I love entertaining, but it’s a lot of work.  Creating the menu, buying the food, cleaning the house, setting the table, slaving over a stove . . . . all while managing kids and work and possibly wrapping and decorating too! This doesn’t sound like fun at all.  In fact, entertaining can be really stressful.

So as the holidays get closer, consider these tips that are sure to make entertaining more manageable this year, especially if you are planning for a crowd.

1. Plan Your Menu in Advance. In fact, write down your menu. While you are at it, make your grocery list too! We love lists, and this is definitely time to pull one or two together.  Try to avoid any guessing.  Even with a list, you may forget an item or two, but not having a list will be a disaster.

2.Keep it Simple. There’s no need for 10 appetizers and 12 desserts.  Limit your menu to a few really good, quality dishes. And, while you are at it, don’t use the holidays to test a new recipe.  Stick to familiar favorites — and ones that are easy to prepare.

3. Start Cooking Ahead of Time.  Make as much of your meal, as far in advance as possible.  Soups, sauces, appetizers are all things you can generally prepare ahead of time.  I make my Marinara Sauce a day or two in advance of serving it — the same with my Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.  We like to make our White Bean Dip in advance (in fact, it tastes better once it’s flavors have had a chance to meld.) You can also wash and cut veggies a day in advance of cooking them.  Don’t forget that prepping a recipe in advance saves time too!

I always make my pies the day before I serve them.  Our Maple Sweet Potato Pie is the perfect example of a make-ahead dessert.  Crisps and cakes can also, usually, be made a day ahead of time too. This is true for our Blueberry Crisp (try it with apples this season) and our Apple Raisin Clafoutis.

Ultimately, the key is to get as much cooking and prepping done before the actual event to avoid slaving over a stove while your guests have already arrived.

4. Set Your Table the Night Before.  Iron your table linens, pull out your dinnerware and cups and cutlery and decorative accents ahead of time.  If you can set your table a few days in advance all the better — if not, the night before is perfect.  No one needs to worry about ironing a tablecloth the day of the event.

5. Make a Buffet. A sit down dinner is all nice and good, but it’s much harder to pull off! Create a more casual vibe by arranging your food family style.  If you have a counter or island in your dining area, arrange the dishes on it so that people can get up and help themselves. You can use chafing dishes to keep things warm.  Crock pots are also great. They not only keep food hot, but you can serve from them too.

A buffet offers a much more relaxed environment — and it works out well for families (especially those with young children) and in homes where seating is an issue.

As you can see, all of these tips largely center around planning in some way, shape or form.  We guarantee that if you plan in advance, and spread the work over a few days, you will successfully entertain this season.  In fact, you may even enjoy yourself!

Now, if you need some ideas on the types of dishes that work best when entertaining large groups, check out our next article . . .