Last Minute Craziness

Christmas in America is like a wedding day. You only have twenty-four hours to get it right. Other countries have two, like England with Boxing Day. The Caribbean along with the rest of Europe stretch it out til the New Year. Too bad we can't do the same. It would save us a lot of angst and headaches. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way.

There's always the chance that you'll run short.Then just sub. Margarine can easily fill in for butter whether at the dinner table or cooking. Pureed cauliflower can fill in for mashed potatoes (and they're healthier too). Rice is another substitute that can work as a side. What happens if the roast burns? Salvage it. Try to save as much as the meat as you can.A good idea is drowning it in gravy to give it some moisture. A dried out turkey or goose can be made juicy again by cooking it again in a stock bath. If the potatoes are too runny then add extra potato flakes. Too gummy? Add some milk or cream.

What about the dessert? Usually shortages happen, especially around the cookie tray. See which ones are going fast and stay away from them. Let your guests nibble the best. Also if the cookie supply is diminishing then don't feel shy about breaking out the packaged ones. There's nothing wrong with serving Oreos and Fig Newtons in a pinch. If you run out of Cool Whip then think about pie and even cake a la mode. Any kind of ice cream can be a welcome treat and the kids will probably like it. If there's not enough coffee, then push tea. (or if worse comes to worse borrow some java from the neighbors)

Christmas comes but once a year and it has to be perfect. The problem is that sometimes our dinners aren't .If stuff happens let it. There's always a way to fix it even without Santa's magic.