Let’s Dish: Tips for Making the Perfect Holiday Meal

There are some who like to plan life down to the minute and when playing hostess for holiday gatherings, mapping out a festive menu is a task no different.

When you’re the hostess with the mostess, you’re usually too preoccupied stirring, pouring, refilling, mingling and greeting to take a load of for some me time to enjoy your own party. If you’re not hosting, you might be contributing a delicious dish to a friend or relative’s holiday spread and need a dish that you can easily tote from the car to the kitchen.

Planning for the holidays can be trickier than any other occasion during the year. Not only are you cooking for a crowd and need to please a variety of palates, but often you are working to adhere to traditions that family members have passed down across the years. When you’re planning that special holiday menu, keep a few things in mind:

Think Ahead: If you’re planning overnight visit to an out-of-town friend or relative, chances are they are pulling out all the stops in planning the menu for the main event. If you don’t want to show up empty-handed, bring a dish that your hosts can enjoy the next day, once the dishes are clean and the crowd has waned. A simple breakfast casserole like this make-ahead Brown Sugar Streusel Baked French Toast  will allow your hostess to catch a few extra minutes of me time in the morning – all she’ll have to do is pop the dish into the oven to have a delicious breakfast for her family that’s sure to impress.

Go with the Flow: If you’re attending a cocktail party where hoers d’oeuvres will be the main attraction, don’t show up with a heavy casserole. Offer a classic dessert, like Almond Chocolate Chip Biscotti. Even if your hosts opt not to serve them at the party, it’s a gift they can enjoy for days after the event, with a hot cup of coffee or cocoa as they take some time for themselves following the big day. 

Practice Makes Perfect: Having company is not the best occasion to test a new recipe. Instead of experimenting with a dish you’ve always wanted to try, make your foolproof go-to favorite. Whenever I entertain, holiday or not, I stick with a basic dish that I’ve made dozens of times, like a big dish of vegetable-laden lasagna or a pot of chili. When I try to get too fancy, I usually wind up spending the entire party in the kitchen with little time to enjoy the party myself. If your occasion is casual, the simplest dishes can be the most crowd-pleasing. You can show off your culinary prowess with an impressive dessert or appetizer.

Know Your Audience: If you’re cooking for people you know well, such as your parents or siblings, keep their tastes in mind as you plan your menu. I love cooking with fresh herbs, but there’s nothing my mother despises more than finding “sticks” of fresh rosemary in her pasta. If you know your guests are picky eaters, keep your menu simple, or offer more than one entrée option to please a variety of palates.

Most of all, when you’re entertaining for the holidays, remember that it’s supposed to be fun. All too often, we get wrapped up in the quest for the perfect layer cake or for impeccable pastry dough when in reality, the important memories aren’t being made standing over the stove, but enjoying good food and laughter with your family and friends.

What are your favorite dishes to bring to holiday parties? What is your go-to dish for holiday entertaining? Submit your favorites now>

Maris Callahan: Since graduating from Susquehanna University in 2006, Maris has worked in the world of PR. While she began her career in the fashion/beauty industry, she now works in the consumer sector. She maintains a personal blog, In Good Taste, primarily about cooking, food and life. In her “me” time she enjoys running, knitting, yoga and a good latte.