31 No-Stress Holiday Entertaining Tips

Day 31

Choose warm dishes, not hot

Lose the headache of choreographing cooking times and keeping multiple dishes hot when entertaining. For big family dinners, food writer Katherine Cobbs plans a menu around dishes that are as great at room temperature on the buffet as they are hot from the kitchen. "Think of recipes like a wild rice 'salad' with cranberries and pecans and sliced beef tenderloin," she says. "Plus, it's easier to keep a sauce for the meat hot than risk overcooking a pricey filet in an effort to keep it warm."

• 9 Low-Fat Holiday Desserts
• Cat Cora's Holiday Recipes Made Simple
• Simply Amazing Holiday Hors d'Oeuvres