Preparing for the holidays can be fun, but it also can be stressful if you don’t have a plan. Even the most seasoned hosts need one. The planning and organizing, shopping and buying, cleaning and preparing…  it really wears you down. Remind yourself, no matter how crazy the lead up, everyone will appreciate your effort and the finished product. I will offer more detailed tips closer to the holidays, but there are a couple things you can do now to make things easier for you down the line.

Start organizing your things. Have you ever spent hours looking for something you know you own, just don’t know where it is?  I know I have. Put an end to that by getting rid of all the clutter. Go through it and begin by throwing out what you do not use or need. Create a space for the things you want to keep. Buy nice baskets that match your decor, label them, and fill them with useful things. I recently redid my pantry this way, and now I can find what I need when I need it. 

Go through all of your dishes and serving ware and make sure they are in order. Maybe you don’t remember breaking a plate or losing a fork. Count them all and order more if you need to. This goes for glasses and bar items as well. I am sure you made a mental note to replace something or other, but time goes by so quickly, and you may not have actually done it. 

Go through your tablecloths. Make sure you have the right size for each table you are using, as well as matching patterns. Take a look at all your napkins. Do you have enough of the same? You may want to buy them in advance if you know approximately how many people you will be having.

Check your spices. Over time spices will lose their essence and will not flavor your food correctly. As a rule, whole spices will stay fresh for 4 years, ground spices for 2 to 3 years and dried herbs for 1 to 3 years. Basically, if you can’t remember when you purchased it, it is probably time for a new one. 

Doing these few things now can relieve stress, let you focus on your holiday and may even give you more time to relax as the big day comes closer and closer.

This dish is definitely one you can use for a holiday. The potatoes roast up beautifully. The walnuts add a nice crunch, and the basil and scallions give it savory flavor. The dressing is the star of this salad, as it lights up the potatoes with bursts of tart, tangy, and an aromatic flavor. Smashing the potatoes really lets the dressing get into all the little crevices so you get scrumptious flavor in every bite.

This recipe is courtesy of Food 52 and will serve 6 to 8 people who will be grateful for all the work you put in to making your gathering so special. 

Ingredients for Roasted Potato Salad with Mustard-Walnut Vinaigrette:

For the Salad:

4 pounds mixed marble potatoes, or other small potatoes
1 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
1 bunch basil, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced crosswise

For the Vinaigrette:

2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons roasted walnut oil
1/4cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425° F and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

Wash and dry potatoes, then spread evenly between baking sheets.

Drizzle with olive oil and toss to evenly coat potatoes.

Sprinkle with freshly-ground black pepper and sea salt, then roast, shaking the pans occasionally, until potatoes are tender and browning (about 45 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes).

Make the vinaigrette:

Place garlic cloves on a cutting board, sprinkle with a generous couple pinches of sea salt, and chop and mash with the side of your knife until the clove breaks down into a salty paste.

Add garlic paste to a small bowl along with mustards, lemon juice, and vinegar.

Whisk to emulsify. Add olive and walnut oils and whisk vigorously to combine.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional sea salt and pepper.

When potatoes are done, transfer to a large bowl.

Add scallions, and dressing, and toss to coat.

Using the back of a mixing spoon or the end of a wooden spatula, roughly smash some of the potatoes to break the skins.

Allow dressed potatoes to sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes to one hour.

Just before serving, stir in walnuts and basil.

It’s that simple!