Hosting a Ski Weekend

Oh, sure.  Our friends tell us that we’re the reason they come to visit.  But we have a sneaking suspicion that  the ski resort is really the main attraction and that our presence is sort of inconsequential to the skiing.

We love ski weekends.  Friends arrive in their big ol’ SUV’s, laden down with enough gear to make us wonder if they are staying for a month.  They move in, get settled, and we get down to the serious business of slumber partying.  These weekends give us extended time with our friends with a nice balance of go-time and down-time. 

Over the years, we’ve learned a couple of things about coming home after a day on the slopes.  One, everyone is usually in need of a snack.  And a beverage.  Pronto.  So, have those things at the ready to keep everyone from gnawing at the woodwork while the real food is prepared.  Nuts, veggies and dip, or cheese and crackers are great, easy snacks.  And, two, we’ve learned that everyone appreciates a good, home-cooked meal.  Hearty meals and comfort food are always popular, even with those that are pretty rigid about their diets on most days.  I guess what my dad used to say is true.  After a day of fresh air and playing outdoors, kids aren’t nearly as picky about what they eat. 

Here’s a first night menu from a recent weekend.  Because the pot pies and biscuits take a little prep time, I served them on the first night since I had time to prepare them during the day.  For the salad, one of my favorites is to chop up romaine, add a pear or two (that you’ve cut into chunks), dried cranberries, and pecan pieces (Fresh Gourmet has some Honey Roasted Pecan Pieces that are great in this salad).  My favorite dressing for this salad is the Lighthouse Pear Gorgonzola. Simple and a great side to this meal.

Since I had a bag of Meyer lemons in the refrigerator, and I knew one of our guests was a fan of all things lemon, I tweaked the tangerine mousse recipe slightly and made lemon mousse.  We served with a piece (or two) of dark chocolate, and everyone loved it.

We always have beer in the fridge, since many of our friends prefer beer.  And, we have plenty of both red and white wine on hand, to serve with dinner.

Menu:

• Cosmopolitans
• Chicken Pot Pies
• Buttermilk Biscuits
• Romaine Salad with Pears
• Lemon Mousse

And here’s what our party planner looked like: 

Two Days Before:

• Finalized the menus for the weekend and made the grocery list.
• Cleaned the bathrooms.

Day Before:

• Grilled the pork shoulder all day (for Sunday’s dinner.)  Put it in the oven overnight.
• Got all the grocery shopping done.
• Made a trip to the liquor store to buy more beer.

Day Of/ Morning:

• Shredded the pork and refrigerated it.
• Set the table.
• Made the dough for the pot pies and put it in the refrigerator to chill.
• Made the macaroni and cheese for Saturday night’s dinner.  Didn’t bake it but just refrigerated it.
• Made the lemon mousse.

Day of/ Afternoon:

• Made the chicken pot pies.
• Made the biscuits and started them rising.
• Tracked our guests’ arrival time and made sure I was out of the shower by the time they got here.
• Set out everything we needed to make the Cosmopolitans.
• Washed the romaine.
• Set out butter to soften for the biscuits.

Just Before Serving:

• Preheated the oven for the pot pies and biscuits.
• 30 minutes before dinner, started the pot pies baking.  (If you don’t have a double oven, bake biscuits and then the pot pies, and keep the biscuits covered to keep them warm.  Just back up your start time by about 15 minutes.)
• Put the salad together.
• Opened bottles of wine, lit the candles and poured water.
• Plated the pot pies, put the biscuits into a bread basket, everyone seated at the table, and dinner was served!