“
Home For The Holidays” November 21, 2012 A Lincoln Daily News Magazine Copyright 2012
34
After making your shopping list, we’ll create
a timeline for our prep work.
I create a timeline by looking at what I can
do ahead, by days or hours, and what needs to
remain more last-minute. If I ammaking twice-
baked potatoes for a Sunday dinner, then I will
make them on Saturday morning and keep them
covered in the fridge.
Broccoli is my go-to
vegetable, and it can
be bought days ahead
and prepped the
day before, covered
and stored in the
refrigerator.
These are the kinds
of things you want
to look at so that
on the day of your
event, you can kind
of coast in and enjoy
your guests. This also
makes it a lot easier on you, as you haven’t
spent all day in the kitchen cleaning up one
mess after another.
There are a couple of more common serving
styles. Table settings tend to be a little more
casual nowadays, but the style is strictly your
call.
Some prefer a sit-down family style, where
bowls are passed and guests help themselves.
If you go this route, preset your table and stack
all the necessary bowls, platters and serving
pieces in one spot. Drop a Post-it in the bowl
so guests helping you know what food goes in
what dish.
Another fun way is buffet style. This can take
on a number of arrangements: one long line if
you have the counter space, or create stations.
The stations concept
works well if you
have smaller spaces.
One area could be the
appetizers,
another
area your main course
and perhaps a table
in the living room
offering desserts and
coffee. The choices
are endless, and again
let it be YOUR style.
As a rule of thumb,
buffets begin with the
salad course and end
with the entrée.
Your largest expense will be in the meat
course. There is a reason restaurants give you
small plates and lots of things to pile on them
before you get to the meat. You don’t have
any room left, therefore limiting the amount
of meat you can put on your plate. Sneaky of
them but effective!
Belowareacoupleofmyfavorite recipes. I’ve
done my best to make sure the measurements
are fairly accurate. Keep in mind I’ve been
doing this over 40 years and I am more of a
“
dump cook” than actually measuring. By that
I mean, I put something in, and when it looks
like “that,” I know from experience I’m there.
These recipes are pretty straightforward, can
be put in the oven before the guests arrive, and
they have a great presentation.
Herb Crusted Honey Glazed Pork Loin
This recipe will coat a 4- to 5-inch-long pork
loin.
On a sheet of wax paper, combine:
link