Nothing says holidays around here like a steaming heap of tamales.  And nothing accompanies them better than rice and beans.  But that can be a lot of work.  So it goes with those dishes that are born of family gatherings, where the preparation is part of the ceremony, and the longer the anticipation, the greater the satisfaction. 

But there’s nothing wrong with outsourcing a little of the work.  You could ask someone to bring the sides, but that can be, well, risky—like that time everyone brought salad.  Tell you what: you do the tamales, we’ll take care of the rest.  Go ahead and take the credit too—we won’t say a word.