Your Ahead Recipes

Why are make-ahead recipes so effective at taking the stress out of dinner parties?

One of the tips I find most helpful for hosting comfortable dinner parties is to prepare some recipes in advance. I find that too much last minute work can overwhelm me so I plan to eliminate as much as possible.

The more dishes you prepare each day or several hours before guests ring the doorbell, the less stress you'll have. Here are some reasons:

You avoid a last-minute crisis if preparations take longer than expected.

If you enjoy cooking, you'll have time to enjoy what you're doing instead of feeling crazy about deadlines.

You have time to clean up after cooking.

If there is a disaster, such as burning something, you have plenty of time to think of an alternative.

If you prepare dessert in advance, you don't have to leave the table for long when the conversation gets really interesting.

Let your imagination work for you! Try to imagine how you would take those last-minute tasks you would need to prepare for dinner and reduce them to the minimum you feel comfortable with.It's helpful to think about all the last-minute tasks: setting the pitcher of ice, lighting the candles, placing food on serving platters, and bringing guests to the table.

By the way, many of these tasks are tasks that your guests can do.

What is your tolerance level for last-minute work?

Now ask yourself what your tolerance level is for last-minute work? If it's low, you should think about looking for recipes that minimize any last-minute work.This is especially true if you are an inexperienced cook.Some of the recipes I rely on have been made in advance, and others are just ones I can bring home from the store and present on beautiful dishes.

Some chefs even prepare everything in advance. If you like stews, lasagna, and casseroles, you can make that too.

But I usually like to serve delicious grilled lamb, beef or chicken as a special on the menu. Luckily, these dishes are something you can throw in the oven and let sit while you do something else.

If you can add the potatoes and vegetables to the roast while it's cooking, you'll get almost all the benefits of making it ahead. Once you put them in the oven next to the baking dish, you can ignore them until they are fully cooked.

So I tend to focus on finding appetizers, salads, sides, and desserts that I can make ahead or buy directly from the store, or vegetables that I can cook with grilled food. Then I can focus on last-minute tasks like slicing the roast, making the sauce, and getting the food on the table.

Perhaps the most important category for me is entries.I feel too stressed to bother cooking something while the doorbell rings. If you're self-hosting, you might find the same thing.

So I try to have an arsenal of appetizer recipes to prepare or buy in advance that work for me. I often serve a variety of dishes, because some of my guests like to eat light appetizers, while others prefer stronger appetizers.

You can build a repertoire of recipes to prepare dinner at home in advance.I suggest you start with the beginning. If you want to see some of my favorites, just visit the Make-Ahead Appetizers page on my website.

Enjoy minimizing stress during the entertaining process and watch your guests' eyes light up at the sight of your delicious and beautifully presented appetizers.