The smell of Christmas cookies baking is sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face. Mm, mm! Capture your favorite recipes, traditional menus, and a few table photos all in one place so it’s easy to pull them out and create memorable moments.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of the Holidays is socializing over holiday festive food. It’s time to pull out those favorite traditional menus and new recipes and give them a whirl. After all, it’s Christmas only once a year and the perfect time for festive holiday food!
1. Plan Your Plate Presentation.
When planning a menu, a plate should look like an artist’s palate with a variety of color. This approach will also assure you of a proper nutritional balance and beautiful festive holiday foods.
2. Blend Traditional Favorites with a New Recipe.
Continue traditions by serving recipes from your grandmother’s table. Also, try something new that your family loves as you work toward creating your own taste traditions.
3. Line Up Everything on One Counter.
Place all your ingredients, utensils, and pans in one area. This streamlines the process when you have everything you need before starting a recipe.
4. Buy Good Quality Ingredients.
A dish can be no better than the quality of the ingredients it contains. Often the incremental cost of purchasing a better brand is nominal when you consider the quantity used and its impact on flavor.
5. Accomplish Similar Tasks Together.
To save prep time, assemble all of your ingredients first, then wash, dry, and chop. Keeping your activity in one place simplifies your movement around the kitchen. This is one of my favorite festive holiday food tips!
6. Line Up Your Food Platters Creatively.
Alternate heights, labels, and garnish with fresh flowers. Think eye appeal. Serve the platters so that they are easy for your guests to reach and enjoy.
7. Think Eye Appeal.
Display attention-getting food platters on varying the heights of wrapped boxes or on different-sized boxes under a beautiful table fabric.
8. Plan Your Buffet Display around Your Opulent Desserts.
Decorate the buffet with different types of cheesecakes, fruit tarts, and cookies placed on different levels or cake stands.
9. Label Your Platters with Place Cards.
Let your guests know what they are about to eat and look forward to the experience. Embellish a platter with a small glass bud vase and single stem flower to coordinate with your colors.
10. Try New Recipes.
Do a test run on new recipes before having company. Are the items easy to keep warm? Can they be made ahead? Are they good reheated? Does your family love them? If not, rethink the dishes.
By Jane Jarrell, a former emcee for Southern Living Magazine’s cooking shows has written fourteen books and co-authored over twenty others. She is a photo stylist and special contributor to the Dallas Morning News lifestyles pages plus a sought-after speaker at national and regional conferences. She and her family live in Richardson, Texas.
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