A Few Simple Shortcuts To Make Hosting Thanksgiving Easier
CHICAGO (CBS) -- We all know the stress that comes with hosting Thanksgiving – but you can ease your holiday with a few simple shortcuts.
Lifestyle expert Nekia Nichelle joined CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot on Saturday with some of her favorite ways to make being the host more enjoyable.
First, here are some time-savers that can reduce prep times in the kitchen and ensure you have that extra time with family:
• Premadonna Cookware's 14-1 multifunctional pressure cooker. It's simple and easy – you can set it and forget it. It also cooks at half the normal cooking time, and you can sauté, slow cook, steam, and even make baby food.
• The Negg has cracked the code on peeling eggs – cold water and some shaking is all it takes. Nichelle says it makes perfect deviled eggs every time, and Negg also now markets deviled egg seasoning mixes.
• The Drink Perfector makes preparing beverages for the holidays easier. Guests can enjoy their beverages at their optimal temperature within seconds – through a mechanism that moves the fluid through a copper coil while never touching ice. It's ideal for coffee, tea, cocoa, wine and bourbon, tequila, cognac, Nichelle says.
Nichelle's second tip is to distract – when guests arrive and you're still prepping, you can find something else for them to do. Nichelle notes the easiest options are food, drinks, and holiday activities.
• Nichelle notes that she often creates as cheese board with an array of cheeses, nuts, fruits, jams, and spreads. For ideas there, Cheeses of Europe helps pair cheeses with wine or beer, provides retailers near you, and even provides advice on cutting and storing cheeses.
• And how about the kids? Get them involved by decorating the Christmas tree, as some do at Thanksgiving. Nichelle suggests Magic Ornaments – collapsible ornaments that go from being completely flat to 3D in seconds. They are safe and easy for kids, and change colors when you flip them over.