WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES DECEMBER 21, 2017 21
HOLIDAY
4 steps for a foolproof guide to holiday preparation
Although there is plenty of love
circulating around the holiday
season, the thought of entertaining
in the comforts of your home
can be a stressful factor that oft en feels
like a massive responsibility. Luckily,
culinary and design guru Athena
Calderone of the popular lifestyle
blog EyeSwoon can provide some
advice and tips to transform you into
the hostess with the mostest!
PLAN AND PREP YOUR
MEAL IN ADVANCE
The last thing you want to think
about is slaving away over the stove
while your friends and family are celebrating
in the other room. For starters,
always write out the menu! Seeing the
entire meal described in one place
helps you better spot whether you
need to add something - fresh or crisp.
Finally, make an ingredient shopping
list so your grocery store experience
is focused. From plan to prep, this
process is paramount in making the
most of any holiday meal - with the
least amount of stress possible.
ENSURE ROASTING AND
SEARING SUCCESS
The best part about roasting and
searing is your oven can do all the
hard work for you, if you just keep a
few tips in mind.
For oven-roasting or pan-sautéing
your meals to caramelized perfection,
do not overcrowd your pan. Doing so
will steam your veggies or protein
- not good for fl avor or presentation.
Instead, sear on the stovetop in batches,
or if you have a lot of ingredients, use
multiple sheet pans when roasting in
the oven.
Next, always preheat your oven.
With LG SmartThinQ technology,
preheating your LG oven remotely
from your smartphone can keep meal
time on track eff ortlessly and is a great
home hack. It's also super helpful for
switching temperature settings from
dish to dish. Another tip? Pop the empty
pan in the oven as it heats. Starting
with a piping-hot pan before you add
your veggies helps ensure a swoony
sear. Finally, bring any protein to
room temperature before cooking.
A cold cut of meat will immediately
reduce the temperature of your pan
and prevent that golden goodness you
are aft er.
SERVE FAMILY STYLE
Consider a self-serve solution for
your holiday meals. Not only does this
save you from having to formally plate
each dish, but it also allows you to sample
more food. The key to creating an
eye-catching buff et is to use diff erent
colors, textures and heights. Think
about the hues of the food beforehand
to avoid a monotone palette, and use
platters and pedestals to create a multilevel
composition on the serving table.
TIME AND KITCHEN
MANAGEMENT
Organizing your time and your
kitchen is essential come the holiday
season because there is never enough
space in the refrigerator and the queue
for the oven is always endless. That's
why you need to plan your meal with
kitchen effi ciency in mind.
Decadent pots de crème, for example,
are a perfect holiday dessert,
but have to be made at least one night
before the party to ensure they set
properly. With an LG InstaView refrigerator,
you can simply knock twice
on the tinted glass panel to see inside
without opening the door and losing
cold air.
When it comes to the main course,
an entree like a braised meat is the
smartest choice, since a slow-cooked
dish is even more delicious when it
has a few days for the fl avors to meld
together. This also saves precious oven
space for more a la minute recipes on
the big day.
Follow these tips and you'll realize
there is plenty to love about hosting
the holiday dinner aft er all.
Courtesy BPT
All smiles at Woodhaven tree lighting
The Greater Woodhaven Development
Corporation and
the Woodhaven Business
Improvement District recently held
its Christmas tree and Hanukkah
menorah lighting at Forest Parkway
Plaza off Jamaica Avenue. In
the left photo, Maria Thomson, the
executive director of GWDC and
WBID, is pictured with members
of the 102nd Precinct who were in
attendance. Thomson is also among
those pictured in the right photo
wih a group that included GWDC
President Stephen Esposito; Assemblyman
Mike Miller; State Senator
Joe Addabbo; Captain Courtney
Nilan, commander of the 102nd Precinct;
GWDC member Paul Rudolph
Jr; WBID member Frank Castelli;
and Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, Rudolph
the Red Nose Reindeer, Frosty the
Snowman and the Christmas Rabbit
(who bears a striking resemblance
to the Easter Bunny).
Photos courtesy of the Woodhaven
Business Improvement District