There Is No Substitute for Planning

You’ll have more time to visit with your weekend guests if you shop ahead and do as many advance preparations as possible. Here’s Tarla Fallgatter’s game plan:

One week ahead: Make mushroom roulade, freeze. If desired, make cranberry muffins and fig bread and freeze.

Thursday: Go shopping. Make puffs for puffs with creamed mushrooms; store in airtight container.

Friday: Do last-minute shopping. Make cake layer for lemon curd cake. Make beef and vegetable stir-fry.

Friday night: Make melon balls with mint and baked apples for Saturday lunch.

Saturday morning: Make spicy shrimp and refrigerate. Make breakfast frittata and poached fruit.

Saturday late morning: Make Chinese burritos. Make butternut squash soup and refrigerate.

Saturday late afternoon: Make creamed mushrooms for puffs and place all other buffet items on table. Place mushroom roulade in refrigerator to thaw. Make buche de noel and refrigerate.

Sunday morning: Place store-bought breakfast items on table. Steam Chinese string beans for dinner and refrigerate. Before lunch, toss salad.

Sunday afternoon: Make fresh cranberry sauce, to be reheated before serving. Prepare meat for roasting. Before putting meat in oven, gather all ingredients for cognac sauce and rice. Cook rice. Make cognac sauce as meat cooks. Add cream to soup while heating. Reheat rice, if necessary, before serving. Reheat cranberry sauce and keep both sauces warm while placing food on table.