There are no shortages of cultures that take the holidays seriously, but it’s no secret that Cajun Country loves to party, and that the holiday season is the perfect excuse to do so. This is by no means a negative, but if you’re burdened with the responsibility of hosting this holiday season, it can be overwhelming. Luckily, we’ve come up with a few handy tips and tricks for making it easier on you and your family so you can spend less time being a host and more time enjoying yourself and the company of your loved ones.
Finger Foods and Drinks
One way to get the party to start itself while you’re cooking for a crowd is having handheld foods and drinks set up at self-serve stations. This buys time for completing other hosting-related tasks while ensuring your guests can start snacking and drinking without any help. In addition to a selection of cold beers, wines, liquor, mixers, and non-alcoholic options, you’ll want an insulated ice bucket and a variety of glasses (or disposable cups to minimize dishwashing). If you’re feeling generous, Billy’s tumblers and mugs make great party favors, and that will mean the guests take their dishes with them afterwards, too!
For finger foods, charcuterie boards are a great place to start (see our guide to Cajun charcuterie boards for inspiration). Furthermore, salty or savory snacks like pork skins, cracklins, party-size boudin balls, and slices of tasso or sausage served on toothpicks are all big crowd-pleasers that will curb any hunger before the main event.
Ready-To-Serve Appetizers
The time between cocktail hour and sitting down to eat can feel like a long time when guests are ready to get down to eating, so keeping it as short as possible is always the goal. Not only can this be done by having your appetizers prepped and ready to cook, it can also be achieved by buying ready-to-cook foods that are strictly heat-and-serve.
In addition to all of the holiday classics, opting for appetizers that don’t require any more work than a trip to the oven can be a real time-saver. Stuffed mushrooms, bell peppers, or deviled eggs (try topping them with pulverized cracklins or fried crawfish tails to give them a little something extra). You can also pre-make sausage balls with green onion sausage mix, pepper jack cheese, and biscuit dough for a bite sized snack that’s a guaranteed hit.
Cut Down on Prep Time
For the main event, be it a turkey, turkey roll, turducken, or a roast of some kind, the faster it’s in the oven, the better. Not having to stuff, season, and prepare turkey or turducken means one can start the baking process right away, so prepping ahead of time or ordering one that’s pre-made is ideal (it’s even possible to have one shipped anywhere in the US to save a trip to the butcher’s).
If, in addition to or in lieu of turkey, gumbo is being served, it can take a lot of time that’s better spent enjoying the company of loved ones, but it’s hard to say no to serving such a southern staple. There are a few corners you can cut while still making a delicious gumbo. For example, you can bypass the arduous process of making the perfect roux with a jar of Savoie’s roux, or you can even use Kary’s Gumbo Mix to expedite the process even further (we won’t tell if you won’t).
When Cooking for a Crowd, Keep it Simple
The best advice to give someone cooking for a crowd is probably to keep it as simple as possible. Cajun food is good because at its core, it is simple and rustic food that’s seasoned well and cooked with love. Similarly, a good holiday get-together is so memorable because it is spent with loved ones and not fretting over hosting duties or cooking extravagant meals. It’s always good to remember that it doesn’t have to be done alone, either. Don’t be too proud to enlist the help of a friend or family member if necessary!
Invite Billy’s Over This Holiday Season
In addition to great ready-to-cook foods that suit family meals, there’s lots of holiday cheer you can get from Billy’s Boudin and Cracklins! Boudin and cracklins make great gifts for Cajun expats and far-away food lovers, and we also sell gift cards and merchandise for the Billy’s lovers in your life.
Visit our online store to have all your favorites shipped straight to your door, anywhere in the US! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for news and special offers, too. Bon appetit!