Prepare Your Kitchen for the Holidays

TKSI traditional kitchen portfolio red walls

Congratulations! You managed to survive Thanksgiving cooking. Now Christmas is getting closer by day. It is essential to be one step ahead of the holidays and get ready for any unexpected situation. If you stay organized and prepare on time, your dinner parties for friends and family can be fun and memorable. Let your kitchen be remembered for all the good reasons, not for the tragic memories of things gone wrong.

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Great design and great looks =
An amazing kitchen ready to host

Before even thinking of your menu, you need to get your kitchen in shape and this means an extensive cleaning and organizing. Let’s start with the macro cleaning and help you get your amazing kitchen looking very presentable.
First of all, remove the clutter from tables and countertops. Organize any pending mail and bills that may still be piled on your counters, and put away all important papers. You don’t want your guests finding a reason to offer you “sharp economic suggestions” in front of your parents and in-laws. Nor do you want an important note lost in a pile of dirty napkins.  Don’t have the kids do it. If you want this one thing done right for this one day of the year, make time to do it yourself.

Show off your great looking countertops

Thoroughly clean your table and countertops. Remember our tips on how to avoid stains from your kitchen countertops. You’ll have lots of family members over and spills should not ruin the evening for you.
Cool idea with a fake fire place built into the design from Masterbrands
This should get you started. But we have more suggestions to help you clean your kitchen and proudly receive your guests to the holiday party.
Get ready for the cooking and avoid last minute issues during the event, like cooking by new recipes that you haven’t tried before by yourself.
Don’t forget to address any source of unpleasant smells in your kitchen. For instance, trash cans. Go outside and wash them out with a pressure hose and some dish soap. Disinfect all bins with a cleaning spray and make sure you have extra trash bags, too. You will need them!
Feeling ready to show off your beautiful kitchen? If you’re not too proud of that part of the house, let’s add a full kitchen remodel to your New Year’s Resolutions

Ensuring the Success of Your Holiday Party

Happy Holidays in Denver

Thanksgiving7Just like we were discussing on our last post. December could be a very stressful month because of the holiday and dinner parties. Nonetheless, with the proper care and anticipation, you can avoid going insane.
We already went over tips and suggestions to organize and cleaning your kitchen. Today, we want to share some tips to stay on top of the situation and be ready for the unexpected at the party.

Before Hitting the Menu

It is imperative to take inventory of any basic supplies that you’re missing, and purchase or borrow them before the party. Check your utensils, cookware, serve ware, spice cabinet, cooking oils, canned goods and other pantry necessities. Now, before doing this, get rid of any expired food, stale chips and cereal boxes. You need space for all the new snacks, ingredients and leftovers you are about to stock in. Therefore, a well-organized space is a must.

TKSI designer Keilan Stockham's portfolio imagesCleaning the Fridge

We kept this one out from our previous post because the refrigerator requires special care. First of all, it needs to be cleaned from the inside out. You can bet people are going to be opening and closing it all day long.
Get rid of any old vegetables or fruits and any old food container. All of them are usually a source of bad odors. Remove your refrigerator shelving and wash it in the sink with dish soap. Dry the shelves with a dishtowel, and make sure they’re secure when putting them back in the fridge.
A common mistake is overfilling the fridge so cold airflow gets blocked. Clean the cold air vents and make sure no food or condiments are blocking the vents so that the fridge stays nice and cool throughout the evening. Also, replace any burned-out lights.

Be a Good Host

You need to be on top of your game if you want to survive any major events in your kitchen.  Same goes for a dinner party. Go over your guests list and as you double check attendance, check for food allergies or restrictions. Have non-alcoholic beverages available for kids and people who don’t drink.
Perfect basement wetbar solution or butlers pantry design. Kitchen Craft Cabinetry #kitchendenver #denverhomeremodel #kitchenshowcase #thekitchenshowcase #kitchencraft #cabinetsdenverOnce you figure out your dinner or party menu, make a list of everything you’ll need and post it on the fridge or your handy message board. Make an inventory of your ingredients and check out what’s missing.
Go over basic stuff such as flour, salt, pepper, butter and olive oil. “All the time I am pretty sure I have some ingredient, just to prove myself wrong, right in the middle of cooking.”
It is pretty helpful to have extra snacks, quick meals and plenty coffee on hand for your guests. The party could get extended and you might have to get creative to keep them happy and entertained.
Replace the old ice with fresh. Old ice can catch a funny taste from all the stuff you freeze in it and it could leave a bad taste in your drink. Take time to toss the old one away and make a full new batch for all of your guests.

Safety First

I know we are talking about holiday parties. Nonetheless, accidents do happen, and it is better to be prepared. Make sure to keep children away from the kitchen. Think of adapting a playing area for them. Set it up with video games, books, toys and anything that can be fun for them.
Make sure to block stairs and dangerous areas and check your smoke detector. Also, keep on hand your first aid kit and make sure none of your guest is allergic to any of the food you are about to serve. “Do yourself a favor and avoid the gluten free speech from an unhappy guest”.

Everything in Place

best cabinets DenverMake sure you have enough serving dishes, plates and utensils for all of your guests. Especially if you are using fancy ones.  If you choose disposables or “not-so-nice” silverware or plates, make sure everyone gets a similar set, at least per table. Set up place cards, centerpieces, candles, napkin holders and cloth napkins with enough time to have them nice and ready. Fix the decorations over your table and countertop. But make sure they are not in the way for preparations, children running around or people trying to a hold conversation over a tall centerpiece.
Finally, stock up on enough disposable containers and food wrap for leftovers. Whether you plan on giving them away or enjoying them over the upcoming days, you want to make sure it’s easy to clean up after a nice, long dinner.
Most importantly have a good time and enjoy the party. If you get stressed, it won’t matter how good the party goes, guests will notice and will not be able to relax. Happy Holidays!
TKS Traditional Crestwood

Make sure your kitchen appliances are ready to party!

Kitchen appliances

Did you know this is the busiest time of year for home appliance repairmen?

Is everything in your kitchen working perfectly? If don’t want any extra guests (the emergency repair crew) over for Christmas, follow the tips of appliance pros  so they can spend time with their families over the Holidays, instead of hanging out in your kitchen while you should be cooking and relaxing.
Let’s make sure everything you need to throw the party, and clean up afterward, actually works as it should! We went through the tips for cleaning and organizing your kitchen, we’re sure you did all that! Now let’s look inside the appliances and make sure those are in top working condition and clean.
 
Happy Holidays in Denver

Before you get busy preparing for the party…

The most tragic thing that ever happened to me (and my amazing new kitchen) was for Christmas 2013, right after we got done remodeling. We invited both sides of the family. Parents, in-laws, sibling and kids, and then some. We thought it would be fun to make it a whole day event, so we started early. The menu was exciting, everything was ready, cookie dough was out of the freezer. What could go wrong?
It feels like everything did! Oven didn’t work well, something was making a horrible noise, the garbage disposal was smelly, the fridge started dripping, the ice tasted bad…. Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating. But it felt that tragic. And everyone was over and watching. It was not a success. The good thing about starting early was we had time to change plans and ordered in. That was not the plan. So I promised myself I would always remind people to check all their necessary appliances BEFORE the guests arrived and the party started. If you discover today that anything needs fixing, a week is enough time to get a repairman or change plans.
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Check and clean the oven with time

Begin with the oven, one of the most important. Know that this is not a good time to run the self-clean cycle on the oven. It requires the oven to get very hot any old food burning up inside can fill the house with nasty odors that won’t go away easily. On the other hand, the self-cleaning function is really stressful on the oven and can actually trigger a breakdown, threatening the success of your holiday party.
To clean the oven properly, remove all racks. Use baking soda and water and apply all over the inside, remember to spray the bottom and walls of the oven. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then scrub with warm water.

Don’t forget your microwave

Place a microwave-safe cup full of water with a shot of liquid detergent in the oven and run it on high for a couple of minutes. Let the steam stand inside to soften buildup, then wipe clean with a soft cloth.

Your best friend the dishwasher

Remember you are going to be using way more dishes than usual and this is when you look at your dishwasher and realize how much you love it. Therefore, it is important to make sure it runs efficiently. The dishwasher washes stuff, but it doesn’t wash itself. To clean it properly, run the dishwasher empty except for a cup of vinegar on the top shelf. Check the drain and clean off any residue. Wipe off the rim of the door and the door gasket, using white vinegar and a sponge to remove any gunk. Clean the filters under the lower rack.
dishwasher tips

Now you can focus on friends, family and quality time together, knowing your appliances are working perfectly. Enjoy the Holidays!