How Far Ahead Do You Bake Your Pies for a Holiday?
Marilyn Sue McClintock
4 years ago
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make ahead party puffs - how far ahead?
Comments (4)bbstx, I note that you have no room in your freezer, even though unfilled they freeze nicely. They'll keep in an air tight container for a couple of days, and then, as LindaC mentioned, you can reheat them and they'll crisp back up a bit. I love the darned things, and you've reminded me that I haven't made them for quite a long time. Maybe this weekend, my family really likes them with the cream cheese/cornbed beef filling but I definitely don't want to make them very far in advance and fill them. Annie...See MoreSpeaking of the holidays..how do you juggle yours?
Comments (8)When I was a kid it was so easy. Mom and dad were still married and came from the same hometown. So a visit to the grandparents meant a trip to only one place. We would stay a few days with one side, and a few days with the other. It was great. When my parents got divorced it got more complicated. My brother and I had four Christmases one year: I drove home from college in Missouri to Florida for Christmas with Mom/granny; flew to Maryland for Dad/stepmom/stepbrothers; drove to PA for cousins; then on to Ohio for Dad's dad, then drove back to Maryland, flew back to Fla. and drove back to Mo. It was exhausting. Now I am married to DH, whose parents are also divorced. The four parents live in: California, Arkansas, Alabama and Florida. Oh, and his mom and dad can't be together. And my mom and stepmom can't be together. Then there are DH's kids and their own in-laws . . . it's like that riddle with the farmer trying to cross the river with a fox, a chicken and a sack of grain. Our Christmas solution? DH sees his dad about twice a year when he comes from CA to Ark. to visit his brothers and have a fishing trip. We used to go to DH's sister's (his mom lives on the sister's property) for Thanksgiving, but there was a huge family meltdown back in '04 that put a stop to all that. So now DH sees his mom on those same spring and fall trips to Ark. and we go out (with my mom) for Thanksgiving. My mom always gets the actual holidays, because she is single and, frankly, the most pitiful (I know, I know -- but it's true) and lives here in town. Dad and stepmom fit in where they can, usually coming up before or after Christmas. DH's boys are usually with their Mom on Christmas. We have DH's daughter and family over usually the week before or after Christmas, or meet them halfway for dinner -- and invite the boys to this. My brother comes in from Tx. some time around Christmas, but also goes to his girlfriends' folks in Ky. Whew! I'm tired already! There is no way the kitchen will be done in time for Christmas this year, so there will be a lot of eating out. There will also be liberal use made of hotels for visiting relatives, as my mother informs me that the cute little pull-out sofa-chairs I got from IKEA for the spare-bedroom-turned-home-office are not beds at all, and should be donated to the CIA for interrogation purposes....See MoreWhat do you make ahead and what do you make at the last minute?
Comments (7)Guess because of the farm and time being a premium as well as oven space we got use to a lot of things made ahead. We usually have 12-15 people. I make my desserts (cakes, pies but not the Pistachio Salad) ahead and freeze them. Definitely make the cranberry relish ahead and after letting it set a day freeze it. It gets better with time.(Usually make several gallons for the rest of the year.) Sometimes I'll make up my crescent rolls and freeze them before baking but they are better fresh Then the night before I make up all my casseroles, (squash, sweet potatoes, onion, etc._ and get them ready and in the dishes. Cover them with foil and mark the temp and cooking time on them and put them in the frig. On TD I start at about 4 am. I mix up my stuffing, and get the turkey going. I cook my ham in my roaster, the turkey in the gas oven and the last 2 hours I'll use the electric oven to cook the casseroles. Veggies like corn, peas, mashed potatoes are last minute. Mom makes her Waldorf salad :-/ last minute usually so it doesn't get watery. Some of the family and friends I don't get to see very often so I'd rather be visiting with them instead of trying not to miss something in a recipe listening into all the fun in the other room or measuring while trying to have a conversation. (Not one of my strong suits. I always leave something out when I'm talking to somebody and cooking) It's not all fresh but a lot of the folks that come fix dinner out of a TV dinner box so they're always happy and stuffed with the fare that's put on the table. And I get to spend time with everyone....See MoreHow far ahead can I make a lasagna?
Comments (9)Oh, right, the 22nd is a Sunday...the big prep day. Should be a relax day, lol. But no, it is a multi-task day. Not sure of your family favorite recipe, but my winter lasagna is much more dense and rich compared to my late summer veggie lasagna.... When i do the winter version i make a crockpot chili at the same time as they use similar ingredients except for the spices and final additions... For the lasagna i do all the prep, the sauce, caramelized onions and mushrooms, etc. , and 'build it' and bake just 1/2 hour short, chill, and top with cheese and fridge, covered. I can finish the baking the next day or two days later... Three days is a stretch, but if chilled in the coldest part of your fridge it should be fine. Or prep all the 'layers' and keep them cold and in the fridge and do a final quick assembly the night before?. Three-four days for left-overs is not a problem...my limit is three, DH will go four, lol. You don't want to serve left-overs, so if you bake it 2/3ds and get it cold fast in the coldest part of your fridge and do the final bake Christmas day, it will taste fresh. The only trouble is if your fridge get so much action and is full and not holding a good cold temp...from opening often by family members off school and work, things will spoil faster, so crank it colder for x-mas week and all your foods will be fine. If you have snow like we do, bake it and chill it in a snow pack under the casserole dish to chill quick. Extending a dish for later serving is really all about how well you get it cold fast, then keeping it chilled......See Morecarolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoMarilyn Sue McClintock thanked carolb_w_fl_coastal_9bMarilyn Sue McClintock
4 years agosleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
4 years agoMarilyn Sue McClintock thanked sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
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