HOW TO COOK FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS:
For this reason, you need to work up a repertoire, if you will, of simple to make special occasion cooking recipes. You will be shocked and amazed at all the sinfully rich and delicious meals and side dishes that are out there, that are amazingly quick and easy to prepare. This means that you will not run the all too common disaster scenarios that you hear about and will still manage to have a wonderful meal that is enjoyed by all.
The trick is in choosing a rather simple meat dish and dressing it up with the more decadent side dishes. Incredibly rich side dishes that are simple to prepare are greater in number than meat dishes that require little culinary effort. You should also keep in mind the audience for your special occasion. Sometimes a family favorite makes the occasion seem much more special than an all out effort for chicken cordon bleu or veal Marsala.
There is no point in going to an extreme effort to create a culinary masterpiece if it is going to be riddled with picky children proclaiming that they do not like this or that about your meal. Another great idea when it comes to cooking for special occasions is to prepare as much as possible ahead of time in order to alleviate the pressure during the event and to allow you more time to enjoy the event rather than dealing with the details of meal preparation.
The greatest gift you can really give yourself when cooking for special occasions is the time necessary in order to enjoy these special occasions. This is not to say that there isn't some cooking that will need to be done. Foods that can be prepared ahead of time and reheated just prior to serving are often the best when it comes to cooking for special occasions.
There are all kinds of appetizers, entrees, and desserts that will work perfectly in this particular instance. You can often find them by performing a simple Google search online or by sorting through many of your favorite cookbooks at home. The important thing is that you do not get so caught up in the idea of cooking for special occasions that you actually enjoy the occasion.
COOKING: CROCKPOT SAVE MONEY AND TIME:
Crockpot cooking for me is synonymous with time-saver. We each have different phases of life and this season is definitely my crockpot phase -- maybe out of desperation. No matter what stage we're in though, crockpot cooking can always be a benefit.
Here's a scenario: It's five o'clock and you've finally finished helping with the homework with two of your children, and then your third child returns from piano -- ready to start homework -- and has a question about algebra. Soccer practice starts in exactly one hour. And not to mention that you've got three loads of laundry spewed across your bed and ready to be folded. The phone rings -- a reminder to bring snacks to soccer practice, it's your turn. The kids are hungry, hubby will be home in thirty minutes. Do you make that call? "Honey, could you bring home In & Out again, the usual?" Or do you simply whip up a salad to go with your chicken cacciatore that's been cooking slowly and succulently in your crockpot all day. This truly is my life and I'm working towards the latter scenario becoming a more prevalent one.
Perhaps you remember crockpots back when you were a kid -- along with Barry Manilow, mood rings, and banana seats -- all popular in the 1970's. Crockpots are now making a comeback, and for Vegas supporters, so is Barry Manilow. The essential ingredient here is not that we're all going retro but rather that life is busy and we're seeking after time-management helps that work. Five o'clock can be the busiest, so preparing food the night before and putting it in containers overnight or chopping and dicing earlier in the day can be the most convenient and healthy solution.
Money-Saver
This type of cooking saves money on many levels. As I mentioned earlier, if you're organized and have your pizza in a pot cooking all day -- you won't be tempted to call Dominos at five pm. Eating out does get expensive, especially for an entire family and if it becomes a habit. Cooking in the crock is a longer process than in the oven or on the grill and because of this meats are really tender, even with cheaper cuts of meat. Therefore it really has the potential of reducing our grocery bills.
In the summertime it's hot -- especially where I'm living in the desert -- so any excuse not to heat up the house is a good one. Energy bills are definitely affected.
There are numerous crockpot cookbooks out there with healthy and tasty family-friendly recipes. Incorporating crockpots back into our lives can be one of the first and simplest of many steps in achieving organization and balance in our lives.