Why Do Make-ahead Recipes Work so Well to Reduce your Dinner Party Stress?

One of the "tricks" I find most useful for hostingand some are just items that I can bring home
stress-free dinner parties is to make some of thefrom the store and put out in nice serving dishes.
recipes ahead. I find that too many last minuteSome cooks even make everything ahead. If you
jobs can overwhelm me, so I plan ahead tolove stews, lasagna and casseroles, then you
eliminate as many as possible.could do that too.
The more dishes you can prepare a day or someBut I often prefer serving a delicious roast of
hours before guests ring your doorbell, the morelamb or beef or chicken as the special item on
you reduce your stress. Here are some reasons:the menu. Luckily these dishes are ones you can
• You avoid a last minute crisis ifput in the oven and leave to themselves while
preparation takes longer than you thought ityou do other things.
would.If you can add potatoes and vegetables to the
• If you like to cook, you'll have theroast while it cooks you have almost all of the
leisure to enjoy what you're doing instead ofadvantages of make-ahead. Once you pop them
feeling frantic about a deadlinein the oven beside the roast you can pretty well
• You have time to clean up after youignore them until they are cooked.
cook.So I tend to focus on finding appetizers, salads,
• If there is a disaster, say you burnside dishes and desserts that I can make ahead,
something, you have plenty of time to come upor set out straight from the store, or vegetables
with an alternate plan.I can cook alongside a roast. Then I can
• If you have prepared the dessertconcentrate on the last minute items like slicing a
ahead, you don't need to leave the table for aroast, making gravy, and getting things on the
long stretch just when the conversation is gettingtable.
really interesting.Probably the most important category for me is
Put your imagination to work for you! Try toappetizers. I find it too stressful to be fussing at
imagine your way through the last minute jobscooking something while the doorbell is ringing. If
you will have to get dinner on the table, andyou are hosting by yourself you may find the
reduce them to a minimum you feel comfortablesame.
with. It helps to think about what all those lastSo I try to have a repertoire of make-ahead or
minute jobs are: setting out the ice water pitcher,buy-ahead appetizer recipes that work for me.
lighting the candles, putting items in serving dishesOften I serve more than one, since some of my
and getting the guests to the table.guests like to stick to very light appetizers, and
By the way, many of these are jobs that yourothers enjoy heartier ones.
guests can do.You can build your repertoire of make ahead
What is your level of tolerance for last minuterecipes for your home dinner parties. I suggest
jobs?you start with appetizers. If you want to see
Now ask yourself what your level of tolerance issome of my favorites, just go to my
for last minute jobs? If it is low, then you shouldMake-Ahead Appetizers page on my website.
think about finding some recipes that absolutelyEnjoy minimizing your hosting stress and watching
minimize any last minute work. This is especiallyyour guests' eyes light up at the sight of your
true if you are an inexperienced cook.tasty, well presented appetizers.
Some of the recipes I rely on are make-ahead,