Sawyers-Specialties Blog

(NAPSI)—As the holidays get closer, it can be easy to feel like there is too much to do and too little time. Fortunately, there is no need to panic.

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to make the holidays simple and stress free, cutting down on chaos and making more time for what matters most: family and friends. Now is the best time to utilize your Amana brand appliances to make the mixing, cooking, prepping and baking easy. Here are some tips:

Start with smart planning. Two weeks before guests arrive, look over your recipes and write out your menu to make shopping quick, organized and easy. Stock up the week prior to the main event and store produce in your refrigerator crisper to keep it fresh.

Make as much as you can ahead of time. A week before the main event, take a closer look at the menu. What can you make ahead of time? Prep deli meats and cheeses and make what you can of your appetizers and even side dishes. Set them on a serving platter and store in the refrigerator. All you have to do is unwrap and serve when your guests arrive.

Make good use of your microwave. With your side dishes already prepped, pop them in the microwave so they’re ready to serve in seconds. Reheat as needed during your dinner and—of course—use your microwave when feasting on leftovers.

Let the freezer be your friend. Whether you’re hosting a big holiday dinner or bringing a dish to pass, if your schedule is hectic—fear not. Freeze cookies, dessert bars and breads. Thaw them out and you’re good to go. Keep a few extra batches on hand in the freezer during the busy holiday season and never be left empty handed.

Clean as you go. Just like whistling, try cleaning up while you work. Keep dishes moving from the counter to the dishwasher so they’re ready when you need them. It’ll keep you from facing a mountain of cleanup at the end of the night.

With a head start on holiday planning, entertaining friends and family couldn’t be any easier or more enjoyable. And that’s really the whole point of the holidays.

For more useful tips, visit www.amana.com.

It’s almost time for American thanksgiving and for those cooking the big meal, it’s time to start planning. Locally the frozen turkey’s are going on sale and if you’re buying locally fresh, don’t waste any time, they may already be sold out.

Make your list of main course(s), side dishes and desserts, check your pantry and make your shopping list of all the ingredients you’re going to need. This time of year, more than over makes it easy to overspend, and impulse buy, just adding unnecessary cost to your holidays (I couldn’t help buying leftover discounted halloween candy.. I’m a sucker for Laffy Taffy).

Many home made pies can be prepared in advance and frozen to help make the actual holiday less hectic (I cook the Christmas meal and personally, I like to put the turkey in the oven and crawl back in bed for an hour)

If you’re thinking of trying something new this year, now is the time to try it out in advance and if it’s not as good as you thought it would be, you still have time to adjust your menu and try again.

Are you making your centerpieces (or having the kids help), this is definitely a “do ahead” project and not a night before stress to think about.

Here’s a funny article on the

Ten Steps to a Less Than Perfect Thanksgiving

Remember, this is the NOT to do list

#5 Begin to defrost your turkey on Thanksgiving morning. You know how magazines tend to exaggerate how long it takes to defrost and roast those little gobblers. And who cares if dinner’s not ready until 9:00 p.m.?

It’s that time again for many of us to “turn the clocks back” ending Daylight Saving Time. Your local fire department also reminds you that now is the time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors. I know that batteries can be expensive. Look for coupons or special sales, but don’t skip this. With the holidays right around the corner and winter heating in full swing for many of us, fire risks are serious. If your battery operated smoke detectors are more than 10 years old, it may be time to replace the entire smoke detector. Just like any piece of electronics, they wear out and don’t work as well (or at all). Simple smoke detectors can cost under $20 each and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can cost under $40 each. Replacing just one a year even on a tight budget is very do-able.

Smoke detectors are often your first chance at saving your property and maybe your life.

More information on fire safety:

Now is a great time to look at one more common household fire starter: your clothes dryer. Do you clean your lint trap after every load of laundry? That’s not the only place that link collects. Here’s an excellent video on how to clean your dryer.

Even if you don’t want to take your dryer completely apart, taking off the vent (the silver tube) and pulling out any visible lint is extremely easy in most cases and allows you to reach into the machine as well. You can a purchase dryer cleaning kit that allow you to vacuum out the inside of your dryer without removing screws and cover plates. I personally use one from Flylady.net that works very well for me.

Simple tips for clothes dryer safety