People have said to me before, “how are you able to do so much cooking when you work full time?”  This statement is usually sparked when i’ve made a big dinner for a group of friends at 6:30, yet got off work at 5.  The answer is, I AM A PLANNER.  The most fun I have when having a dinner party is planning out what can be done ahead of time--what should be cooked & when--and strategizing about the timeline.  Call me a dork, but I love it.

So when I hear someone say, “i just don’t have time...i’ll just bring a bag of chips”, I say to you:  you DO have time.  you just need to be smart about it and committed enough.

So here’s an example.  I am hosting a dinner party tonight for 10 people.  We plan to eat at 7pm.  I do not get off work until 5--get home at 5:30 and still need to run by the New Leaf.  But, it will all work out--WITH time to spare.

Menu:

-grilled chicken breasts in a lemon garlic sauce

-Gorgonzola, Walnut and Arugula pasta salad

-Homemade Focaccia

-Grilled Asparagus

This is what has already been done:

-the chicken breasts are marinating in the sauce--they just need to be put on the BBQ

-dressing for the pasta salad is made and in the fridge; pasta needs to be cooked and throw it all together

-Bread dough was mixed last night, folded, rose overnight--i just need to pull it out of the fridge and throw it in the oven.

-Herb oil that goes with focaccia marinated last night and put over proofing dough in fridge

-Asparagus are cleaned and ready to douse in olive oil and grill

-I cut flowers from the garden and put them in vases on the table last night.

so seriously friends, when planning meals where you don’t have a lot of time--don’t forget about the day before.  Don’t forget to slice and mix and marinate the night before.  Not only will everything taste better...but it will be a lot easier on you the day of.  Then you can get all your dishes done AND enjoy a glass of wine before anyone even walks in the door.