Now that the seasonal festivities are getting close, I thought it might be time to talk about how to throw a party that will leave your guests feeling happy, whether it’s a big bash, or a small family gathering.
One of my biggest pet peeves (and I am sure you all are going to agree with me) is when your guests arrive, and, though I’m sure they intend to be polite, come into the kitchen to greet me and end up lingering far too long. My guests would always gather in the kitchen while I prepared the dinner– it’s not that I disliked the company, but in a smaller kitchen, it was hard to move and work efficiently. My dining and living room are always decorated with lights, flowers, appetizers, and music, but for some reason, people drift back to the kitchen.
You can remodel, make your kitchen bigger, try to change the space to accommodate them. For some reason, this does not really help– the kitchen has a strange gravity that is hard to escape. People want to be someplace warm and inviting, and in most cases, that would be the kitchen. For a cook, the kitchen is a place where you can relax and focus. No fear of bumping into a table set with candles, and a place where you can put that glass of wine down, without worries of it spilling and staining anything.
Personally, for myself, I always end up in the kitchen during a dinner party or holiday that I have been invited to. The difference is that I roll up my sleeves and help, or I leave if I’m not wanted– I know how it goes, and I’m not offended. I can navigate pretty well in most kitchens, so I can assist in chopping, preparing, washing dishes, or even taking out the trash. Many of my friends are like that as well. If you’ve ever hosted a dinner, you know that no matter how organized you are, there is always room for an extra couple of hands. This is especially true for the clean-up. Don’t just sit there, get up and help! Cleaning up after a party is always a daunting task, so as many hands as you can get to help is a blessing, and it makes the work so much more enjoyable.
As for getting people out of your kitchen, I have no remedy for that. Maybe try turning up the music and putting appetizers in the living room where all the comfy seating and pillows are. You can enlist a friend to try to lure people out of the kitchen as they come in. Remove any comfort from the kitchen, like bar stools or chairs where people would tend to sit. I have a cousin, who, at every holiday would stand right in front of my ovens, which made it very difficult to maneuver my dinner in and out.
Finally, I just had to ask, sometimes very loudly, to get everyone out of the kitchen. Most listened for a short time, but they were back in there within minutes. So, maybe we have to plan for this to happen at holidays because there doesn’t seem to be a nice way to prevent it. Maybe a sign on the door warning people that the cook bites? I really think most people want to help, so I always give them something to do, even if it’s just cutting up lemons and limes. Have them dress the salad or better yet, make the dressing themselves. Hey, if you can’t get rid of them, try to make them useful.
If you are invited as a guest to someone’s home for the holiday this year, this is one dessert I highly suggest that you make and bring over. It’s so rich and decadent– perfect for a holiday gathering. After you manage to get the crust edges to look pretty (this is not an easy task, trust me), the rest of the pie is easily whipped up. The sweetened condensed milk is always a welcome addition to any dessert. It adds a sweet flavor and a gooey texture. The almond extract offers a rich, savory flavor that combines perfectly with the coconut. I think you’d better make two– it is easy enough to double, and there are definitely going to be people asking for seconds.
This recipe is courtesy of A Taste of Home and will serve 6 to 8 people who will want to be in the kitchen and make this with you.
Ingredients for Coconut Macaroon Pie:
1 sheet refrigerated pie crust
2 large eggs
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 package (14 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut
Preheat oven to 350°.
Unroll crust into a 9-in. pie plate; flute edge.
Refrigerate while preparing filling.
In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, melted butter, extract and salt until blended.
Stir in flour.
Reserve 1/2 cup coconut; stir remaining coconut into egg mixture.
Transfer to pie crust.
Sprinkle with reserved coconut.
Bake on a lower oven rack until golden brown and filling is set, 35-45 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack.
Refrigerate leftovers.
It’s that simple!
