Keep Those Pretty Cake Plates Clean!

You may already know this trick, but just in case, I wanted to share it. I am really messy in the kitchen. One day I'll show you a picture of it after an all-day cooking session...maybe. Someone taught me how to keep the frosting off of my cake plate while decorating a cake. Cut strips of waxed paper, about 2 inches wide, and tuck them under the edge of the cake, over lapping them until the plate is covered.


After you are finished frosting, gently pull them out using a side to side motion. Voila...clean cake plate :)

Simplifying Life ~ Event Binder

I organize myself with binders. My repertoire consists of binders for Christmas, coupons, gifts and events. I also have one that I use to organize a week of meals that I prepare for a mission team of 30 each year. Over time I will show you all of my binders.

My event binder has two purposes, personal and business. My husband's job gives me the opportunity to plan two large events each year. I also use it to track personal parties, dinner with friends, and holiday meals.

The binder is divided into 5 sections:
~Business Events
~Dinner Parties
~Event Recipes
~Dinner Menus
~Potluck Recipes

Business Events-Each event or dinner has a page with the name of the event, the date, and a list of decisions made for that event. If it is an event using invitations, I attach a copy of the invitation to the back of the page. I make notes about where items are purchased (invitations, centerpieces, etc.), colors used, background music, guest speakers, and favors. I also note the cost of these items, to keep my budget comparable from year to year. I personally prepare the food for one of these events. So, I keep a copy of the menu and recipes. Then, the day after the event, I note how much was eaten or leftover. One year I fixed 15 pounds of potatoes and had a lot of leftovers, so I made a note to reduce it to 10 pounds the next year. I also make notes of the number of people who attended and comments at the event, "This cake is amazing", or "I'm not a real fan of curry."

Dinner Parties-This is my personal event planner. Again, each event has it's own page listing the event, date, people in attendance and menu. I also list any food sensitivities, likes or dislikes that I learn from my guests. I know that one friend is very sensitive to chocolate late at night. I made a note of this so that I'm sure to fix a non-chocolate dessert when his family comes over.

Event Recipes-These are my go-to recipes that are easy to prepare in bulk. They are also tried and true, always well received. One example is my Southern Style Green Beans. (Although, I don't really need the recipe for this one.)

Dinner Menus-I have several specialty menus that I like to use when we have guests for dinner. Pulling together a dinner party is much quicker when I can check my list to see what I've served a family in the past, and then choose a new menu from this section. This includes my Broiled Parmesan Tomatoes and Buttermilk Biscuits.

Potluck Recipes-These are recipes that are easy to transport! They also serve as an idea bank when I want to take a meal to a friend who is ill, etc. This includes my Black Bean Chicken Chili.

This binder serves to supplement a memory that fails me often. It also provides a framework for planning events that happen annually. All I have to do is fill in the blanks, saving time and energy. After all, why reinvent the wheel?

Tips for Feeding a Crowd

Did you realize that Thanksgiving is next week? I didn't until a friend mentioned it yesterday. I have long been a believer that pregnancy and childbirth cause moms to lose brain cells. (Ever found the phone in the fridge?) I am now convinced that the adoption process works the same way. I think I lost a couple of weeks somewhere back around September. Anyway, with the holiday fast approaching I thought I might share a few tips for feeding a large crowd of people. These are lessons that I've learned the hard way over many years.

My first "ya'll come" party (open to anyone with no concrete invitations or RSVP) was about two months after my wedding. I've been feeding crowds ever since. A lot of this may be common sense to many of you, but as I said, these were lessons hard learned for me.

1~Menu and Shopping List~Make out your menu and shopping list well in advance. Note items that can be purchased ahead and items that must be purchased the day before the event separately.

2~Vary Cooking Methods~Choose meal components that are cooked in different ways. If every menu item must be baked in the oven, it will take forever to prepare and something will be cold.
Example: Ham and sweet potatoes in the oven, macaroni pie in the crock pot, green beans on the stove, and jello salad chilling in the fridge.

3~Make What You Know~Choose recipes that you have experience with. I often pick one new side or dessert recipe for a big meal if I am very comfortable with the other recipes that I am using. If the new menu item is a flop, I can fall back on the others.

4~Gather Supplies~Gather all of the ingredients for each recipe before you get started. It makes the day go much more quickly.

5~See If You Are Missing Anything~Set your table the day before (if this is possible in your home), including the serving dishes and spoons for each recipe. This way, if you need to borrow an extra casserole dish from a friend, it won't catch you by surprise.

6~Make Ahead What You Can~Choose as many items as possible that can be prepared in advance. Items like jello salad, pies and cakes can be made a day or two before the big day.

7~Plan Your Timing~Make a schedule for cooking. Take each menu item and work back from meal time considering length of cooking time and prep time. Plan a time to start prepping, a time to start cooking, and a time to take it out of the oven.

8~Make a Checklist~Make a list of your menu items. Mark each item once when it is prepared, and mark it a second time when it is served. I can't tell you how many times I have gotten to the end of the meal and realized that I left something in the fridge.

9~Get Out Of The Kitchen~Try to schedule your preparations so that everything is done 10 minutes before time to eat. This way your meat has time to rest before being carved. And, you can get out of the kitchen to greet your guests.

10~RELAX!~All of these people are friends and family. If something doesn't go right, they will understand. If all else fails, take a lesson from "A Christmas Story" and roll with the punches. "That was the year we were introduced to Chinese Turkey." Remember...if something does go wrong, it will probably go into the family archives as a great story one day!

A Few Of My Favorite Things-Gift Closets

About ten years ago a mentor recommended that I start a gift closet. Or more specifically, a designated space in my home where I would keep a stash of gifts. What a wonderful friend! I cannot tell you how many times this has saved me when I needed a last-minute hostess or birthday gift.

Basically, I just look for things on sale and stockpile when I find a great deal. (Also the way I buy most of my groceries.) Some of my favorite gift closet finds are bath products, scented candles, books, unique photo frames, cool mugs (tea, cocoa or coffee added at presentation time), gift cards, gender-neutral baby items, and toys in the age-range of my boys for birthday party invites.

As our family increases, I learn more and more how necessary it is to be prepared. Last-minute scrambles just make my blood pressure go up and my nerves shorten. I also tend to spend a lot more if I wait to the last minute. My gift closet gives me the time to hunt a bargain and allows me to be just a little more prepared.

I am very excited that our remodeling project is going to allow me to have an entire closet designated for this purpose...I am going to be SO organized >insert contented sigh here< once this little project is complete. I will be sure to post photos.

I also keep a gift binder that reminds me of the gifts that I have given in the past. I will blog about this on another day.