Holiday Food for a Crowd
Make a superb holiday meal that pleases everyone – including the cook.
By Jess Thomson
If you’ve decided to give up or change some holiday traditions, but you’re committed to hosting and cooking the full holiday dinner, we’ve got a great plan for you.
This sure-to-please feast won’t wear out the chef. It’s based on a low-pressure, no-chop holiday menu that features some simple but effective strategies: just one oven temperature, do-ahead tasks and a grocery list that’s ready to go. Oh, and one more thing: The meal you serve will be absolutely delicious!
A Happier Holiday Menu
(Serves six)
✴ Herb-Crusted Beef Tenderloin
✴ Roasted Green Beans with Whole Grain Mustard
✴ Warm Wheat Berry Pilaf with Walnuts and Cranberries
✴ Arugula, Pear, and Gorgonzola Salad with Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette
What to Do When
Divide chores into small steps you can do ahead.
One week ahead: Call supermarket meat department to order beef tenderloin for purchase no more than three days in advance.
Three days ahead: Do the grocery shopping.
Two days ahead: Make the Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette.
One day ahead: Cook wheat berries, toast walnuts, trim green beans, chop onions (if needed) and refrigerate all. Set table.
A few hours ahead: Prepare and cook green beans and pilaf, and refrigerate.
30 minutes ahead: Preheat the oven, prepare the beef. Pull green beans and pilaf from the fridge and set out to come to room temperature. Set out salad.
When guests arrive pop the beef into the oven. After 30 minutes, check the meat’s internal temperature. Warm the green beans and pilaf, and start the salad. When beef is done, let it rest while the beans and pilaf finish re-heating.
✴ Option - Complete cooking an hour ahead of schedule and serve at room temperature.
Grocery List
You can shop for this meal up to three days before you plan to serve it. To ensure availability of the beef tenderloin, call your supermarket’s meat department a week ahead of time to order.
Check your pantry for the dry ingredients before heading out; you may have some of the ingredients on hand already.
