Today's hint is to finalize your holiday gathering/party/family traditions/food to share with others menu. I plan to do that right now. I had rough draft of what I was going to cook for all of those occasions, and I have been picking up a few ingredients as they have been on sale, but I am going to make the final plan today. Then I will make the master grocery list and break it down by which store I will purchase each item from. I will be shopping at Kroger and Sam's. I will put the ingredients in categories based on when I will need to buy them.
- non-perishables--things that I can buy today and will last all the way to Christmas Day
- perishables I need each week--for instance I have a party to attend tomorrow, but I will also be needing fresh food for Christmas Day. I will be making 3 or maybe 4 trips to Kroger between now and December 25th. I am going to plan my lists for each trip, assigning the necessary perishable items for each trip--based on what I am cooking for.
Also today I am going to look at my calendar and plan at least three baking days. I learned long ago that conducting a marathon session in the kitchen, trying to complete all of my holiday baking in one day, is no fun! After a couple of hours, we are no longer making pleasant memories! So I break the cooking into three or even four sessions. For instance, making and decorating sugar cookies with the children will be all that we cook on that day!
Here is a tentative look at my holiday cooking plans:
- sugar cookies with the children
- special cookies/baked goods that we only make in December--some of these we will eat, and some we will package to share with others
- oysters crackers and Reindeer food--we ALWAYS make these to package to share, and we also save some for us to nibble on.
- my extended family's party (I am taking pound cake, crunchy romaine salad, and something else--I haven't decided yet)
- Jimmy's extended family's party (I am taking ham and I have to plan the rest today!)
- Christmas Eve supper--soup
- Christmas Day--mocha punch, Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls, breakfast casserole, grilled steak, steamed shrimp, hash brown potato casserole, salad
I am going to get started on all of these lists right now! How is your holiday cooking coming along?
I have a recipe for cinnamon rolls, but have been wanting to try PW's. Hers looks as good/better than mine. I would keep my icing though.
ReplyDeleteWe are baking this weekend for cookies to serve to church members while they make fruit baskets for shut-ins. Other than that-we will just do gingerbread men right before Christmas.
Lots to do there lady!!
enlighten me on reindeer food! How do you make it and what do you do with it? thank you!!
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