Christmas Cooking For Dummies
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Preparing this Christmas dinner for 20 doesn’t have to be stressful. With the menu all ready for you and the shopping behind you, you can make several items ahead of time so that you won’t have as much to do the day of your party.

  • The meringue cookies can be made a month ahead of time.

  • The cranberry relish can be made one week ahead.

  • Make the stuffing two to three days ahead, along with the onion dip.

  • The mushrooms and onions can be prepped one day ahead, as can the bûche de Noël and the trifle.

  • On the day of the party, make the turkey, bean dip, cauliflower, and sugared fruit.

Keep these hints in mind when scaling the menu items up or down:

  • Warm White Truffle Bean Dip: May be scaled up or down directly.

  • Caramelized Onion Dip with Crudité: May be scaled up or down directly.

  • Wild Rice Dressing with Golden Raisins and Pecans: May be scaled up or down directly.

  • Creamed Onions and Mushrooms: May be scaled up or down directly.

  • Cauliflower Gratin: May be scaled up or down directly.

  • Spiced Cranberry Relish: May be scaled up or down directly.

  • White Chocolate Bûche de Noël: You may make a small one by halving the recipe or make two by doubling the recipe, but don’t try to make one gigantic bûche de Noël.

  • Pear Almond Trifle: May be scaled up or down directly; just use a very large glass bowl if you scale up.

  • Sugar Frosted Fruit: May be scaled up or down directly.

  • Meringue Wreath Cookies: May be scaled up or down directly.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

Dede Wilson, CCP, contributes to Bon Appétit and Pastry and Design magazine and to NBC's Todayshow. She is also the Food and Entertaining expert for CanDoWoman.com.

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