HOME SWEET HOME continued
Mary Beth Voelker
Mary Beth Voelker is a writer, a mother,
a cook, a gardener, and a crafter. Though
originally from Pittsburgh, she and her family
kept coming back to North Carolina until God
let them stay. She likes to say that while she has
often been bored at work she has never been
bored at home.
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Recipes, Crafts & Life Tips
HOME SWEET HOME continued
Reduce Your Holiday
Meal Stress
by Mary Beth Voelker
I’m always saddened to hear people talk
about how stressful the holidays are for them,
especially the meals. Getting people together
and putting food on the table in front of them
shouldn’t be so difficult, and it shouldn’t
require weeks of cooking ahead. We can let
go of the image of “The Perfect Holiday” and
enjoy ourselves instead.
First, getting people together. It pays to
be flexible in scheduling, especially in current
circumstances. Some people have to work
holidays. Married couples need to see both
families. Divorced parents both deserve time
with their kids. It’s not the end of the world if
you celebrate a day early, a day late, or even
next weekend. Good will and the willingness
to see the other side’s point-of-view goes a
long way.
Second, planning the menu. If you’re
lucky, your family has a traditional meal that
everyone likes and no one is on a special
diet. Not many people are that lucky so,
again, flexibility pays. If someone is low-carb,
then you can include a fancy green salad
along with the traditional starchy sides. If
someone is low-fat, then you can serve butter
and sauces separately so that people can
help themselves to as much or as little as is
appropriate. Likewise, salt can be offered at
the table instead of cooked in.
Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan diets
are harder to cook for when accommodating
guests. Fortunately the internet has thousands
of special-diet recipes available. I advise
picking two or three that look promising,
asking the person on the special diet what
they like, and trying the dish at least once
before the holiday. Many guests will be willing
to bring a dish or two that they know they can
eat. Likewise for people with food allergies.
Remember, you don’t have to cook every
dish your grandmother made and never
change anything. People will probably get
their feathers ruffled if you change everything,
but leaving out one of the things that ends up
as too many leftovers in the back of the fridge
and substituting something new that could
turn into a new favorite is a good way to take
some of the pressure off if you’re feeling too
wound up in expectations to enjoy your meal.
One of the biggest stress reducers is to
get your guests to share the cooking either
by bringing dishes or by assisting you in the
kitchen. When my mother lived nearby, I
loved the experience of slowly pulling the
Thanksgiving dinner together as we worked
side-by-side, talking about food and memories
of past holidays. Even if there’s only room for
one cook, you can at least put a cutting board
on the dining table so that others can help you
with otherwise tedious prepwork.
Out of town travelers or others without
access to cooking facilities can be enlisted to
set up, take down, pack leftovers, wash dishes,
clean, etc.
Third, give people something to do.
In some ideal world it might be possible to
throw a dozen or more people of multiple
generations who don’t see each other regularly
and have wildly different interests and ideas
and have them all enjoy their time together. In
reality, having something to do breaks down
all that awkwardness. Here are some options
to consider.
Games, especially those who can
accommodate a large number of people, that
don’t drag out too long, and are easy to learn
are one of my family’s favorite activities for
get-togethers. Alternately, jigsaw puzzles can
bring all ages together.
Crafts might be thought of as an activity
for children, and a kids’ craft table is a great
option for keeping them happy, but teens and
adults can get just as much satisfaction from
making a memory as the little ones do. Craft
stores are full of kits from the simple to the
complex to accommodate any skill level.
Getting a project done, especially
outdoors. This might sound unusual, but
working together bonds people together, and
the holiday season can have some of the most
pleasant weather of the year in our climate.
Additionally, people who have been outside
working up an appetite will appreciate the
meal even more than usual.
You could also hold a movie marathon, get
old photos identified and put into albums, or
browse through everyone’s garden seed boxes
to trade extras.
Most importantly, to relieve stress it’s best
to focus on why we’re celebrating the holidays
in the first place. Give thanks on Thanksgiving,
keep Christ in Christmas, remember the
miracle of Hanukkah, and think of the
celebrations as an opportunity for joy rather
than an obligation to fulfill. ☐
All-Day Christmas Grazing Buffet
My family has a tradition of opening one
gift at a time, one person at a time, which can
take hours, particularly when young children
are involved. This is our formula for a relaxed
Christmas day with little, if any cooking to do
on the day itself and easy accommodation
for people coming and going on different
schedules as adult kids arrange visits to
various family members.
Early morning: Coffee and Christmas
stockings. I consider it pointless to try to make
excited children eat breakfast before they’ve
gotten any presents.
Not quite so early morning: Crockpot egg
casserole and cinnamon rolls. Those who like
a solid breakfast can eat, those who don’t do
breakfast can nibble.
Every couple hours throughout the day:
Put out some kind of party tray such as
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cheese plates, dips and spreads with crackers
and veggies, pinwheels, sandwich triangles,
cocktail shrimp, cookies and candy, and some
festive beverages.
Late afternoon/early evening: Set out
hot buffet items or a hot, sit-down dinner
according to how many people will be there
and how traditional you’re feeling.
Late evening: Pies and other holiday
desserts with hot chocolate, mulled cider, or
other preferred hot beverage.
This allows for a flexible schedule that
still keeps fresh food in front of people as
they rotate through visiting various families
without the stress of assembling a set meal
at a specific time while people who can’t be
there miss out. ☐
Cold Crab Spread
Imitation crab is a strong flavor that works
best on a sturdy base. I suggest water crackers,
hearty whole-grain crackers, or bagel chips.
Ingredients:
8 oz imitation crab meat
1/4 cup minced celery
2 tbs minced, red bell pepper
2 tbs minced fresh parsley
1 green onion, minced (optional)
~1/2 cup mayonnaise, or more if needed
2 tbs lemon juice
Old Bay seasoning to taste
Directions:
Dice the imitation crab then crumble the
cubes through your fingers to yield fine shreds.
Combine all ingredients into a smooth
mixture, adding additional mayonnaise and/
or lemon juice if necessary because moisture
levels in different brands of imitation crab
may vary. Best made a few hours ahead so that
the flavors can meld.☐
No. 140 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. p.11
/www.sandhillsweekenddental.com