7 Ways To Ruin Holiday Dinners

Whatever the case may be, here are some holiday hang-ups that are more common than you think. And at least get a good laugh at knowing you’re not alone.

Holiday help: Whoa, sister! Before you mangle your menu, let’s have turkey talk. First, choose the right size turkey for your crowd. When roasting, check the temperature often and be sure to baste. Then, use the proper carving technique for the best cuts of meat. For more details, check out Turkey 101.

Holiday help: Before you call Jenny, there are healthier versions of traditional recipes that cut way back on the fat and calories. (See Cooking Light’s Ultimate Holiday Cookbook.) And remember portion control...just because your hubby goes back for seconds and thirds, doesn’t mean you have to. Now reward yourself by celebrating in that little black dress!

Holiday help: You can have your picturesque table and entertain the kids, too. Children and adults alike will appreciate a kid-friendly zone. Give the little ones a kid-sized table setting, fill their tummies with our kid-approved vegetables, and provide activities for them to enjoy after dinner. Now, if you could only get them to wash the dishes...

Holiday help: Look on the bright side...of your dishes, that is. It’s better to have too much food than not enough (at least that’s what my mother told me). So bring new life to your leftovers—like using veggies and potatoes in an Easy Shepherd’s Pie. This way, dinner is taken care of for a few nights, and you’re not left staring at a fridge full of plastic containers.

Holiday help: Unless you want to be known as the neighborhood Scrooge, uninviting guests is not an option. The keys to creating a traditional dinner in a small space are slow-cooker and make-ahead recipes. And try a turkey breast in lieu of a 20-pound bird. You can have your big dinner in a small space, it just takes a little extra planning.

Holiday help: Those three little words (mother-in-law) cause coronaries across the country. Because different meals call for different table settings, your stress is justified. But there is hope. Thanks to MyHomeIdeas.com, you can download all sorts of table-setting cheat sheets. Another bit of advice: You may want to try some simple holiday sides so you have plenty of time to set the table and do whatever else you may need to before the in-law arrival.

Holiday help: If you’re Cinderella, consider MyRecipes your Prince Charming and our Holiday 911 Guide your glass slippers. Lumpy gravy? No self-rising flour? No worries, we’ve got answers to all of your last-minute questions. And if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, go to your Fairy Food Mother, I mean our resident expert Marge Perry. And may this holiday be a happy holiday!