If you’re feeling crushed by the need to get a million and one things done before next Friday, follow this chill pill plan for today.

By the end of this evening, you will have spent some quality time with someone you love AND crossed some things off your shopping list. If you have small children that you need to get to bed, hold off baking the appetizer (and guest arrival) until after they are down.

12pm: Call a good friend, significant other, or spouse and invite them to get in the holiday spirit and do some armchair shopping with you this evening.

5:00pm: Pick up some frozen puff pastry, three onions, two apples, some sour cream (and olive oil if you need it) from the store on your way home from work.

6:30pm: Put the puff pastry out to thaw

7:00pm: Make a delicious onion tart appetizers.
– Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
– Chop up the onions into thin rings and the apples into small pieces.
– Put 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil in a skillet and cook the onions and the apples until they are caramelized/soft (about 8-10 minutes)
– Unfold the puff pastry and place it to bake on a flat cookie sheet. Spread sour cream on top of the puff pastry, leaving about 1/2 inch uncovered around each edge. Evenly cover the pastry with the caramelized onions and apples.
– Bake until golden brown (about 20 minutes)

Onion tarts - delicious and easy!

8:00pm: Munch on your appetizers and brainstorm with your guest/spouse on gifts for five people on your list and their list.

8:45pm: Go shopping for those gifts online and have them wrapped and shipped to where they need to go.