Skip to main content

The Holiday Pantry

Photo by The Pioneer Woman
The countdown is on until Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then the New Year. The last few weeks of the year go by in a blur of activity and feasting. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen baking cookies and breads, making fudge, Chex Mix, dips--all those celebratory foods that we love this time of year. One of my cooking pet peeves is starting a recipe and not having all the ingredients. I thought it was on the shelf or in the refrigerator, but that container of sour cream, or bottle of almond flavoring just isn't there. So before you get serious about holiday cooking and baking, here are a few tips to save trips to the store and frustration.

Preparation for holiday baking starts with what you have on hand in your pantry. The well-stocked holiday baking pantry has these basics:

     NON-PERISHABLES
  • all-purpose flour                                                         
  • white sugar
  • brown sugar
  • confectionery sugar
  • chocolate chips
  • raisins
  • walnuts or pecans or both
  • baking soda
  • baking powder
  • salt
  • baking chocolate
  • vanilla and almond extracts
  • shortening/vegetable oil
     PERISHABLES
  • milk
  • eggs
  • sour cream
  • cream cheese
  • heavy cream
  • butter/margarine
Now you'll need to add the additional ingredients for specific recipes.

I. Pantry Prep

Most of us make the same recipes year after year. We have an idea of what ingredients are needed, but usually don't take the time to make a shopping list. For me, the distance to the grocery store is a big factor, so I've learned that a little advance planning saves time, gas, and irritation. Here's my action plan:
                 A. Pull out the recipes you'll be making in the next two or three weeks.
                 B. Make a list of those ingredients not on the pantry shelves. It might be coconut, sweetened condensed milk, dates, sprinkles, etc.
                C. Make your shopping trip and remember to take your list.

II. Party Prep

There will be spur-of-the-moment invites to gatherings along with parties we attend every year. We have to bring a dish to pass, a dessert, or an appetizer. We look into the refrigerator and find that the shelves don't have what we need for our special dip or casserole. A frantic trip to the deli or bakery on the way to the party gives us that holiday-frazzled-nerves look rather than enjoying-the-party look. Don't feel guilty if you don't have the time to whip up an original creation. It's about getting together with friends and family, not an episode of Chopped.

If you don't want to cook, make your trip to the deli the day before or plan to take time to pick up a veggie or cheese platter on the way. By allowing a little extra time for the stop, you can arrive with a smile. Make sure you've ordered it ahead of time if picking it up on the way to the party. There's nothing like finding out all the cheese trays are gone when you rush into the store. Been there and done that.

If you want to take something homemade, the same plan I use for baking will work. Shop a few days in advance to give yourself enough time.  Plan for the impromptu invitation and have a dish in mind to take along. This is NOT the time for a new, complex dish. You're only burying yourself in more stress and probably more trips to the store. Unless you truly love running around like a chicken with its head cut off, stick to the simple plan:

                A.  Choose your recipes.
                B.  List the ingredients you don't have.
                C.  Make your shopping trip and take the list.
                D.  Make the dish.
                E.  Enjoy the gathering.

There are lots of great resources for finding new recipes and the old standby's for holiday cooking. Check them out now to get your shopping list together and make your plan.

Here's a handy link list:

www.allrecipes.com
www.tasteofhome.com
http://www.pillsbury.com/holidays-celebrations/christmas/15-minute-chex-mix-recipes
http://www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/

For more tips on enjoying the holidays with less stress and more joy, sign up for the SimplyLife e-newsletter at www.laurindawallace.com. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Four Ways to Improve Your Pastor

Management expert, the late Peter Drucker once observed that the four most difficult jobs were: President of the United States, a university president, hospital administrator, and you guessed it--pastor of a church. I can hear some of you saying "Are you kidding? He only works on Sundays."  Well, that's not quite true, is it? The research shows that pastors are burned out, prone to moral failure (and not just sexual), and their marriages are often troubled. Who in their right mind would want to be a pastor? It's a tough gig, and God most definitely needs to call you to the pulpit. It's not for the faint of heart or the thin skinned.  There's also this warning from James: Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. James 3:1 NLT   The job is 24/7/365, shepherding the flock of human sheep who, if we're honest, aren't great at following. The church is full
Post a Comment
Read more

Choosing a Puppy for Your Children

"But, Mom the puppies are really cute. I'll take care of it. Honest. We need a dog. I'll walk him and feed him. Pleeeeeese, can't we get a puppy?" The age old parent-child exchange about getting a puppy. The big decision to bring a baby canine into your family. How the passionate promises of feeding, walking, and cleaning up after the puppy pour so easily from your child's lips. You know, however, you'll be the one doing all of the above and more.  Of course, puppies are adorable, soft, cuddly, entertaining, annoying, labor intensive, and sleep disrupting. But, most likely you'll cave and get one anyway. Companion dogs are members of the family, and the puppy you add to the mix needs to be a good fit. Emotions run high over that furry, roly-poly critter whose antics can melt the heart of the stone. Take a deep breath and do your homework before making the commitment. Don't get a puppy at Christmastime. The excitement of the holiday will make it
5 comments
Read more

Barbecue Season

It's officially here according to the thermometer at Casa Wallace. Summer is blazing a trail through the desert right now. June is the hottest time of the year, which entices the monsoon season to finally show up. With summer comes barbecue time.  Steaks, burgers, chicken, you name it, we'll grill it to keep the heat of the house. Veggies are great too. The smell is my favorite summer air freshener. Every region has its own particular flavor for barbecue. Arizona is famous for that mesquite flavor. I haven't discovered THE Arizona barbecue recipe since we're greatly influenced by Texas. Smoked, slow cooked with a tomato based sauce, and fallin' off the bone, the ribs are finger lickin' good. We're lovers of Memphis barbecue, especially Corky's which is famous for its dry and wet seasoning. The dry rub is wonderful with a little kick to it. It's good on any meat, just rub it in, let it sit a spell and grill. Memphis elevates barbecue to divine hei
Post a Comment
Read more