Since the first day back after New Years, you’ve been counting the days to the next long weekend off from work.
Don’t deny it; we know you’re counting even now. And finally, the long Easter weekend is upon us – which you’ll take as time off, even if it’s not a holy day on your calendar.
The catch is, of course, that long weekends tend to come with some sort of a family feast.
And, at some point, it’s likely to be at your house.
If it’s your year, your time, your holiday, here are the tips you need to get through this family feast.
Plan to have some appetizers ready
Sure you’ll have way too much food and you’ll spend too much time preparing it, but you need something for people to snack on when they arrive.
Someone will always be hangry (quite possibly you). Someone will need to eat before they can take medication. And, someone will always be late, pushing back whatever time you planned to serve your family feast.
See if there’s something someone won’t eat
Your brother may have gone vegan. His wife may not tolerate gluten. Your dad may have just gotten some dietary advice from his doctor. So what if someone always ate something; do your job and check again.
Otherwise, people won’t just arrive hangry, they’ll leave that way too. (Usually, after a fight that could totally be featured on Saturday Night Live.)
Have at least one tried and true recipe on the menu
Don’t just make the same recipes you ate every year as a kid, recipes that you’ve never attempted to make yourself… Make at least one thing you know you can make well.
At the very least, choose one of our tried and tested Mad Dog recipes. Again, the risk of hanger lies thick in the air.
Don’t stress about the state of your house
Seriously, it’s your family and they already know you’re not perfect. Just do what you can and skip the rest.
Indulge in your love for Mad Dog 357 hot sauces
We strongly suggest you make a dish or two that has a serious kick to it – it keeps things from feeling stale and staid. But if your family just won’t tolerate the heat, bring out the best bottles you have and give your family a stern warning.
At the very least, you can dose your food with all sorts of capsaicin goodness and settle into the high that comes with it. Then, you can enjoy that SNL fight with tears of happiness in your eyes.
And, next year, remember not to volunteer to host a family feast at your home.
Need a bottle of Mad Dog hot sauce to get through the holiday?
Don’t just stick to your favorite. Use this as your excuse to spread your hot sauce wings (and perhaps scare some of your family away from inviting themselves over again).