What can I cook the day before to make my dinner party easier?!


Question: I am having a dinner party Sat. night. On Friday, can I roast the chicken and make the mashed potatoes and then reheat before the guests come to save myself time before the party, or will second day mashed potatoes be gross? Will the chicken get dry and gross. Will reheating it cook it more and dry out the bird?


Answers: I am having a dinner party Sat. night. On Friday, can I roast the chicken and make the mashed potatoes and then reheat before the guests come to save myself time before the party, or will second day mashed potatoes be gross? Will the chicken get dry and gross. Will reheating it cook it more and dry out the bird?

Peel your potatos and dice them put them into the pot you'll be cooking them in with water to cover and keep refridgerated. Add your salt at this time so you don't salt them twice then you only have to place the pot on the stove. This technique also works for carrots. Chicken virtually roasts itself please cook it the day of the party it is much better. If I'm running out of space in the fridge this time of year I put them out in the garage covered as it is as cold as my fridge. Try making your carrots with brown sugar , butter and pumpkin pie spices with a little salt for a simple, fast and tasty side dish.

food

I would make it that day. I find that reheated food tastes reheated.

chicken wings always

how about compiling a lasagna, and cooking it on the day they arrive?

make cookies and i beat you everybody well eat them in seconds.

It will taste fine but not as fresh, I would suggest you do that but you put everything in the microwave for 7 min this will make it taste fresh. Dont let the food dry up, cover it with plastic rap or somyhing.

You can always make appetizers and desserts ahead of time...that way while your guest are nibbling on appetizers...you can cook the chicken and mashed potatoes...reheated chicken and mashed would be.... well...reheated.

Afterwards...your guest will be impressed that you managed to pull it off while sitting done eating dessert with them!!

You can definitely roast the chicken on Friday night and re-heat on Saturday. Or even better, start roasting the chicken Saturday morning, so it will be a little fresher when the guest arrive on Saturday. DON'T cook the mashed potatoes on Friday! The will not taste that great re-heated. Definitely cook them as close to the guests arriving as you can! Add a little garlic to them for a little kick. Good luck!

If I was you, I'll cook already the potatoes (boiled them with the skin) and then in the Sat. morning take out the skin.. wait till the night to prepare them finally... for the chicken, I'll cook it already till cooked to eat but not roasted enough... you might keep the chicken in aluminium during the night/day. Then roasted the next day... finish the cooking... but in all the case it won't taste so good as if you prepare everything the same day.... chicken and mashed potatoes don't request a lot of preparation!

I would under cook the chicken just a bit so it is not over done the next day. Also mashed potatoes are great the next day. They will be a bit hard just keep stirring them and they will soften up. Also make sure warm though as they are dense and take a bit more to warm. My mom puts them in the crock-pot a couple of hours before and just stirs them every once in a while.

I am having the same dilemma. I decided to only make the creamed corn the day before (from scratch) and make the Beef Tenderloin and mashed potatoes the day of the party. I want the meat and the potatoes to be fresh. I'm keeping my menu as simple as possible this year. I'm tired of being in the kitchen half the night.

So, to answer your question - it may dry out the bird, and the second day mashed potatoes would possibly be OK, but I wouldn't chance it.

Happy Holidays!

Depends on how you cook the bird to begin with. have you considered cooking the bird in a crock-pot? It can cook all day while you are at work and they make oval ones that will allow you to spread it all out.
As far as the potatoes go....I take it you are making them from scratch? If you buy yourself a ricer you can whip them out with no problem and can get it done shortly before sitting.
potatoes made the night before tend to get pastey....chicken will tend to lose the flavor cooked the day before.
What about roasted chicken and roasted potatoes? They will cook at the same time and look great on a platter....just carve and serve.

I would roast the chicken right before the guests arrive. There isn't much work involved with this, just removing from the oven once its ready. Next day chicken is almost always dry. Here's a recipe for slow cooker mashed potatoes that taste awesome reheated the next day: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker...
Good luck :)

You can always peel the potatoes if you are making them home made and then let them soak in water the day before, but I wouldn't make them the day before, they taste so much better when they are creamy and made the same day.

I also think you should cook the chicken the same day, it will get dry because the juices from the meat seem to evaporate a little when you reheat it.

If you are making a pie or another dessert I think that is okay to cook the day before, but when it comes to the main dishes stick with the day of!

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR DINNER PARTY

Get them ready and have them in a pan for roasting now.Cover with foil to prevent drying out.Why not make au gratin potatoes?Then no worry of them drying out.You can half bake the chicken,then refrigerate and continue the baking right before serving.Get the table ready today,the dessert today.Just cover well and enjoy your free time....





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