eggs. I don't like to make them ahead... or they will disappear... I have ghost's that like to eat them when I am not looking...
I will pull out my platters / serving dishes so that I know whats going in what, and how to arrange everything, as well as serving utensil's for each dish.
Pull out the plate's, napkins, and cutlery.
Fill the salt and pepper shakers...
Wash everything... and put away everything so that the dishwasher is empty and ready to go the next day...
Have an idea about what to do with the left overs...
Thursday -
Start cooking the meat, and follow the time line...
Sit, eat, and enjoy the day with Family and Friends...
