Hosting a holiday party or dinner? We have some handy hacks for you to be the master of holiday entertaining. They’re fridge and freezer-related tasks to do in advance so you have more time for fun when your guests arrive—instead of being stuck in the kitchen. ‘Cause whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or New Year’s, you deserve to kick back and enjoy your event – and bask in compliments on your entertaining savvy.
1. Dress up people’s drinks with novelty-shaped ice.
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Who says ice cubes need to be square? Dress up your guests’ mixed or alcohol-free drinks with ice cubes that are anything but cubic. Go online and do a search for “novelty ice cube molds” or pop into a kitchenware store and pick up silicone ice cube trays that produce ice shapes ranging from whimsical hearts, fruits and stars to massive, perfect spheres. This is perfect for holiday entertaining. 2. Go festive with elegant cranberry ice.If novelty shaped ice isn’t your style of cool, aim for elegance and a pop of seasonal color instead. Rinse and drain fresh or frozen cranberries and place 2-3 in the bottom of each section of your ice mold. For a look that’s extra festive, add a tiny sprig of fresh mint, too. No cranberries on hand? Substitute other berries or paper-thin slices of citrus fruits cut into wedges. Timing: Days ahead or 3-4 hours ahead |
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3. Do a thorough fridge and freezer
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4. Buying a frozen turkey? Start thawing it 2-4 days ahead.The safest and simplest way to thaw a frozen turkey is to defrost it (still in its wrapper) in a baking dish inside your fridge – NOT on the counter or in the sink. If you thaw it at room temperature, harmful bacteria can form on the surface because the outside defrosts long before the deeper levels do. Don’t make this mistake and ruin your holiday entertaining. |
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How long does it take? Timing: Allow a minimum of 1 day in the fridge for every 4.5 lbs (2 kg) of weight:
Once the bird is fully thawed, cook it within 4 days. |
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Forgot to take the turkey out of the freezer and need to thaw it faster? Place it breast-side down in the kitchen sink and cover it in cold (not warm) water. Thawing time will be 1 hour per kg (30 minutes per pound)—but do NOT let it thaw, unattended, overnight! You must change the water every half hour to keep the surface of the turkey cold and prevent bacteria from growing on it.
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5. Dazzle your guests with appetizers in ice bowls!If you’ll be serving foods that need to stay cold – like caviar, smoked salmon, shrimp, sushi or sashimi – don’t just plop them on top of a bowl of ice. Create a decorative ice bowl for them instead! |
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© 2008, Carrie Price, on Flickr.com |
© 2015, Karen Marie Lucas, on Flicker.com |
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You can keep your ice bowl simple or go for more glam by adding thin slices of lemon and fresh herbs like dill, so they freeze in place and really dress things up! All you’ll need is two differently sized plastic or metal bowls (not glass, unless it’s Pyrex™), some sturdy tape or rubber bands to hold the bowls together (or you can place something heavy enough in the smaller bowl to keep it in place without it sinking right to the bottom), plus any decorative edibles you want to add—even edible flowers! Allow lots of time for your ice bowl to freeze. (Ideally, overnight.) Depending on its size and thickness, the ice bowl can take anywhere from 5 to 18 hours to freeze solid. (Less if you have an iio Retro Fridge with FastFreeze, or if it’s low enough to fit in its aptly named ExtremeFreeze drawer.) |
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Timing: Prep it 1 full day or more before your guests arrive. For how-tos (each with a slightly different technique), do an online search for “how to make an ice bowl.” You’ll find several sets of instructions and inspiring examples. Here are some good ones: How to make ice bowls You’ll also find quite a few videos, including these: How to make an ice bowl |
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6. Meal items you can prepare a day or more aheadMashed potatoes Timing: 1 day ahead
Timing: 1–2 days ahead
Timing: 1 day ahead unless there are big chunks of veggies
Timing: Start 1 or more days ahead but bake same day. (Allow an hour or two for it to thaw.)
Timing: Any number of days in advance |
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7. Focus on the main meal; take shortcuts on everything else.Buy frozen appetizers. Keep dessert simple. Bonus hacks Set the table and/or decorate the room at least one day ahead. It’ll take some pressure off you on your big day, and you’ll know early – rather than late – that you’re out of napkins or need more forks. |
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3 easy ways to quickly chill a bottle of wine 1. Plunge the bottle in water with lots of ice like sommeliers do at restaurants. (Ice water chills wine faster than just ice.) 2. No ice to spare? Soak a dishtowel in water and with it very wet (not just damp), wrap it around the bottle and stick it in the freezer for 7-15 minutes. After 7 minutes, it’ll be lightly cool; after 15 minutes, it’ll be a lot cooler. It will cool even faster if you pop it in your iio Retro’s XtremeFreeze drawer. Can’t spare a dishtowel? Use several layers of paper towels instead, and elevate your holiday entertaining! |
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3. Get an iio wine cooler and you may never have to quick chill a bottle of wine again because it will already be perfectly cooled. And the iio wine cooler is a beaut! Its styling is a match for iio Retro fridges and it comes in the same range of lifestyle colors. This is perfect for holiday entertaining. |
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It also fits just about anywhere, measuring a compact 21.5” wide x 35.25” high x 22.75” deep (55.6 cm x 89.5 cm x 57.8 cm). The clear glass door allows you admire all the lovely bottles inside and makes it easy to see if you’re starting to run low. It’s not only ideal for everyday wine lovers (especially those who entertain often), but it makes a great gift for serious oenophiles (a.k.a. wine connoisseurs) or anyone with a wine subscription |or who orders their favourites by the crate. It can hold up to 30 bottles and has an adjustable cooling range, from 41°F down to -4°F (5°C to-20°C) — but the extreme cold temperature should only be used while quick chilling wines. You don’t want ice crystals forming in your favourite white, rosé or sparkling wine—even if it’s called an “ice wine!” |
You could ask Santa for an iio wine cooler but insist that he deliver it at least a day before your guests arrive. Or you could take matters into your own hands and order it for yourself. Do this, and you’ll be the master of holiday entertaining.
Happy hosting and happy holidays from all of us at iio!
