Company is coming for dinner, and you have less than an hour to prepare. This is a dilemma most of us face on a regular basis, and leaves you with two options -- three, if you give up and order pizza. One is to panic and spend the first 45 minutes stressing over not having enough time. The second is to systematically plan out a menu that will not only impress your guests but also allow for plenty of time to be prepared and relaxed when they arrive.
Creating a meal plan
The first step to preparing a delicious and easy menu is to take a short amount of time to get organized and write down the meal plan. Having a written plan will reduce much of the stress. When you're pressed for time, determining the preparation and cooking time for each item in your menu is crucial. There is no sense planning a menu selection that is not realistic given your time shortage. Leave those three-hour recipes for future parties.
Click here for a sample menu-planning guide.
Preparing the menu
The main idea behind menu preparation and planning is to work backward from the end. By knowing what time you are serving, minus the cooking and preparation time, the feasibility of each recipe and the ease in which it can be prepared will be apparent. Once you have decided upon the different elements -- meat or meat substitutes, vegetables, starches, soup, salad and appetizer -- you will then be in a position to decide how to prioritize your preparation. Again, when working backward from the end, priority should be given to the items where the combination of the preparation time and the cooking time is the greatest. And remember: cooking time does not require your time, but preparation does. Make sure when your list is complete that you have enough time to prepare everything (chop, peel, season, etc.).
The second motto to live by is "fresh is best." While it's tempting to rush to the store and fill your cart with ready-prepared entrées and side dishes, taking that bit of extra time to prepare your meal from as many fresh sources as possible will pay big dividends.
Take shortcuts
Another key element to working under a tight schedule is to take shortcuts. I have been affectionately coined the "shortcut chef" at home because I try to do things as easily as possible; for example, purchasing prechopped garlic or buying ready-made sauces. Let's face it. We all lead busy lives, rush to and from work, and run our kids around for after-school activities. The little extra help we can get here and there is always welcome.
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