I know a lot of people who are stressing out about all they need to do before Christmas arrives. I have never been one to get too worked up about things. I plan ahead, but admittedly am a last minute doer. Still, I try not to let things like hosting big dinner parties or having the family Christmas celebration at my house stress me out. Maybe that is because I know that the people I invite will love me no matter what. There is no need to get all worked up worrying about everything being “just right”.
A lot of people won’t even host get togethers at their house because the thought of having people over, judging their hosting abilities, stresses them to pieces. I hate hearing that because I know that I get so much joy out of sharing my home with others. I am happiest when we have a house full of people, a big meal to share, and lots of wine to drink 
When I host parties, which I do quite often, I normally get all of the guests involved. That really helps to take 100% of the pressure off of me. I let people know what is going to be on the menu and ask them to bring sides or desserts or appetizers that will complement the menu. Many times, the people I invite are thrilled to be asked to contribute and are happy to help out.
Another thing I do when hosting parties is to make sure I have a good mix of shortcut options available. If my kitchen is going to be full and a lot of things will be going on, I try not to do too many complicated things at once. Use your crock pot, have on hand some Boxed Chicken Stock… just think of things that might make your day go by a bit easier. One huge lifesaver when I am hosting parties are Pillsbury ready made crusts. I’ve mentioned before that I have a love/hate relationship with pie crusts, so why would I add what I consider to be a stressful task onto my plate when Pillsbury pie crusts make the job simple.
Remember, when you are starting to stress out this holiday season that the people you are hosting are not judging you, your food, or your home. If they are truly your friends, their focus will be on spending the holiday’s with you and building special memories. Make your life a little easier by remembering that not everything has to be done the hard way. Give yourself the permission to sleep in a little longer and use some of the handy shortcuts that are available to us on the market today!
The lovely team at Pillsbury recently sent me a basket full of goodies… 2 glass pie plates, an adorable Crate and Barrel tin of pie crust shape cut out tools, an Oneida pie server and a CD full of photos and recipes to use with their ready made Pie Crusts. Being the generous people they are, the team decided that one of my readers deserved a basket too – so I’m giving one away! To sweeten the deal, I am throwing in a copy of Cooking Light’s Essential Recipe Collection of Desserts cookbook. To enter the giveaway, in the comment section of this post simply tell me one shortcut that you use in the kitchen that helps you to stay sane. All comments must be made by midnight on Wednesday, December 24th. The winner will be chosen through the Random Number Generator and will be announced sometime after Christmas day!
PS – having overnight guests? Try this wonderful quiche recipe… easy, versitile and sure to help your guests wake up happy!
Basic Quiche (from Recipezaar)
1 hour | 10 min prep
SERVES 2 -4 , 1 quiche
- 5 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 Pillsbury refrigerated 9-inch pie crust
- 2 cups shredded cheese or chopped drained cooked vegetables or diced deli meat, any type (or chop up leftover slices) or any other cooked diced meat or ground beef or seafood or poultry
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
- Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl.
- Add filling and milk and mix well.
- Pour mixture into frozen pie crust.
- Place quiche on cookie sheet and bake on the middle oven rack for 45-50 minutes, or until top is browned and a knife inserted in center comes out clean.
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I always make two at a time, then cool and freeze one. Quiche reheats beautifully. Thanks for the recipe, Kristen!!
Sandy Ss last blog post..TWD: Buttery Jam Cookies
I heart Pillsbury Pie Crusts! I also make strombolis/Calzones with Pillsbury pizza Dough. It’s a great quick dinner option.
Sarah (Real Life)s last blog post.."Real Life" Christmas Tour of My Home
This is really simplistic, but it makes a difference to me. I always start with an empty dishwasher so I can just load what I’m finished with straight into it(rinsed of course) and keep things somewhat tidy.
Also, I let S. help as much as possible and try to play some music while cooking.
Hilarys last blog post..A Fresh Start
I love pie crusts too – especially since I have a small kitchen with not a whole lot of counter space. But, since I make a lot of soups – I love using the bagged chopped peppers and onions – very easy and usually cheaper depending on where you get different color peppers!
kims last blog post..Menu: Christmas Week
Before I start making anything I fill half the kitchen sink with hot soapy water. That way I can soak dirty bowls and utensils as soon as I use them. When I have time during prep and cooking I wash what I can so I don’t end up with a counter of dirty dishes when I’m finished.
I still stick with ready made pie crusts to keep myself sane! I think they’re quite tasty anyway and can’t imagine making them from scratch (yet).
sharons last blog post..Pumpkin ‘n Spice Cinnamon Streusel Buns
Although I don’t like the taste as much, when time is short, I love using the pre-cooked chicken or turkey in recipes (casseroles, soups, etc.). Especially around the holidays when I’m cooking something every day, it is a huge time saver.
That quiche looks so simple and yummy. My main shortcut is having my husband clean the kitchen when I’m done cooking, it’s nice to not have to clean afterwards!
Trishas last blog post..The Simple Woman’s Daybook 12/15/08
To make garlicky and delicious mashed potatoes in a jiffy I just add about 1/4 cup of Boursin Herb cheese. Instant garlic mashed potatoes with herbs!!
My number one shortcut is to have everything assembled on the counter before baking/cooking. Another is to start out with a clean kitchen – it makes such a difference!
I love this prize and I am going to do my best to win it… I made my pie crusts for the first time this thanksgiving and while I think I figured it out (after a few fails) I am not crazy enough to bother with it when I am busy doing major cooking.
My kitchen shortcut is to use frozen veggies. You can buy almost any variety of vegetable frozen and it saves so much cook and prep time. Plus you don’t have to worry about it going bad or lost nutrients, or ripening.
katies last blog post..Yellow Cake with Chocolate Icing
My favorite food processor cleanup tip: If I’m not using the feed tube, I cover the bowl with plastic wrap before I put the lid on, so then I don’t have to wash the underside of the lid!
Karens last blog post..It’s Baco-licious!
I always try to prep what I can beforehand like having the chicken already cooked and cubed or vegetables already chopped.
I’m a prep person too. I try to premix sauces or things like that, chop up my veggies, and everything everything I need easy to get to.
Dianas last blog post..What to bring to a Party: Cheese Tray
If I’ll be entertaining and/or preparing a big meal, I do as much as possible beforehand so that usually only the main dish and one or two other hot dishes need to be made on the day of. Also, unlike my husband, I clean up as I go along so that by the time I’m done preparing a meal, the kitchen is 90% cleaned.
I have learned to make pie crusts recently but I am certainly not above using Pillsbury pie crusts when I am in a rush.
I often take short cuts on appetizers and concentrate on the meal and/or dessert. I use crescent roll dough in appetizers or often serve plain cheese and crackers. What’s more, in a pinch, ice cream and elegant store bought cookies make a great dessert.
Lisas last blog post..Bourbon Chocolate Cake
One big shortcut I use — and it’s a money saver too — is to keep frozen shrimp in my freezer. When the ones in the bags go on sale, I pick up a few different sizes, cooked and uncooked, and keep them on hand. And then, when I go to use them, I cook from frozen, which saves a lot of defrost time.
Another thing I have done is trade hot appetizers for an olive and cheese tray. When I take the stress of making apps out of the mix, it makes the process much easier.
Sarahs last blog post..Christmas Cookies: Conquering My Fear of Meringue
My kitchen shortcut tip: Instant potatoes. You can crush up a few flakes to thicken up stew or soup.
Jenifers last blog post..Hello america…
My best tip is great when baking. I buy a clear plastic tablecloth at the dollar store. I put it on the kitchen table and then lay out all my ingredients, measuring cups & spoons, and my stand mixer. Everything is right at hand. You can roll out dough and use cookie cutters. I also pour powdered sugar right on it for cookies that need to be sprinkled or rolled after baking. I don’t worry about making a big mess because when done I just fold the plastic tablecloth into itself and throw it away. If you have more baking to do you can wipe it down instead and reuse it…your choice.
I use lots of shortcuts when guests come over:
- frozen food cooked the week before,
- ready to use broth,
- frozen vegetables,
- precut-washed onion,
- drinking a glass of wine when stress is getting out of hand (usually comes with a request for a quick shoulder massage from hubby…)
Okay, my comment disappeared into an error page…I’ll try again. I just said that I will prepare the meat as much as possible the day I go grocery shopping. I will brown hamburger and freeze it, cut up my flank steak into strips, and my favorite: rotisserie chicken for any dish I need cut up chicken for. Take it off the bone that night and freeze in a large baggie until I need it.
Thanks for sharing!
daisys last blog post..it’s snot much
I make a bunch of different cookies for Christmas but (don’t tell anyone) my secret ingrediant for my cut-out cookie dough is GFS, I buy my dough from then..shh! Pre cut and they make wonderful plump cookies which tend to be people’s favorite!
I line baking pan/sheets with wax paper so I don’t have to was them
To answer your question would imply I am sane–which I am definitely not feeling so much right now! In general I use canned beans and boxed stock when necessary or when it makes my life easier. I also like to take something storebought, like a curry paste, and beef it up with extra aromatics and spices.
Lauras last blog post..Baked Pasta With Chicken Sausage
Foil. I line everything for easy cleanup. I love the new non-stick. I also line small bowls with foil and pour leftover grease into them and when it is cool and hard it is easy to throw away.
I absolutely cannot wait until our house is finished enough to start hosting the big holiday celebrations and dinner parties! We’ve started small but it’s hard to hold a big gathering when you haven’t got furniture or floors or walls or ceilings or… well, you know.
Probably my most often-used kitchen shortcut is pre-washed and packaged salads; I get the large containers of organic mixed greens and, since I keep bits and pieces of fruit, veggies, nuts, cheeses, etc. around, I can always throw together a fairly interesting salad at a moment’s notice. And I like salad. A lot.
jamailas last blog post..tis the season, or something
Refrigerated crescent rolls – you can use them so many ways! For a quick dinner roll, throw taco meat and cheese in them and dip in salsa. Sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar and drizzle on a powdered sugar glaze and you have a quick dessert.
Thanks for the quiche recipe.
My shortcut is extensive use of the food processor.
Ron Merlins last blog post..Cream Cheese Bread
I always have several sides and main dishes in the freezer. If I am having company over, I will make things that have very little last minute work involved. I also keep an inventory of what I have in my pantry so I’m not running to the grocery store at the last minute.
I use a pre-made piecrust from the refrigerator section of the grocery store. It saves me so much time as I usually have problems rolling out the piecrust dough.
That’s how I entertain as well! Everyone seems to enjoy contributing something to the meal. I like to prep as much as possible before guests arrive… even to the point of having side dishes cooked and waiting in the warming drawer of my oven.
Patsyks last blog post..Happy Hanukkah and a Fun Recipe
I use my microwave for anything that needs to be steamed or parboiled (hello broccoli and sweet potatoes!) Just cut, lay in a bowl with a little water in the bottom and cook until done or ready for the next step. Also great for reheating leftovers and defrosting meats that you forgot to take out that morning.
Prep, prep, prep. I just find it so much easier to make a recipe come together when everything is ready to go!
First of all, I love making pie crusts from scratch! But still use refrigerated pie crusts in a pinch.
My short cut:
1. I shop the salad bars for the chopped veggies I need for a recipe
2. I try to plan my week of meals around a couple of big cook items for example: I need a ham bone for New years, so I am cooking a ham for christmas, and plan to use the part of the hame that wont fit in the crock pot for a breakfast casserole, and then friday a ham frittata. or when I make meatloaf I make a double batch and make half the meat into meat balls.
3. I keep four packs of small wine bottles for cooking (both red and white)
Like everybody else doing as much as possible before hand. Cookies, pie crusts, egg bakes, etc. done ahead of time and frozen. Setting the table a few days ahead if you are eating somewhere other than where you eat every day.
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I even measure out ingredients for things that need to be made that day. Save lots of time and less room for error if you are in a hurry!
Merry Christmas, D.
One thing that really keeps me sane is keeping a clean kitchen sink. It’s not really a shortcut, unless you’ve lived for so long (like I did) with dishes always piled up in the sink.
Not sure if its really a shortcut but I try to do the dishes as I go so I don’t end up with a pile of dishes when I am done. Thanks for hosting this giveaway! Hope I win
/Clara
CBs last blog post..Foodie Question of the Day
Nice basket! I love Pillsbury pie crusts too. I use them all the time because i just can’t make pie crust. My other short cut is premade pizza dough. You can even buy it from a pizza place.
Lisas last blog post..Saltine Toffee
I use so many kitchen shortcuts that it’s kind of embarrassing, but the biggest is probably buying pre-cut vegetables. I’ve had so much produce go off because I wasn’t using it fast enough; at least when it’s already cut, I can treat it as a snack as well as an ingredient.
I make cookie dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge. When I am craving cookies, I just pop them in the oven and they are ready in no time.
My husband loves peanut brittle. To make spreading it faster and easier so that I can make it as thin as possible, I butter a large rimmed cookie sheet and keep it in a 200-degree oven while I make the brittle (either on stovetop or in microwave). Then, after adding the baking soda and vanilla at the end, I quickly pour and spread it as it foams. Then I let the candy cool on the sheet on top of the stove or a wire rack. Breaking it apart into bite-size pieces is also easy thanks to the buttered pan.
My recent short-cut discovery is….a pressure cooker! I am amazed at how quickly I can get things done — for example, cooking potatoes for mashed potatoes takes just a few minutes, it really is a time saver.
I make use of ready made pie crusts also. For baked pies, I like to use the frozen pet-ritz crusts from pillsbury – I always get compliments on the sweet,flaky crust.
With feeding six people at dinner after working all day, I am not afraid of utilizing shortcuts of any kind if they will make prep time and clean up easier…
Laurels last blog post..A Day of Christmas Baking
1. Don’t plan a menu that includes any last minute stove-top cooking.
2. Pre-cook, store, heat on the day!
One of my biggest shortcuts these days is using store bought chicken stock to make soup. I make a lot of soup during the winter and I just don’t have the time to make homemade stock….
susans last blog post..Lenox Almond Biscotti
Premade piecrusts are the only way to. I’m not good with anything that needs to be rolled.
i’ve never, ever made quiche simply because i don’t want to deal with pie crust. i tend to go the frittata-route.
graces last blog post..i’ve been converted
What a nice giveaway, thank you! Let’s see… to make life easier, I LOVE my mini-prep chopper. I know people that don’t have one, and I think they’re crazy. Seriously, crazy. Another obvious shortcut I use is to pre-make and freeze a few items for immediate reheating/baking.
I always make a full recipe of whatever cookies I’m making then freeze what I don’t need. I end up with a freezer full of cookies that are ready to go at a moments notice (and you can end up bringing a platter or tray of a selection of cookies and not just that one batch you made in a hurry.)
Hallies last blog post..Roasted Vegetable Quinoa and Chicken
The quiche looks good. I should make it sometime. I like to cook a big batch of chicken breasts or ground beef and then freeze it for future quick dinners/casseroles.
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