Holiday Meal Ideas You Can Prepare Ahead Of Time
Kachi Realty
Holiday Meal Ideas You Can Prepare Ahead Of Time
Holiday Meal Ideas You Can Prepare Ahead Of Time
Preparing large holiday meals for a crowd is time consuming and a lot of work, too. If you prepare some parts of your meal ahead of time, you will find that pulling it all together becomes a lot faster and easier. Don’t spend the day of the big holiday gathering slaving in the kitchen—smart cooks prepare ahead of time!
Your Freezer Is Your Friend
By preparing side dishes that freeze well ahead of time and stashing them in the freezer, you can break up the cooking over a number of days. Potatoes, vegetables, and other side dishes are freezer friendly, and all you will have to do is pull them out and heat them up when you are ready for them. Desserts can be frozen as well and thawed when needed—cakes freeze very well and thaw nicely, saving you the work of preparing that delicious dessert at the last minute.
Slow Cooker Meals
Today’s slow cookers can be used to make just about anything. You can prepare the meal ahead of time and just turn the slow cooker on in the morning. Come meal time, you will have hot food ready to go, and you won’t have spent a minute in the kitchen. You can create an entire meal using slow cookers, saving you a lot of hassle.
Christmas Morning Quickies
Creating a breakfast casserole that you can simply throw in the oven on the big morning will prevent making a mess of the kitchen to go along with the wrapping paper mess everywhere else. There is a wide range of different breakfast casseroles you can make.
Another quick Christmas morning idea—try an overnight cinnamon roll recipe. Make the dough the day before and let the rolls rise overnight in the fridge. Come Christmas morning, pop them in the oven for a delicious treat with no effort at all.
The more you can prepare ahead of time, the more time you can spend enjoying the holiday with family and friends. With all of the make-ahead recipes out there, you can have just about everything ready to go before the big day arrives, and be in and out of the kitchen quickly, ready to sit down and enjoy a meal with your loved ones.
Useful Information from Kachi Realty LLC
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WAYS TO GO GREEN IN THE KITCHEN Start a garden. Whether you opt for a full-out vegetable garden or a small window of fresh herbs, the taste of freshness will be unmistakable! Shop locally! Visit local farmers markets or choose locally produced produce whenever possible. Bring your own bags when you visit the grocery store. Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs. Save time and energy by cooking a double portion and setting half aside in the freezer for a quick meal at a later date. Get energized and leave the appliances alone. Whenever possible, mix and beat ingredients by hand, cook multiple items at the same time, and avoid washing dishes unnecessarily. Use energy-efficient appliances such as the slow cooker or toaster oven, which can use up to 30% less energy. Be aware of energy wasters such as excessive pre-heating or simmering. Ditch the wraps (such as saran wrap or foil) and make the switch to reusable containers for lunches and leftovers. Put a lid on it! Did you know that cooking with lids could save up to three times the energy? Keep all that steam inside the pot for a more energy-efficient (and faster!) meal. Go fresh—say goodbye to excessively packaged foods, which are often produced using processes that are harmful to the environment. Cooking meals from scratch using fresh ingredients is not only healthier, it’s often less expensive and better for the environment. Decide what you are looking for before you open the fridge, and never keep the door open longer than absolutely necessary.
Water Features For Your Yard A water feature can make a major change in your yard, and there are plenty of different ways to go about adding one. From a simple and small fountain to a koi pond or waterfall, you can use water to create a peaceful sense of a real escape from life in your yard. Small Water Features For small yards or for those looking to add something simple, a basic fountain is easy to add. They come in a variety of types, shapes, and sizes and can fit into any landscaping. Your fountain can be a centerpiece for the yard or can be placed near the patio. You can even get a small tabletop fountain for the patio table. Most fountains are easy enough to install by yourself. They use a pump system that circulates the water and keeps the fountain running. Follow all of the instructions for set-up, use, and care that come with the fountain and you can enjoy the sound of trickling water for many years to come. Adding A Pond A pond is a really eye-catching and special addition to any yard. You will need some space for it, but even smaller yards can manage one. Koi ponds are a very popular choice, as the fish are lovely and create an ambience in the yard. They fit in well with any sort of Japanese or other Asian landscape design, but really extend into other styles as well. Make sure your pond has a system for keeping the water circulating and clean; standing water can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and it can get quite dirty over time. It’s best to have a professional install the water system for your pond. Waterfalls You may not be able to have Niagara Falls in your yard to enjoy, but you can get a waterfall added as a feature of your yard. These can be falls that descend over a rock wall, a small stream that runs over consecutive drops in a sloped yard, or something in a corner where water falls down into a small pond. A waterfall adds the sound of moving water to the air all the time. Be sure you have proper drainage for the water system. Water features are a beautiful addition to any yard, and your imagination is really the only limit. Many professionals can help you to design the water feature that is right for your yard and your needs.