Planned menu makes holidays more fun

In the hustle-bustle of the holidays, it is so easy to have good intentions go awry. Every year the reminder that you need to get on the stick and get organized to make the holidays happen, is exacerbated by the fact that the retailers can't seem to resist putting the holiday decorations out earlier and earlier.

I almost had a panic attack when I saw my local Wal-Mart unloading back-to-school supplies mid-July, and Halloween goodies by mid-August.

I may not have my holidays down pat by September, but I do have meal planning down to a science. During extremely busy times, like the holidays, I always fall back on these important tips:

1. Implement the 10 o'clock rule

Ideally, your meals should be planned out for the week. Not everyone is "there" yet, though. So here's a fall-back plan. if you know you'll be shopping in the afternoon or out doing some kind of holiday activity, make sure you have planned what you will be having for dinner the night before by 10 p.m. You need to also plan for enough time to make it.

If, on the other hand, you know you'll be home all day, but busy with baking, crafts, decorating, etc., make sure you have decided on dinner by 10 a.m. Pull out something to thaw, check ingredients — make sure you're ready to roll before the dinner hour and before you're forced to call the pizza guy again.

2. Use a servant

We all have them — those indentured servants that live in our dark cupboards in the kitchen. You know, the appliances that were going to make our lives easier, that we all just had to have? That crock pot is the ultimate indentured servant, waiting to whip up culinary wonders while we are out all day at work, shopping or whatever.

Plan a little time to get everything in the crock pot in the morning and leave the rest of it up to your servant, the crock pot.

It'll take care of everything and promises not to burn it, too. What more could a busy person want?

3. Go into a deep freeze

Next time you are making dinner, try doubling or even tripling that meatloaf recipe and freezing the extra portion. It really doesn't take much extra time, and believe it or not, if you stock your freezer this week, by the time the holidays are going full throttle, you should have a mini-mother lode of dinners just waiting to be thawed and heated. Now that makes freezer cooking a breeze!

4. Make it convenient