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Use Your Grill As An Extension Of Your Kitchen

There’s no getting around it: planning and hosting a holiday party is a lot of work, especially when it comes to the food. What you’re planning to cook, bake and serve will also affect how much time is needed to prepare everything. Most homes typically have just one oven and one stovetop, which can limit the amount of food that you’re able to actually prepare at any given time.

To help offset that, consider using your grill as an extension of your kitchen. It can serve as either a grill or as an oven, depending on what your needs are. Take a basic recipe and adapt it – your guests will be pleasantly surprised at the difference in flavour. Don’t be afraid to change things up. Do your appetizers or hors d’oeuvres on the grill this year as a tasty alternative to being prepared in a regular oven. Need something kept warm? The grill is perfect for that, too.

However you decide to use it, your grill can be a versatile and practical addition to your holiday party prep.

CREATE A MEMORABLE HOLIDAY OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE

If the weather’s not too frightful, take an indoor holiday party outside this year. All you have to do is make a few adjustments and – most importantly – make sure your guests have a place where they can get warm and nosh on holiday food and drink.

First things first. Make sure everyone is dressed for it. And do keep extra blankets, sweaters, toques or mittens on hand. Out on the deck? Consider one or two strategically placed patio heaters to help keep everyone comfortable. Add some winter activities – sledding, skating, skiing, for example – to help keep your guests warm.

As for the food, this is where your grill can take centre stage. Make sure the food is kept piping hot (pizza stones work great for this) and is easy to tuck into – finger food is always a good option although a pot of chili can be a surefire hit. Looking for some ideas? Think sliders, bites, breads and other appetizers. They can be prepared a tray or pan at a time and quickly replenished using your hot grill.