Set the stage for your gathering with a table brimming with fresh florals and greenery, an impressive autumn centerpiece cake and a fabulous, easy-to-do holiday menu.
Planning seasonal gatherings gives the host a chance to get creative, yet it also calls on a balancing act. On the one hand, it’s the holidays—time for the very best foods and loveliest flourishes you can put on your table. On the other hand, you want to spend every minute you can enjoying precious time with your family. With a little planning, however, you can have it all, ensuring a fine meal, a remarkable setting and a great time for everyone—including you. Just follow these hints.
Make some/buy some. Decide which dishes you truly love to make, whether you’re a dessert goddess, a salad king or the master of breads. Then, round out the rest of the menu with items purchased from Hy-Vee. From a deli dish or two to an entire Kitchen Holiday Dinner Pack (see pages 64–65) you can rely on Hy-Vee to do some, most or all of the food preparation.
Embellish a bit. Put your own spin on purchased items by adding a few flourishes. Rosemary sprigs and orange slices can pretty up a ham platter, while snipped parsley and chives add color to mashed potatoes. Arrange sage leaves and grape clusters around your turkey platter, or rim the roast beef platter with kale leaves. A swirl of whipped cream, a sprinkle of nutmeg and a scattering of toasted nuts make purchased pumpkin pie even more irresistible.
Fashion a focal point that wows. If you’re pressed for time, focus on one memory-making highlight, perhaps a sumptuous centerpiece, such as our applause-worthy White Chocolate Pumpkin Cake, opposite. See recipe. Create mini-size pumpkin cakes, above and opposite, using your favorite cake mix and the mini pumpkin muffin pan, shown on page 63. Prepare the chocolate ganache, using the ganache recipe for the centerpiece cake, but
substituting semisweet chocolate squares for the white chocolate baking squares. Accent the mini cakes with chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Simplify your shopping. Remember that Hy-Vee is your one stop spot for most all of your holiday feasting needs, from recipe ingredients and prepared foods to flowers, holiday napkins and even kitchen supplies and bakeware. Shop for as many of the supplies and nonperishable food items as you can in the days and weeks leading up to your gathering. Then, as you get closer to the celebration day, purchase the flowers and fresh food items.
Say “Yes” to help. Most cooks enjoy the chance to share a favorite dish or two, so when invitees ask if they can bring something, say, “Yes, please!” It’s just another way of creating a feast that’s all-out easy yet combined with your own family’s traditions.