Easter is upon us. Rather, easter dinner is upon us. For many of you this marks one of three or four times a year when you cook for larger groups of people. This task can be daunting and comes with unfamiliar challenges. You have to balance time and space in order to have everything ready to go by dinner time. All this, and you have to make sure that you don’t give anyone food poisoning. So, what’s the plan? How are you going to make this work? You my friend, are going to relax, and follow my Easter Cooking Guide.

…easter dinner on Sunday and reading this on Friday, make the list right now…

Cooking for groups is all about planning and preparation. Sit down and make a list of everything that needs to get done by dinner. If you are having easter dinner on Sunday and reading this on Friday, make the list right now. Start the planning as soon as possible in order to be as successful as possible.

Planning to complete some small tasks…will save you time and headaches.

Looking over your now completed prep list, you should be able to map your time. Pie dough can sit in the fridge for a few days so you could make that now. When you’re ready to use the dough just pull it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Planning to complete some small tasks like pie dough, or peeling vegetables a day or two before easter dinner will save you time and headaches.

Take a little bit of time and clean and organize your fridge.

Doing things ahead of time is a great way to get a jump on the day. However, it is obviously important that you have proper storage for everything you are preparing. Take a little bit of time and clean and organize your fridge. I know that it seems like the last thing you want to do on a long weekend, but it will make your life easier. Having room in the fridge to store prepared vegetables and other things means that you get to relax a bit more on the day of your easter dinner.

A cluttered kitchen creates a cluttered mind.

When it comes time to actually cooking easter dinner, cleanliness is key. A cluttered kitchen creates a cluttered mind. Keep your sink full of hot soapy water and clean as you go. This will prevent a large build up of dishes and it will keep your kitchen tidy and organized. Wipe your counters down often, especially if dealing with raw meat or poultry. Cross contamination is a serious concern and happens when things aren’t properly cleaned. This should go without saying, but wash your hands a lot. Like a lot to prevent cross contamination and potential illness.

Having everything ready at the same time is a true easter miracle.

Timing is probably the biggest concern most people have when cooking easter dinner, or any other large family meal. Having everything ready at the same time is a true easter miracle. The thing is though, not everything needs to be finished at the same time. The main protein needs to rest, likely for at least twenty minutes. Wrapping your turkey or ham in aluminum foil after it comes out of the oven will help it retain its heat for up to forty minutes depending on the its size. This gives you plenty of time to steam vegetables and make sauces. Mashed potatoes can sit in a covered pot on the stove top, but off the heat, for up to twenty five minutes before they lose their heat.

Planning and PREPARATION…cleanliness and organization

The secret to a successful easter dinner is pretty simple. Planning and preparation are at the top of the list. Followed by cleanliness and organization. Keeping these four things in mind and executing on them will make your easter dinner a warm spring breeze.

Happy Easter Everyone.