Do yourself a favor and take advantage of these easy-to-make, easy-to-take holiday party recipes. They're more than passable dishes and drinks; they're insurance for next year's invitation. |
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Food
Cocktails
3-Step Cranberry Crockpot Meatballs
These tangy bite-sized meat treats require just three ingredients and preparation couldn't be easier. Go ahead and commit the following to memory. You're going to be asked for the recipe.
 Ingredients:
1 - 2 bags of frozen meatballs
2 cans of cranberry sauce, jellied
1 bottle (10 oz) of Heinz 57 Sauce
Directions:
1. Fill crockpot with meatballs
2. Add cranberry sauces & entire bottle of Heinz 57
3. Cover and cook on low for 5 - 7 hours
Not Your Grandma's Beer & Cheese Dip
This spreadable combination of beer and cheese might be the ultimate seasonal offering. Just don't be a scrooge when it comes to the bacon bits on top.
Ingredients:
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (8 oz) carton of sour cream
6 - 8 oz beer (the bolder the beer, the bigger the flavor)
1 envelope of dry ranch salad dressing mix
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
Bacon bits & scallions (for optional garnish)
Pretzels, scoops, or both
Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, dressing mix, and beer until smooth.
2. Stir in half of the cheese, leaving the remaining cheese to sprinkle on top.
3. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
4. Garnish with bacon bits, chopped scallions, and remaining cheese.
5. Serve with pretzels or scoops.
Bacon & Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms
Something so delicious shouldn't be so easy to make. We recommend bringing this one to your mom's Christmas dinner, but only if you want to make her proud.
Ingredients:
3 slices of bacon
8 crimini mushrooms
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp chopped onion
¾ c shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. Place bacon in a large skillet, and cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and dice bacon then set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F
3. Remove the mushroom stems, set aside the caps, and chop the stems.
4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and slowly cook and stir the chopped stems and onion, until the onion is soft. Remove from heat.
5. In a medium bowl, stir together the mushroom stem mixture, bacon, and ½ cup cheddar. Mix well and scoop the mixture into the mushroom caps.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
7. Remove the mushrooms from the oven, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Sugar Mama Pecans
The only problem with these incredible sweet and slightly spicy delicacies is that they never last long. You might want to split them up and serve more than one bowl, so everyone gets a chance. Addicting is an understatement.
Ingredients:
2 lb shelled pecans
4 tbsp butter
1½ c firmly packed brown sugar
4 oz of your favorite Christmas beer
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp Tabasco sauce
¼ tsp cinnamon
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large skillet over low to medium heat, melt butter, and brown sugar, stirring constantly.
3. Add beer, salt, Tabasco sauce, and cinnamon.
4. Stir in pecans and coat evenly.
5. Spread pecans in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake for no more than 20 minutes. Watch the pecans carefully; around the 15-16 minute mark the mixture will start to smoke, and they need to be pulled right before that.
7. Cool in a single layer on buttered wax paper.
Easier Than Eggnog Punch
Eggnog is good but it's heavy and it's a pain to make. This alternative is just as tasty, considerably better for you, and it only requires half as much work to make it.
 Ingredients: 1 c sugar
1 c dark rum
½ c brandy
2 tbsp vanilla extract
8 c whole milk
Grated nutmeg Directions:
1. Dissolve sugar in rum, brandy, and vanilla extract in a very large pitcher (at least ¾-gallon capacity).
2. Add milk and freeze until very cold or slushy (4 - 8 hours).
3. Pour into glasses, sprinkle nutmeg over the top and serve.
Hot Buttered Rum
Drinkers beware. This holiday classic is unassumingly strong and it goes down all too easy.
Directions:
1. Heat water.
2. Add rum.
3. Stir in Hot Buttered Rum mix.
4. Top with whipped cream & enjoy.
Holiday-Ready Manhattan
Much like its NYC namesake, the Manhattan only gets better at the holidays. Try this festive take if you're ok with feeling all warm and fuzzy.
Directions: 1. Add all ingredients (except the cherries) to a shaker and fill with ice.
2. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass.
3. Spear 3 cherries on a cocktail pick and drop into the drink.
Festive Rum Toddy
If you need to take a time out and relax a bit, this is the winter warmer for you. It's best enjoyed in front of a fireplace, with your feet up.
Directions:
1. Combine the rum, simple syrup, bitters, and lemon juice in a heat-proof mug.
2. Add the boiling water.
3. Stir to combine.
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