Regardless of how you celebrate the holidays, everyone can use tips to make our wonderful gluten-free foods last longer, look better, and taste great—with the least amount of time on your part. So, here are some tips I’ve gleaned from food magazines and my own experiences that can help you:
[1] Keep Cookies Fresh: All those cookies you got from friends, neighbors, or the annual cookie exchange will stay fresh longer with this trick: Sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar on the bottom of your cookie container and then line it with parchment paper. Layer the cookies on top and close the container tightly. The sugar will absorb excess moisture and keep your cookies fresh for up to 7 days (if they last that long!!!)
[2] Keep Mashed Potatoes Warm: Getting all the food onto the table during the last frantic moments before a big meal can challenge even the most experienced cook. Here is what the pros do: Mash the potatoes as usual (with perhaps about ¼ cup extra liquid) and then place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water and cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. The potatoes will stay warm for up to 2 hours, while you take care of all the other dishes.
[3] Use Your Slow-Cooker: Dishes that can stand for a long time on low heat, such as mulled wine or cider, beans, some casseroles, etc. can go into the slow-cooker long before serving time (even if you didn’t prepare them in it) and they’ll stay warm. You can also serve foods from your slow-cooker, freeing up one more baking dish for something else.
[4] Salvage Over-Whipped Cream: If you accidentally over-whip the heavy cream for the pumpkin pies and it becomes grainy, simply add a little bit more cream and whip again just until the graininess disappears.
[5] Keep Bread Warm without Drying it Out: When I bake gluten-free bread, I like to bake it just before the guests arrive and then slice it just before serving to retain its freshness. If the bread has cooled, slice it and pile it into a microwave-safe wicker basket, cover with a cloth napkin, and microwave it on very Low power (about 20 percent) for just long enough to warm it…then serve it immediately. Resist the temptation to “zap” it on High power because that makes it gummy at first, but then very hard as it cools.
[6] Cover Desserts with Cake Dome: Invest in an inexpensive cake platter with a dome and place your layer cake (or pie) in it, covered with the dome. It looks lovely and enticing, yet keeps the dessert from drying out or (worse yet) from pesky fingers that want a sample before dinner.
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