Drinking to the New Year . . .

New Year's Eve and the best place to be on a busy night is home by the fire with friends and family. No need to deal with the drunken drivers and rowdy crowds. A nice way to welcome in the New Year and remember the milestones of 2013 is conversation over a tangy drink. Party Fruit Punch 1 quart apple cider 1 cup fresh orange juice 1/2 cup pineapple juice 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 cinnamon stick 6 whole cloves A tiny pinch of allspice Simmer all the ingredients together until hot and fragrant. Busy day? Put them all in a crock pot four hours ahead of your party. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can add a nip or two of your favorite 'stronger' beverage and turn it into an adult drink. Hot Spicy Cider 1 gallon apple cider (apple juice is okay, too) 6 cinnamon sticks Generous pinch of whole allspice 10 whole cloves Three strips of Lemon zest Three strips of Orange zest 1/2 cup brown sugar (granulated sugar is fine, too) Place the whole spices in a tied piece of cheesecloth. This makes it easier to retrieve them before serving. Add the rest of the ingredients to a large pot and simmer for approximately 30 minutes.

Cheese Crisp Crackers & Pork Party Snacks

An easy recipe to go with the drinks for New Year's. Cheese Crisp Crackers 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour Pinch of cayenne to taste Cream the butter until smooth. Add the cheese and cayenne and mix until well-combined. Stir in the flour and mix until it comes together in a ball. Chill for two hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use vegetable oil spray. Form dough into approximately one-inch balls. A cookie scoop comes in handy here! Place on prepared baking sheet about an inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Pork Party Snacks 1 pound spicy/hot pork sausage 2 cups Bisquick or biscuit mix 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or use vegetable oil spray. Mix all the ingredients together to thoroughly combine. Form into approximately one-inch balls and bake for about 30 minutes.

Monkey Bread - The Easy Way

My favorite treat for a holiday breakfast, teatime or snack is Monkey Bread. There is something about those balls of dough, covered in butter and cinnamon/sugar that seems special. We won't count calories because anything that makes you happy, shouldn't be give a calorie number . . . at least, at Christmas time. This is a fun recipe as you don't even have to make the dough making it a great, last-minute treat. Monkey Bread - The Easy Way 3 cans of the refrigerated canned biscuits 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves Pinch of Nutmeg 1 stick of butter 1 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons water Cut each biscuit into fourths and roll them in a mixture of the cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Place them in a well-greased or vegetable oil sprayed Bundt pan. Melt the butter, brown sugar, and water. boil this for 2-3 minutes and pour over the balls of biscuit dough  in the Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until it is puffed up a bit and golden. Immediately turn over onto a serving plate and get it in front of your family who probably have already gathered once the scent of sugar and cinnamon was in the air.

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Christmas Sugar Cookies 1 cup butter, room temperature not melted 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1 large egg 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon almond extract Tiny pinch of ground nutmeg 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/4 teaspoon salt Cream the butter, adding the sugar gradually, and continue beating until well-combined and fluffy. Add egg, extracts, and nutmeg. Sift or mix the dry ingredients together and blend into the butter mixture. It should gather into a ball and not be crumbly. If your dough is too dry, try adding small drops of water. Gather into a ball and refrigerate for at least an hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper or vegetable oil spray them very lightly. Take a portion of the dough, roll out on a floured board to a bit more than 1/4-inch thick. Cut with your choice of cookie cutters. Move to the prepared baking sheets, placing them about an inch apart. Bake for about 5 minutes or until golden around the edges and set. Let the cookies set for a few minutes when they exit the oven and then remove to a cooling rack. Makes about 3 dozen cookies. Icing 1 cup powdered sugar food coloring enough milk to form a spreadable icing. 1/2 teaspoon almond extract I use a rubber pastry brush to coat each cookie and have a helper there to immediately add whatever colorful sprinkles or sugars your might want on the cookies. Let them dry thoroughly before packing away into a container.

Seven-Layer Cookies

Seven-Layer Cookies 1/2 cup melted butter 1 cup graham cracker crumbs* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup toasted coconut 1/2 cup chocolate chips** 1/2 cup butterscotch chips** 1 - 14-ounce can sweetened, condensed milk 1 cup toasted, chopped nuts*** Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 9x13x2-inch pan with parchment paper or spray with vegetable oil spray. Combine butter, graham cracker crumbs, and vanilla until well mixed. Press into the bottom of prepared pan. Arrange the rest of the ingredients in layers as listed. Bake for approximately 30 minutes.  Let cool a bit, cut into squares, and complete the cooling. Makes about 3 dozen cookies depending on size you cut them. *If you prefer, think about using cinnamon or chocolate graham crackers. **These days, you don't have to always go with chocolate and butterscotch chips. Consider peanut butter, white chocolate, chocolate mint . . .

Black Forest Cake!

Chocolate and cherry is a favorite flavor combination for my son. When I saw this recipe, I knew I had to keep it on hand and share with you. Vegetable oil spray a 9 x13-inch baking dish. I like using the glass, Pyrex type. No such pan in your kitchen? Use a couple of layer cake pans or even a tube cake pan. Just adjust the time for the changes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 1 box chocolate cake mix - your choice. 20-ounce can of cherry pie filling 3 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of cinnamon Grated zest of one orange (optional) Combine all the ingredients in your mixing bowl and mix on medium speed until the mixture is just combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan(s). Bake for 40-45 minutes (depending on size you used for pans). Test cake  by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake. It should come out 'clean' with no wet batter. Cool completely and serve with freshly whipped cream. 1 pint heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons sour cream 1 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Place all the ingredients in a mixer bowl and beat until stiffened and fluffy. Don't over beat as you aren't looking for making butter here! You can either frost your cold cake with the whipped cream or serve it along side a generous slice. The whipped cream holds up well for about three days in the refrigerator.