Holiday cooking minus the stress

If you can’t join us for the  Island at Your Holiday Table cooking class, (November 16th), here are some tips to make your holiday cooking experience less stressed.These dishes keep in the refrigerator up to four days and can be frozen up to four months.Thanksgiving and the holidays will be here before you know it!

Please send me your ideas as well!

Freezer Friendly:

• Baked pumpkin, butternut squash, and yam casseroles. (The squashes may produce a little water when defrosted which are easy enough to drain.)
• Breads - I make the corn bread one week ahead. Make a triple recipe; one to freeze and the other two to sit out on the counter and get hard for stuffing. Once it is hard. Place it in a plastic bag and it is ready for the mix, which I make three days ahead and cook the day I plan to serve it.
• Cranberry bread or zucchini bread freeze extra well.
• Soups without cream or eggs
• Gravy- I’ve got mine made from island birds! YUM
• Cranberry sauce and relishes
• Roasted hard root vegetables like parsnips, rutabaga, and turnips. (Heat through completely in a 325 degrees F oven.)
• Unbaked apple pies. Bake frozen, adding 20 minutes to the baking time.
• Unbaked pie crust already rolled out with layers of parchment paper between them and frozen (I made mine with my own lard – you can learn how  in the Charcuterie Class) -- **Beware!  Use only metal pie plates. Glass or china ones will crack in the oven if they go in cold.
• Cookies- I like to freeze the cookie dough and bake just before serving
• Cakes without custard fillings.

Freezer Foes:

• Custards (including pumpkin pie filling)
• Cream sauces
• Leafy and watery vegetables like greens, onions, broccoli, green beans and cabbage
• Marshmallows
• Salad dressings – refrigerated they will keep for weeks

These tips are to allow you to spend a bit more time on other things, like walks and intimate conversations on the couch.If you are feeling stressed, ask for help!  Everyone loves to cook around the holidays if they are sharing company!Here’s my special secret: Make two of everything - one for Thanksgiving and one for Christmas. This way, I always have something to drag out to bring to a friend or top my table.