Forever Roasted Pork dinner last night was a wonderful success....

B

barbara-in-va

Well-known member
Even the most picky eater wiped his plate clean. (As I was tossing the Caesar Salad his wife asked if there were anchovies in the dressing, of course there were (I used anchovy paste), she whispered not to tell her DH because then he wouldn't eat it!)

Everyone was so complimentary. Most of this gang are none cooks but I got lots of requests for recipes!

The chocolate hearts were a first for me and they looked great on the platter. I did struggle with the mousse filling--THEN I read the reviews that said to choose another mousse. The mousse did turn out just a bit more firm than I thought it should be (I did not refrigerate, just put in a cool room downstairs) but still very good! I made the 3" hearts as described in the recipe but that was pretty big for one person to eat, I would suggest making them a bit smaller.

How do you all handle the stress of preparing a meal for guests? I get sooooo stressed out, banging headache and all. I worry and fret and drive DH nuts. Then it all turns out good and life is okay again. I would love to know how to avoid the stressed out part--maybe I should start drinking the wine when I get up in the morning????

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/1169

 
Barbara, I find that banging my head on the counter relieves the banging headache, lol. Seriously,

it's just very stressful. I'm a hypocrite here because I worry and fret and drive people crazy more than anyone I know, but it might help to put yourself in the guests' place: Will they really care if the mousse isn't perfect or the pork isn't absolutely crispy? Are they going to walk out if the salad dressing doesn't emulsify just so? If you remind yourself over and over that they're coming for a nice evening and you'll all have a good time even if you have to order pizza, it takes some of the pressure off.

But it's so hard to keep all that in perspective when you're in the middle of cooking a special meal.

Congratulations on a success, and I love the fact that you snuck anchovy paste into the picky eater! I've got to try that pork recipe.

 
Okay Joe, I'll try the "head on the counter top" trick next time! I keep thinking...

that if I invite people over more often I will grow out of my worries but it hasn't happened yet. However, you are right, it's the company that counts not the mousse that is a touch too firm.

PS I am glad to know that there is someone else out there that worries as much as I do......Thank you!

 
I'm a major worrier, too. I want everything to be perfect... or as perfect as possible...

I begin planning for my tea parties 3 weeks in advance (for 15 people)! It has gotten easier as I have learned that I don't NEED to make the sandwiches the morning of the party - they can be made the night before and hold quite well. I make up mixes, doughs, etc. all in advance. I've learned that the cookies don't have to be made HOURS before the party - I can make them 2 days ahead. I mix together dry ingredients in a ziploc and mark it, i.e. "chocolate chip scones". It's so much easier just grabbing a bag, dumping the wet ingredients right into the ziploc, and squishing it around.

Prepare as much in advance as possible. Salad dressings, washing lettuce, making chocolate hearts, getting out dishes, glasses, silverware and linen all in one place. DO AHEAD!!

That said, I still stress, but have found that I can have everything done earlier and spend an hour before the guests arrive with my eyes closed, deep breathing smileys/smile.gif

 
I find a cocktail, a glass of wine, or champagne to be good medicine about 15 minutes

before the guests arrive. smileys/smile.gif

 
Raise your right hand and repeat after me.....

"I swear to cook my best, to make sure no one goes home hungry, to relax and enjoy my guests. If something goes wrong, no one but me will know. And if they don't like it, well, they just won't be invited back!"

 
I don't stress over cooking anymore. I used to be pefect but I was boring

and people hated me, now I'm fun "-)))

I don't do "formal" dinners anymore. when my guests arrive I usually get them involved in helping me finish off the meal. they like helping and it's fun for all of us.

I had a real mess a few months ago when I made ravioli for the first time in years. I decided to follow the dough recipe exactly cause it had been awhile, huge mistake. there were too many eggs to get the right consistancy. I forged ahead anyway and managed to throw my hip out somewhere along the line but got the ravioli together and refrigerated.

by the time my friends arrived, I was in a lot of pain. I got the water boiling and was making a serious dent in a bottle of wine. I pulled the ravioli out of the frig and it was like silly putty... literally! between the pain and the wine, I started to pull on it watch it stretch and wiggle. one friend finally snatched it away from me as I was freaking out another friend..... they still tease me about it not because of the cooking faux pax but because of how funny my reaction to it was.

they threw some pasta in the water and we still had a great meal and lots of fun and really, that is all that mattered in the bigger scheme of things smileys/smile.gif

 
Repeating too, and thinking of Julia at the same time. she said to never fret or worry over

cooking disasters. Just forge ahead.

 
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