After dominating the basketball court for years, we love finding out that Lisa Leslie is just as skilled when it comes to holding things down at home, and has great tips for a low-stress holiday meal.
"Cooking is one of my favorite pastimes, but planning for the big meal takes time away from family and friends and adds stress to the season," Lisa shares. This year, Boston Market has partnered with the Women's Basketball Hall of Famer and 4x Olympic gold medalist to provide moms like us (she's a mom of two!), with even more holiday meal solutions.
"Here are some of my tips for removing stress from the holidays and adding more time to focus on family."
1. Make cooking a family affair - Invite all the cooks over to prepare their special dishes that can be prepared in advance two days before the holiday. It makes for great memories and family fun.
2. Start prep early - Prepare fresh vegetables like green beans and collard greens early Thanksgiving week. Cook them halfway then freeze them. Just don't forget to defrost the night before Thanksgiving to have amazing vegetables for the whole family.
3. Use prepared side dishes to help save time and frustration - Cooking everything from scratch can really add to your to-do list. "I like to buy a few prepared sides and make them my own. I love using sides from Boston Market to skip a few steps in my family recipes --for example, I'll pick up a side of Boston Market sweet potatoes and use it to make one of my favorite dishes, sweet potato casserole! I just crush the pecans and bake them and spread the, on top using brown sugar to add that carmelized touch. Then pop it in the over for about 45 minutes and it's done."
4. Let the kids help - As a mom, it can be hard to cook that big meal with little ones that need your attention. I always give my kids fun tasks so they can contribute--and I can multitask. For example, the kids will set the table, help decorate the house, or even decorate cookies and cupcakes. They also like to go with dad to run last minute errands on the big day as he prepares to fry the turkey.
5. Don't fret - Something could go wrong --it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a few mishaps. Don't let that worry you!
6. Make the kitchen a welcoming place - Carve out a place where friends and family won't be too in the way, then put some snacks out so they know they're welcome.
7. The dishes can wait - As the host, when you leave the table, you're leaving your guests.
8. Think about leftovers in advance - Think ahead about what needs to be reheated and how much oven, stove and microwave space you have. Sometime I will make a cold side dish like potato salad to save room and time heating.
Lisa also took time out of her busy schedule to chat exclusively with Mommynoire.com about her Thanksgiving traditions. Read on!
MOM: What's your favorite thing about Thanksgiving dinner?
LL: My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is right before we eat when we say the prayer and our kids say what they are thankful for. After a few days of preparing and grabbing my Boston Market sides, I just like to sit back and enjoy watching everyone eat.
MOM: Does your family set up a table just for kids or does everyone eat together?
LL: We do have a children's table that is not as fancy as the head table for kid reasons. I like my kids to enjoy the food and not have to worry about dropping or spilling, so that is why they sit at the kids table...and they have a great time.
MOM: What are some traditions you had as a kid that you’ve carried on with your own family?
LL: My biggest family tradition since I was a little girl happens the day after Thanksgiving. We heat up leftovers together and share a meal off the same plate.
The post How Lisa Leslie Does A Low-Stress Holiday Meal appeared first on MommyNoire.