Preparing for the Holiday Party

It's been one busy week at our household. Getting the Christmas decorations down from the attic, planning the menu for the annual Christmas party, making crafty decorations, and getting the Christmas letter ready. (Note to all Nanas out there---don't forget any of your grandbabies in the letter) It doesn't seem like there are enough hours during the day. And on top of it all, we had to follow the hiring of our new head football coach here in Nebraska. Nebraska fans are kind of "crazy", but I think the new guy will be a good fit. Anyway.........


Here's a recipe that I used many times when my kids were little, and time was short. It's from my 30 year old Campbells Soup cookbook.

Skillet Franks and Noodles

1 lb. hot dogs, cut in half diagonally
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 t. basil or oregano leaves
2 T. butter or margarine
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup (I have used both, and either is tasty)
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. chopped tomatoes ( if your kids don't like tomato, it works without)
2 c. cooked wide noodles
2 T. chopped parsley

In the skillet ,brown the hot dogs and onion in the butter. Add the basil or oregano. Stir in the remaining ingredients and heat through, stirring occasionally. Makes 4 c.

cooking tip: I like to buy good hot dogs. (natural casings are especially good) I think the
extra money they cost, makes them tastier.

NOW: Prepping for the party:

I love to throw a Christmas party. It's a good time to get together with old friends, and enjoy good food and good conversation. When I give a party during the holidays, I prefer to make all the food myself. It actually makes it easier for me. I can do little things ahead of time and set up the buffet myself, allowing me to control the amounts and types of foods that fits my counter space and serving dishes.

No offense to all you "pot luckers", but my house has a medium size kitchen and small dining room. When people bring food to this type of party, I often can't find the counter, table space, or serving dishes necessary to do their food justice. In the summer, I have a lot more room on my deck and things are really low key. Lots of space outside.

Since you are making the food yourself, plan easy-to-make menu items, lots of finger foods, and small appetizers that can be made the day before, then popped into the oven a few minutes before the party begins. What follows is the menu I will be using next weekend for our Holiday Party. Recipes follow.

Easy Party Menu and Recipes for 30 people.

2 - 3 lbs. cooked, shelled, and deveined shrimp

pressed appetizer sandwich, sliced

glazed Italian meatballs

clam dip with chips

Ro-tel cheese dip with Fritoes or Doritoes

Bruscetta spread with "olive oil and cracked pepper" Triscuits

Marinated black olives, artichoke hearts, and button mushrooms on a tray with cheese cubes

and small pieces of sausages

Dill pickle pinwheels

Toasted crab wedges

Mini baked cheese bites

Mixed nuts and mints

Mini eclairs and mini cream puffs

Veggies and dip

Crackers with cream cheese and jalapeno pepper jelly

Kalamata Stuffed Mushrooms

I make enough food for 30 people, but serve the appetizers on small serving trays or plates, so guests can eat a little of everything. Then as the serving plates are emptied of food, take them back into the kitchen, wipe off any of the "globs", and refill. This allows the cold foods to remain cold in the fridge, and hot food comes right out of the oven. If you put everything out at once, things get funky looking and stale. We all have our friends who "double dip" from one appetizer to the next, and taking the food out little by little, keeps things looking great. This usually makes less time for you, but my idea of a party is to keep the guest happy, full, and visiting with other guests. It's not about me. Now for the party recipes.

Cold shrimp with cocktail sauce.

Buy your shrimp frozen, cooked, and peeled, with tails on or off. Keep them on ice until party time, then pat them dry before serving. You can place them in a bowl set in or on a layer of ice. I like the medium shrimp, not the giant or small. Some people like the shrimp in a ring with the sauce that comes with it. I don't like the texture. I prefer the frozen shrimp that can be defrosted the day before. To make the cocktail sauce, mix ketchup and horseradish to taste. You can also buy cocktail sauce in the jar. (It doesn't have enough horseradish for me.) Place the sauce in a small bowl in the middle of the pile of shrimp. Place some quartered lemons on top of the shrimp, for those who prefer to add lemon to their plate.

Tip: One year, in a hurry to get everything on the table, I forgot to put out the small bowl of sauce. When I was refilling appetizer plates on the buffet table, I noticed that the shrimp wasn't being eaten. I didn't figure it out until one of the guests asked me for ketchup for the shrimp. I immediately put out the sauce, but people were already full, so I was stuck with a lot of leftover shrimp. Now I check everything twice, 30 minutes before the party starts. That allows me extra time to fix stuff.

Pressed Appetizer Sandwich Recipe

1 (9 3/4-ounce) jar green olive salad, drained and chopped

1/4 c. chopped black olives ( one small can)

1 large celery stalk, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce, divided

1 bacquette loaf of bread

3 T olive oil

1/2 lb salami sliced deli thin (you can use other meats if you like)

1/2lb ham sliced deli thin

1/2lb thinly slice provolone cheese

(sliced roasted red pepper strips if you like, but don't use very many. they can make the sandwich to thick for pressing. You can also use some thin slices of red onion, but again, not too much , making the sandwich too thick)

In bowl, combine olive salad, black olives, celery, and 1 tsp tabasco sauce. Mix well. Cut bread in half lengthwise. Remove some soft bread from the top and bottom, allowing room for the meats and cheese. You will have to trim the meat and cheese to fit the width of the bread. If the meat and cheese hang outside the bread, it will come apart when sliced. Just put the trimmings into the sandwich. Combine olive oil and the remaining 1/2 tsp tabasco sauce. Brush on inside of the bread. Place olive mixture in the bottom bread, and top with meats and cheese. Replace top. Cut the sandwich in half . Now the tricky part.

Wrap the sanwich tightly (and I do mean tightly) in Saran Wrap. ( I use Reynold clear wrap, because it sticks to itself ). Wrap it more than once, so that the sandwich is pressed together. Place a tray or cookie sheet on top and lightly weight the sheet down. This makes the sandwich press together, creating a type of pinwheel effect when sliced. Refrigerate overnight.

On the next day, slice sandwich into one inch pieces. Lay them cut side down on a plate or in a container. Taste one of the pieces. If too dry, brush each piece lightly, with a mixture of olive oil and white basalmic vinegar. Place plastic wrap on that layer, add more slices, and continue brushing with vinegar if needed. Continue with the layering until you've used all the slices.

This is a great recipe for a tailgating party. Easy to make the night before, and easy to transport. For my party of 40, I will double the recipe.

Italian Meatbells with Glaze Recipe

1 to 1 1/2 lb frozen Italian meatballs (I use Schwann's, but you could use any pre-cooked frozen meatballs)

Glaze

2 T. brown sugar

1/2 c. Cranberry cocktail

10 ounce jar apple jelly

1 jar chili sauce

2 tsp lemon juice

Heat all ingredient in sauce pan, until jelly melts. Pour over cooked meatballs. Keep them warm in some sort of crock pot or fondue pot.

Clam Dip Recipe served with Potato Chips

1 - 8 ounce package of cream cheese

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 can of minced or chopped clams, liquid reserved

1/ tsp garlic powder

Mix softened cream cheese with reserved juice, one Tablespoon at a time, until mixture is the consistency you want. Add the other ingredients. You may want more garlic powder or more Worcestershire to your taste. Serve with chips.

This is a recipe taught to me by my mother-in-law. Everyone in the family makes it a little different, depending on their families' tastes. Once you add it to your recipe box, you will make it a lot.

Ro-tel Queso Dip Recipe

Mix a 10 ounce can of Ro-Tel with a 16 ounce package of Velveeta Prepared Cheese ( I use Mexican Velveeta Cheese. It makes is spicier) cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat in the microwave for 5 minutes. Stir after 3 minutes. Keep warm in a crock pot or fondue pot. Stir a lot. Serve with Fritoes or Doritos.

"Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil" Triscuits and Bruschetta Spread Recipe

1 tub soft cream cheese, softened

2 T chopped fresh basil

1 clove garlic crushed

1/2 c diced tomatoes ( I use drained canned tomatoes)

1/2 c. chopped cucumber ( during the winter, I use an English cucumber)

1/2 c sliced green onions

sliced black olives to taste

2 T. Italian dressing

Mix cream cheese, basil garlic and 2 T dressing. Spread on a plate and make an indent in the center. Combine tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and dressing. Spoon into indent. Serve with crackers.

Marinated olives, artichoke hearts, and button mushrooms

Put above ingredients in a large reclosable bag. Pour Italian dressing over mixture to coat them. Leave overnight. Drain before placing them on a sectioned plate.

More recipes later: