As a chef, I have experience in knowing when I can cook certain dishes and what I can heat up to make all of the dishes for Christmas dinner ready to serve at the same time. Home cooks don’t know that, because they don’t cook for that many people on a regular basis; yet, they want to cook a very special meal, something they don’t cook for the everyday table.

My best advice is to plan a smart menu, something that does not require everything going into the oven at 350 degrees at the same time. Don’t overcommit yourself, or you might find that you will have to spend all your time in the kitchen instead of enjoying the company of family and friends.