Tag Archives: salad

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Ask-A-Planner

This week’s question is prepping for Christmas and comes via Facebook from Ashley in Winter Park, FL.

Dear Sara, 

I am of mother of two young children, and have recently moved into a new home. We want to host Christmas Day for our families. My questions is…what are some good, easy to do before hand lunch/dinner options. We have always hosted Christmas morning and breakfast, so I know what works for our family there. I’m just stomped on how to do a late lunch/early dinner, with also enjoying the Christmas memories with my family and time with my kids. 
I love your site. 

Thank you so much for whatever help you can give,

Ashley,

Hostess in Need

 

Dear Ashley,

This is such a great question, as hosting shouldn’t have to mean that you miss the party. I tell this to my husband all the time when we host dinner parties! I say focus on a few really great dishes that are simple and wonderful and will work for everyone, to ensure that you still can spend time with your family creating memories.

I’m a big believer in things that can be made ahead of time, or things that bake for hours while you enjoy the smells wafting through the house. So one of my favorite meals, especially on the holidays, includes a roast. It can beef or pork, whatever you prefer, but a roast only takes 15 minutes or so of prep, a couple of hours of hands off time in the oven, and few minutes of carving (nothing like a bird– just a few knife slices will do) and you have a feast for the kids  to the men. It will stay juicy and flavorful without too much help for you. Easy, beautiful and holiday feeling!  {This roast pictured is herb crusted!}

The best addition to meat is obviously potatoes.  I loved this idea of sweet potatoes with apples and bacon– which could be a meal on its own, not to mention amazing leftovers. But a mashed potato bar could also be fun, if you don’t mind lots of bowls of various toppings. Again, perfect items that can be left in the oven and assembled at the last minute.

To round out the plate, a nice salad would be beautiful. This salad is berry and citrus, but as the citrus in Florida is perfect at Christmas time, you could even leave out the berries. A simple citrus and arugulia or mixed greens would be sweet and crisp, and a nice contrast to the meat and potatoes. Everything could be prepped ahead of time, then one last toss as it goes on the table is all it would take for this beautiful addition.

My other tip to making any party easier is to have one signature cocktail, rather than a full bar. I’m not sure what this drink is, but it sure looks pretty and festive! Also, not pictured here, but a simple dessert, like a pear upside down cake would be lovely, especially after a big meaty meal.

I hope you like this menu, which is geared towards a late day meal, with lots of oven time, but little hands on time. Other ideas? A pot luck can work, but can require a lot of time in coordination ahead of time. Heavy hors d’ouvers can also be nice, but I think you need a lot of variety to make it work.

I love that you are thinking of the happiness of your guests, but still maximizing memories with your family! That thoughtfulness shows you are an amazing hostess before putting out any food!

Readers– any other advice or menu suggestions?

 

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Summer Loving: Peaches

My favorite summer  seasonal fruit has got to be peaches. I dream about big, juicy Georgia peaches {although other peaches will do} and try to get in as many as I can during their few weeks of perfect ripeness. Although I love them cold and straight from the fridge, these fun recipes ensure that I will get my peach fix in this year. {via Camille Styles}

Bacon, Peach and Arugula Sandwich  {trying this one first!}

Peach, Basil, and Ricotta Flatbread 

Grilled Peach Salad with Peach Cumin Salad 

White Peach-Lavender Soda

Gluten Free White Peach Tartelettes with Rosemary Sugar

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! xoxo

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Apple Of My Eye

I love this idea from my friend Liza at Scratch– when slicing up apples, use a small cookie cutter in the center to get rid of the seeds. After drying,  it makes a cute design, and can be used to livening up a salad, or used to dress up a wine {or champagne!} glass.

So beautiful. So simple. xoxo

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High Expectations or Ahead of the Trend?

I don’t consider myself a New York snob. I only moved here two years ago! But when I go to other cities and expect to get the same services that I find on every corner of the city I start to wonder if my expectations are too high or if trend hasn’t trickled down yet– or both?

Last summer my favorite lunch was a customized salad. In New York there are a series of restaurants that cater just to this trend– Chopt (my favorite),  Fresh & Co., Toasties, Wild Greens, Just Salad. They put your personalized combo into a perfectly shaped plastic container perfect for a lunch on the go (the most common in NYC).  My favorite lunch spot in Hong Kong was also a customized salad at the JW Marriott– you told the guy behind the counter which ingredients and dressing you want and they mix or chop your salad into a yummy healthy lunch.

Being a picky eater, I love the idea of customized food. I am not big on mayo sandwiches, which is always what you get at a catered lunch. So for the shower I threw last August in Florida, I thought customized salads and/or sandwiches would be great for a room of women with someone there to mix or assemble. How fun! I knew that Chopt offered this option–  you could get a skilled chopper with his instruments to come to your party. They aren’t in Florida– but they can’t be the only ones that do this, right?  I was in Orlando– not some backwater town. How hard could this be to find?

Apparently, very hard. I found a sandwich shop willing to come to the house and try it out– and they gave me a great price. I was nervous, but excited to get what I want. That is, until a week before the shower that he called and upped his price by over 3 times his original quote. I guess once he thought it through, it wasn’t going to be as easy as he thought. And I was irritated that he promised to do something and then reneged. So I was stuck, 1 week before the party, looking for a new caterer.

I never did find a caterer willing to do customized salads or sandwiches within my budget, but I did find a very nice caterer who made great salads and sandwiches that were fun and fancy.  Everyone complimented the food, so it worked out. But I couldn’t help but be disappointed. In New York it would have been an entirely different party.

Customized salads and sandwiches are all the rage in New York, especially in the warmer months. Who doesn’t want exactly what they want– and have someone else do all the work?  Even in Hong Kong, we visited the salad bar at least once a week- and did I mention it was all you can eat? Sure, you paid for it, as it was in a hotel, but it was worth it.

Sure, having a carver or a sushi roller at your party has been popular for ages.  But I haven’t yet seen a custom salad or sandwich maker. How great would that be for a spring or summer afternoon party? A baby shower (like my party), bridal shower, or even a fancy superbowl party?

Come on, besties. Get married or pregnant so I can throw you a party to try out my trend idea. Just do it in New York or Hong Kong.

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