When Your Personal Chef Takes a Holiday

The holidays are a busy time for us parents. If shopping and decorating weren’t enough, now you want us to bake?

We all have these perfect Norman Rockwell holiday dinners in our heads. But the truth is, those dinner tables loaded with a glistening ham and homemade eggnog are hard to achieve for any one with toddlers underfoot – unless Ina Garten invades our kitchen or we steal Jessie Spano’s caffeine pills.

In the quest for perfection, we often neglect to focus on what’s really important during the holidays – spending time with family instead of the stove. So instead of stressing, follow a few tricks to ease the baking rush.

Plan smart and keep it simple

If there’s no time in your day to plan an extravagant spread, then for goodness’ sake, don’t do it. If you’re up all night cooking a crown roast, then you’re going to be a crabby beast on Christmas morning.

A little prep work can go a long way in planning a menu. For instance, Todd Vasel, assistant director of marketing and advertising for Dierbergs, shared some great tips from the home economists in Dierbergs School of Cooking’s “Mix Now, Bake Later” plan for baking cookies.  

They noted to mix up your favorite homemade cookie dough when you have a free half hour one evening and then place it, whether in bulk or shaped into cookies, into reclosable plastic bags. Store in the refrigerator for three days or in the freezer for up to three months before baking. All you have to do is thaw the cookie dough in its original container in the fridge overnight and bake as usual.

And because moms and dads can’t live by cookies alone, Vasel also shared two tasty recipes for make-ahead mashed potatoes and make-ahead Andouille bites.

Anne Cori, president of Kitchen Conservatory, on the other hand, recommended preparing dishes fresh instead of freezing them to maximize flavor. Her suggestion: “The solution to ‘running out of time’ is to make fewer dishes,” she said via e-mail. A couple of simple to-go recipes she suggested were Kitchen Conservatory’s crab-parmesan cheesecake for adults or its homemade Cracker Jack for the kiddos – two delicious options to make you the life of the party.

Of course, if your cooking skills are still lacking, both Dierbergs and Kitchen Conservatory offer cooking classes during the holidays and throughout the year to help you master the kitchen.

Share the work

I’m not a big fan of baking cookies. I only have one good recipe in my arsenal, and half the time I burn the bottoms or, as I did this year, drop an entire tray of cookies on the floor for the Golden Retriever to enjoy. But that Norman Rockwell painting says I’m supposed to have an array of delicious cookies for guests and for Santa, right?

Thankfully, a cookie exchange comes to my rescue every year. My friend Lisa hosts an exchange at her house in which everyone brings six dozen home-baked cookies for each guest so that we all leave with seven dozen cookies. Plus, Lisa cooks up yummy appetizers and serves wine so it’s a win-win all around.

On Christmas Day, my family is treated to a variety of delicious, non-burnt-bottom cookies, except for that bag of almond spritz cookies I devour on the trip home from Lisa’s each year. Don’t judge – it’s a long drive between Valley Park and the Metro East.

Oh, screw it – order in!

Who says holiday treats have to be baked in your kitchen? Dierbergs has plenty of ready-made dishes on hand ideal for any get-together. Or contact one of the businesses right here in St. Louis who will bake and deliver home-baked pies, cakes and other goodies straight to your front door, saving you baking time and driving time.

Sinfully Sweet Cupcakes, for instance, delivers gourmet cupcakes, such as its Pumpkin Spice or Christmas Peppermint varieties, throughout the region. Just order a minimum of one dozen cupcakes, and delivery is only $7 in St. Charles County or $10 outside St. Charles County. Or, according to Jodie Edgar of Sinfully Sweet, send a gift of one dozen cupcakes, complete with gift packaging and a personalized message, for $32.

If pie’s your weakness, call Pie Oh My in St. Louis. Pie Oh My bakes each pie from scratch the same day they’re delivered and uses all fresh ingredients, including apples and pumpkins from a local farmer’s market. They’ll even add decorative touches and a special message to your pie based on your requests. And with flavors like Apple Pecan Green Chili Crumble and Jack Daniels Chocolate Pecan, how can you resist?

The holidays are a time for great food, but your favorite treats taste even better when you haven’t had a breakdown to get them on the table. With some fabulous recipes, a few shortcuts and a little creativity, your holiday spread can rival Norman Rockwell’s.

By Nicole Plegge, Lifestyle Blogger for SmartParenting