Jingle all the way to stress-free celebrations with this holiday entertaining solutions guide. Whether you’re hosting an intimate family dinner or decking your halls for an epic party, these tips and tricks will help ensure you enjoy the festivities as much as your guests do.
Let us take the guesswork out of some of the basic and not-so-basic common questions folks run into. Forgot to defrost your turkey? Is your gravy lumpy? Did your guests show up late and now you’re scrambling to keep the food warm? With the help of our holiday entertaining guide, we help take the near misses out of the mix to bring you the magical gathering you’ve always imagined. You’ve got this!
1. Last-minute turkey hacks
Cooking a roast turkey for holiday dinner can be overwhelming. Have no fear! We’ve got hacks for your bird here.
How to defrost If you have an “uh oh” moment and realize you forgot to defrost your turkey ahead of time, there’s a way to dethaw it in a matter of hours rather than days. Simply submerge your wrapped turkey in the sink and fill it with cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes (it takes about 30 minutes per pound). Then, place it in the fridge until you’re ready to roast! Another common surprise that happens when roasting a turkey is that it’s too big to fit in the oven. Consider cutting your roast turkey into several pieces and roasting them on a large baking sheet instead. Not only does it save space, it also helps save a ton of time because the turkey is cut into smaller pieces. But if your turkey ends up being too small for the amount of guests you have, cut it into thinner slices for portioning or quickly toss it onto a charcuterie board or into a salad.
2. How much meat do I buy?
We get it: Your centre-of-plate roast is likely your big-ticket food purchase this holiday, so you want to ensure that you have enough for everyone at the table and that it’s cooked just right. We did all of the math for you with our Roast Calculator, where you simply tell us which roast you want (out of over 12 options) and the number of people you’d like to serve—and presto! You’ve got the amount suitable for your party, roasting visual cues, internal temperatures, and recipes to match in case you’d like some inspiration.
3. Quick gravy fixes
A roast turkey is not complete without a smooth, flavourful gravy to go along with it. But, more often than not, things can go south for this star sauce. It may get lumps in it, and a quick fix for that is to pour the gravy through a sieve or metal strainer. Then, put it back on the stovetop and simmer for about five minutes. Or maybe your gravy lacks flavour? It’s all good. Add aromatic herbs like sage and thyme and let them simmer, or use turkey drippings just like our crowd-pleasing classic recipe.
4. Avoiding potato mishaps
Potatoes can be prepared in so many ways, but we prefer roasted and mashed for this special time of the year. To avoid soggy roasted potatoes, give them some love by preheating your roasting pan first. That’s right! Preheating your oven with an empty roasting pan inside helps the outside of your potato chunks get nice and crispy quickly. Then there’s the iconic holiday side no one can resist: fluffy mashed potatoes. To stay away from lumps, make sure to cut the potatoes into equal sizes. This will help them cook evenly. For fluffiness, place warm butter and milk or heavy cream in a saucepan first or use a ricer or food mill to break them down; you get a fluffier texture that incorporates the warmed milk and butter beautifully, and—bonus points—you don’t have to stir and mash till you break a sweat. Have a look to see what we mean!
5. Holiday dessert and cookie tips
If baking is on your holiday to-do list, here’s a detailed primer so that you, too, can bake like a pro. Have a gander at this tips list so that your cakes rise, cookies crisp and custards set! Remember that baking ahead, cooling and freezing cookies, or freezing ready-to-bake dough helps save time during the busy holiday season. Plus, whipping up a cookie spread is always fun if you’re hosting. From gooey chocolate chip to crunchy biscotti and crisp ginger snaps, mixing and matching textures and flavours for a spread is as fun to look at as it is to eat. And your guests will agree! Want to find out more ways to celebrate cookies? We’ve got recipes, ideas, suggestions, and even a cookie swap guide to make your holidays extra sweet.
6. Holiday hosting how-to’s
It’s all about keeping the magic alive, even if your guests are running fashionably late! Here’s a couple clever tricks that keep your feast toasty. For the sides, stash them in the oven on low heat or keep your mashed potatoes and gravy warm in a slow cooker. For the main, tent your turkey with foil to lock in the heat so it doesn’t dry out. We’ve also got more helpful how-to’s with this guide that includes prep, how much to serve depending on guest list size, what to serve (drinks included), and various recipes to make merry!
7. Last-minute guests
You forgot your Aunt Pam is coming over? Or your colleagues sprang a last-minute Secret Santa gift exchange on you? Don’t worry—we’ve got loads of ideas. Whether you get unannounced guests at your door or you were invited to a potluck and forgot, here’s how you help solve those situations with holiday class. You can grab a quick meal from our Ready for You kitchens or our selection of frozen Compliments and Panache seafood for a quick and delicious meal for those last minute surprises.
8. Ultimate holiday meal planner
For those of you who want a hand getting organized for holiday dining, we’ve got ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as recipes that are super easy to make ahead of time.. Start with baking (sweet and savoury treats) one or two months ahead of time down to the day before and day of. Simple and sorted!
*Stay safe. Please respect and follow all public health guidelines when celebrating the season.
