PARTY FLAIR

Between now and New Years there will be parties, and where there's a party there will be food with a holiday flair! Simple fruit punch looks especially pretty when each serving is topped with a scoop of sherbet in a contrasting color. For example, make berry red punch topped with lime sherbet. Serve with dainty sandwiches or cookies.

Holiday Punch
1 qt cranberry or loganberry juice
1 qt pineapple juice
1 qt ginger ale or sparkling water, chilled
1 qt lime sherbet
mix berry and pineappple juice and chill very well.When ready to serve, add ginger ale, or sparkling water. Fill chilled glasses about 2/3 full. Top each with a small scoop of sherbet. May be served in a punch bowl and topped with scoops of sherbet.
YIELD: 16

HOT BUTTERED CRANBERRY PUNCH
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 qt cranberry juice cocktail
1 pint pineapple juice
butter
In saucepan, combine sugar, water, spices and salt; bring to a boil.Add fruit juices and heat to boiling. Serve steaming hot, dotted with butter.
YIELD: 16

THE PERFECT THANKSGIVING MORNING DRINK

Every Thanksgivng I prepare something yummy for the breakfast table, usually something sweet and sticky. This year I am trying something a bit different, less sweet, and a bit bubbly....

Turkey Trot participant

BUBBLING MARY
2 cups cold tomato juice
1 tsp liquid hot pepper seasoning
2 tbs lime juice
24 pickled cocktail onions
1 medium size lime cut in 8 wedges
1 to 1 1/2 bottle cold brut style dry champagne, or cold sparkling water*
In a pitcher, mix together tomato juice pepper seasoning, and lime juice, keep cold. On each of 8 thin wooden skewers, thread 3 onions, tuck loaded skewer into a tall glass. Put lime wedges in a dish.
To make each serving place 1 onion swizzle stick in a champagne flute or wine glass. Pour 1/4 cup tomato juice mixture into each glass, then fill with sparkling wine or mineral water; squeeze and drop a lime wedge into glsass and stir with swizzle.
*virgin version is the one I am stickin to as I am walking the annual TURKEY TROT at 8 am.
YIELDS: 8

now I lay me down to sleep

IT'S TURKEY TIME

Each year my sister and I try to present at least one new and unique dish to our family on Thanksgiving, here are two that will be a blessed addition to any table:

here are some Turkeys in my neighorhood, just chillin'

MULLED CRANBERRY PUNCH
2 tbs whole cloves
1 tbs whole allspice
12 inches of cinnamon stick cut into pieces
1/2 to 2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
5 cups water
2 1/2 cups grapefruit juice
2  16 ounce cans of jellied cranberry sauce (mashed)
cheesecloth
Tie spices in a small piece of cheese cloth, add together ingredients in large pot. Bring to a boil slowly. Reduce heat cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add a few drops of red food coloring if desired. Pour into punch bowl*
* If using a glass punch bowl, first heat bowl with warm water, pour out water and place large spoon in bowlm then pour punch slowly down spoon.
Serve in mugs
YIELDS: 20 servings

VERMOUTH CHEESE CRISPS
1 pound cheddar cheese grated
1 egg
1 tbs vermouth
1 teaspoon orange rind grated finely
dash of pepper
assorted crackers
thoroughly mix all ingredients. Spread on crackers covering all the way to the edges.  Put on cookie sheet and place under broiler until golden and puffy. about 1 minute
YIELD: 2 doxen crackers

THE CHRISTIANS BROTHERS BRANDY

I found this great little bar guide with some fantastic holiday drinks....the Christian Brothers Brandy "straight" or "on the rocks" makes a magnificent beverage. But the beauty of brandy is that it mixes well in any company. For your greater enjoyment we've selected several classic recipes plus some exciting new ones, sure to enchance your reputation as a host. In the following recipes the glass traditionally used, is show. More and more people every day are finding it's great to entertain with the Christian Brothers Brandy!
BRANDY PUNCH
6 fifths of California Claret, or California Burgandy wine
1 1/2 fifth of Brandy
2 fifths Brut Champagne
2 quarts of carbonated water
1 can sliced pineapple
12 oranges sliced
juice of 12 lemons
2 tbs of granulated sugar
dissolve sugar in fruit juices. Add wine and brandy in a 2 gallon bowl and let stand in refrigerator until guests arrive. Just before serving, put a large piece of ice into a large punch bowl of three to four gallon size. Pour over it the fruit juice-wine mixture and add Champagne and carbonated water. Stir very lightly. Serve in punch glasses

YIELDS: 40-50

JACK FROST
a refreshing drink which everybody likes...
1 oz brandy
juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/4 lime
small amount of sugar
put all ingredients into blender with crushed ice or shaved ice. Mix until foamy. Strain into champange glasses. Allow for a few shavings of ice in the drink.

BRANDY N COFFEE
what a delightful way to end any day...
pour a tsp of brandy into piping hot black coffee. Add sugar to taste, stir well.

CHERRIES JUBILEE
exotic yet easy to make and unequaled as a festive holiday dessert...
1 qt firm black cherries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
mix water and sugar to create syrup, in saucepan, stem and simmer cherries in syrup. Heat brandy slightly then add to mixture and set ablaze. Arrange ice cream in 6-8 deep dishes. Over each ice cream serving pour with a large serving spoon some of the flaming cherries. (timing is of extreme importance)