The Christian Homekeeper™

Since I regularly have large crowds of people to our home to eat and hang out, and I have a large one coming sometime in May, I thought I’d take time to tell you what all I do to prepare for a crowd. It is handy to know a few tips and short cuts so that when a group of missionaries or family comes in to town, you don’t feel so panicky when they ask to come to your house

Someone once asked me how I got accustomed to having large groups over and didn’t it stress me. I just dove right in and asked people over. I don’t try to impress people, I just try to provide something good, some good company and a nice clean space to move around in. And no, it doesn’t stress me unless I think I don’t have enough food made!

Most people don’t come to your house to be impressed or to critique you and your house. And if they do, that’s their problem, I have better things to do than to worry over what someone thinks about my house and cooking!

Here are the basic steps I follow:

* Plan a simple, delicious, satisfying meal that consists of a main course, a carbohydrate, a vegetable, a salad and a dessert.
* Don’t be afraid to ask your guests to being a dish of food to share.
* Provide ice and water in addition to your regular beverage.
* Make tea and other beverages ahead of time and refrigerate so you won’t need so much ice.
* Cook everything possible ahead of time. Utilize that Crockpot!
* Set the table the night before.
* Set a separate table for young adults and older children. Make it as pretty as the main table.
* Make sure your centerpiece is not too tall to hold conversation across the table.
* Use thick paper plates and napkins if you feel you don’t have enough china or glass dishes to go ’round.
* Provide separate, small plates for dessert.
* Make sure you have plenty of seating. We borrow chairs from church.
* Set your kitchen up as a buffet area to keep the dining table free of things.It just makes it nicer when the table is clear.
* Use a large piece of wood, covered with fabric to lay over your sink to give more room for setting up the buffet.
* Count and lay out your serving dishes the day before.
* Use an ice chest for ice and canned drinks.
* Assign one or two persons to fill glasses with ice before the meal.
* Assign one person to prepare the salad, if you choose an older woman you won’t even have to direct her!
* Assign someone to ask a blessing long before the meal so it doesn’t surprise them too much.
* If you have lots of children coming, find something interesting for them to do before and after the meal. I sometimes cover their table with a white paper table cloth and provide crayons and water color markers.

I am having 17 people for dinner in May. My family plus three other families. It is a planning event for a worship service in June. Here is the menu:

* Coconut chicken (I will fill three crockpots and use the leg and thigh portions)
* Rice ( I will prepare ahead of time and reheat)
* Roasted asparagus (I will cook these 30 minutes, cover and finish cooking when we get home from church. It should take about another 15 minutes)
* Green salad with dressing on the side - lots of greens from the garden by then, herbs, tomatoes, etc.
* Yeast rolls - will make ahead of time
* Choice of fresh coconut cake or rice pudding, both made ahead of time.

© 2008 Sylvia Britton