Prepare a festive feast!

If you’re the one cooking this Christmas – or even if you’re just helping out in the kitchen while mom prepares the feast – we’ve got some tips and ideas to make sure that the preparations go smoothly.

The urge to go all out and try impress your guests can be strong, but you won’t regret choosing a simple menu that allows you to spend more time socialising and less time in the kitchen.

Drinks:

Stock up on drinks known for livening spirits like sparkling wines, white wines, rosés and some artisan beers while you’re at it. Avoid liquor known for dampening spirits like red wine and hard liquor – the festive season can be a stressful time, and there’s no need to heighten tensions. Want to know more about choosing and serving that ultimate festive drink, champagne? Just click here.

Remember to also serve non-alcoholic beverages. These aren’t just for those who don’t drink – those who are indulging should be able to do so more slowly and responsibly.

Food:

While traditionalists may prefer the painstaking hours spent preparing a turkey with all the trimmings, we recommend assembling, or better yet buying, a festive platter from a local deli.

A cold cut turkey platter is easy to prepare and perfect for leftovers: simply add an assortment of ham, salami and capicola to complete your platter. For refined variety, slice up some melon or cantaloupe, place some prosciutto on each piece, and place them in the oven for a couple of minutes.

No cold cut platter is complete without the perfect complimentary dish, and while cheese, grapes and sliced apples have become a platter staple; you might want to mix things up with an avocado, tomato and mozzarella salad. Just cut up each of the ingredients as you enjoy them – cubes work well – and toss with olive oil, lemon juice and black pepper.

Braai:

Considering how great the weather is this time of year, you might want to have an outdoor meal that allows you to soak up the sun while preparing the food. A requires little effort when it’s left in the right hands, so if you’re not the braaiing type, get the man in your life to help out.

Bread:

If you decide to go with cold cuts, be sure to serve some bread with them; baguettes and garlic bread are tasty with meat and cheeses. For an option that’ll keep you fuller for longer, try rye bread.

Vegetables:

Fatty food will definitely takes its toll on your body, so to avoid excess weight gain, have a platter of cucumbers, carrots, green peppers, and celery on hand. To encourage its consumption, you can camouflage the vegetables’ health benefits with sour cream and cheese dips.

Dip:

Along with the melted cheese and spicy salsa, sour cream, guacamole and bean dip are popular and go with just about any veggies. On page 153 of GLAMOUR’s December 2011 issue, we told you about the dips that are lowest in fat – and the good news is that guacamole and bean dip turned out to be two of the best. Another winner? Hummus. You can make your own or buy it readymade, and don’t forget to try some interesting variations… red pepper hummus tastes great and looks festive.