home for the holidays november 25, 2011

Friday, November 25, 2011 ❋ Home for the Holidays ❋


Gift wrapping tricks and tipsThe holidays are here and

that means shoppers havestarted to stockpile gifts forthose they love. Once theshopping rush is over, thetime to wrap all of thosegreat finds and treasures hascome.

Although some people aregift-wrap gurus, there aremany others who feel thattheir wrapping skills arelacking. Regardless, anyonecan create delightfulwrapped gifts with a littleknow-how.

PrepareThe first step to wrapping

is to have all of the suppliesin one place. There are somepeople who have actuallydedicated small rooms asgift-wrap stations. While youdon't have to go this far,find a large table and keepyour tape, tags, paper, rib-bon, scissor, pen, and otheraccessories nearby.

Also, sort out the giftsaccording to recipient andhave any gift receipts handyto wrap up with the gift.

Wrap at a time when thereare no distractions and youcan devote your attention tothe task at hand, like afterchildren have gone to bedor during the day when noone is home.

Paper or Bags?When purchasing wrap-

ping paper, it may betempting to skimp on the

quality of the paper to savemoney. However, a thicker,higher quality paper willmake wrapping go moresmoothly. That's because itwill be less likely to tear onboxes or when you're rollingout and cutting it.

Thicker paper means you'llalso be able to achieve moreintricate folds and bettercreasing around boxes. Italso may be more forgivablearound oddly shaped items.

Gift bags are the go-towrapping medium whenyou're short on time or haveitems that are not easilywrapped with paper.Because they come in a vari-ety of sizes -- and even giantplastic bags to contain largegifts -- they are often moreconvenient.

Other Tips• Use ribbon to dress up a

gift and direct the eye awayfrom any imperfections.

• Keep a stack of paperscraps and use it instead oftissue paper to fill in giftbags.

• Keep scissors sharp forclean cuts.

• Pack smaller items oroddly shaped things into adifferent container that iseasier to wrap.


The thick, spiced drink weknow as eggnog hasbecome synonymous withthe holidays. It is so linkedwith the Christmas seasonthat a person may be hard-pressed to find it sold in thesupermarket any other timeof the year. But eggnogwasn’t always the holidaybeverage it has become.

Eggnog is believed to haveoriginated in 17th centuryEurope, primarily as a drinkfor the elite, since the ingre-dients in the beverage werehard to come by and thuslyrelegated to the very rich.

There are different theo-ries on the origins of theword eggnog itself. Somebelieve it has gotten itsname from the Old Englishword “nog,” which meant“strong beer.” The “egg”refers to one of the ingredi-ents in the beverage, fresheggs. Others surmise that itcomes from the word “nog-

gin,” which was a vessel fors e rving drinks in taverns.The drink was called “egg ina noggin,” which was short-ened to “eggnog.” Still,there are others who say itsname is derived from theterm “grog,” which wasanother term for booze.“Egg n’ grog” was eventual-ly abbreviated to “eggnog.”

Although there is little cer-tainty to the origins of thename, the recipe for eggnoghas essentially remainedunchanged throughout thecenturies. It consists of beat-en eggs, cream or milk andsugar mixed with some sortof alcoholic spirit. The OldEnglish were believed to mixit with wine, though oncethe drink was brought to theNew World, colonists substi-tuted rum for the wine. Rumwas readily availablethrough tradesman runningbetween the Americas andthe Caribbean and therefore

less expensive than anotherspirit. As America grew andeggnog was enjoyed in dif-ferent parts of the country,the rum was replaced withregional spirits, includingbourbon or grain alcohol.Other ingredients were alsoadded to give it a cus-tomized flavor. However,the use of nutmeg, cinna-mon and cloves has becometraditional flavors for theholiday brew.

Although eggnog is wide-ly enjoyed throughout theholiday season, in the past itwas served at special eventsand social occasions. As awarmed beverage it can eas-ily chase away winter’s chill.This is how it may havecome to be enjoyed primari-ly during the holidays.

Love it or hate it, eggnogis a drink that can evokestrong feelings of the holi-days within minutes.

Origins of a holiday staple


Easy ways to reuse and recycle holiday gift wrap Now that the holidays

have come and gone, it'stime to pack away the deco-rations, take down the treeand haul large bags of trashto the curb. If much of thattrash filling garbage bags isdiscarded wrapping paper,there may be better ways toput the paper to use.

The gift wrap industryearns roughly $2.6 billion inretail sales each year. Tons ofpaper trash is generatedfrom the gift wrap peopleuse to conceal gifts forChristmas, Chanukah andother special occasionsthroughout the year. Asmuch fun as all the differentpatterns of wrapping papercan be, gift wrap is a rela-

tively unnecessary bit ofdecor, purchased with theintent of being ripped awayand discarded.

There are many ways thatwrapping paper can bereused or recycled. Here area few to think about.

1 . Save some scraps ofpaper to use for children'sart project at school andhome.

2. Use in scrapbooking oras an inexpensive mattingfor photos.

3. Wrap other presents inpaper that has been pre-served well.

4. Shred the paper anduse it as filler in packingboxes or as a decorative fill-ing for gift bags.

5. Use bits of paper tomake gift tags.

6. Employ origami and useleftover gift wrap as yourpaper of choice.

7. Line shelves or drawerswith the paper to protectsurfaces.

8. Make decoupage holi-day decorations for nextyear.

9. Crumple up the paperand use it to stuff into tallboots so they keep theirshape.

10. Trace the pattern of anenvelope on the paper andcut out your own envelopesfor little notes or holidaygreetings for next year.

11. Buy a reusable coffeecup that enables you to

change the insert. Use apiece of gift wrap to changethe design.

12. Cover a holey bulletinboard with a piece of giftwrap for a festive look.

13. Find out which typesof paper can be collected bycurbside recycling and wrapit up with your newspapers.

14. Add some wrappingpaper that's free of harmfuldyes to your compost heap.

15. Use paper to line abird cage.

16. Give paper to the kidsto play with. Chances arethey can come up withmany other great ideas.


Celebrants of the Christianfaith and Eastern orthodoxChristian religion may wantto wait a few days afterChristmas to start packingaway their decorations andcease celebrating the holi-day season. That’s because itis customary to commemo-rate the Epiphany, whichmarks the day that JesusChrist was revealed as theSon of God.

Epiphany is known by afew different names. In addi-tion to Epiphany, the holi-day is sometimes calledLittle Christmas and theFeast of the Three Kings.Spanish-speaking individualsrefer to it as El Dia de LosTres Reyes, which essentially

translates to Day of theThree Kings.

In Western faiths,Epiphany takes place onJ a n u a ry 6th. However, inCatholic dioceses in theU.S., it is observed on theSunday between January 2and January 8. EasternChristians follow the Juliancalendar rather than theGregorian calendar.Therefore, Epiphany occursa few days later for them, onJanuary 19.

According to Christian tra-dition, Epiphany marks theday the traveling magiarrived from afar to bid wel-come to the Baby Jesus.They presented three differ-ent gifts: gold, frankincense

and myrrh. “And they came into the

house and saw the Childwith Mary His mother; andthey fell down and wor-shiped Him; and openingtheir treasures they present-ed to Him gifts of gold andfrankincense and myrrh.”Matthew 2:11

Although the Bible doesn’tspecifically mention thatthere were three wise men,biblical historians interpretthat there were only threedue to the number of giftsthat were presented. Thenames of the magi wereG a s p a r, Melchior andBalthasar, but this is some-thing learned post-Bible aswell.

Gold represented a giftworthy of a king.Frankincense was an expen-sive gift valued for its won-derful fragrance and medici-nal values and worship. It isthought Frankincense spoketo the worship of God.Myrrh was used as an anes-thetic and in burial embalm-ing. It is also used to anointone in faith.

The meaning of the word“epiphany” is a revealing oran opening of one’s eyes.Although Epiphany is muchknown for the three wisemen, the significance of theday is that God revealedHimself to everyone throughthe human person who wasHis Son, Jesus. God reveals

that the true God is Jesus,the Messiah, and Savior ofthe world, who was sent tothe people for this expresspurpose.

The day of the Epiphanyactually marks the first dayof the Epiphany season,which lasts until the Lentenseason on Ash Wednesday.Through the Epiphany sea-son, God reveals many intri-cacies of His Word throughscripture in the Bible.

Although many Christianscelebrate the better-knownholiday of Christmas,Epiphany may have evenmore spiritual meaning dur-ing this holiday season.

Celebrating the season of Epiphany


Ready to Sing? Here are some more holiday favorites!


The joys of the holidaysare many: Sharing eggnog,exchanging presents, trim-ming the tree, contactingthe police to report a rob-bery. The last one certainlyisn’t a joy, but it’s an all-toocommon reality of the sea-son. But the holidays aren’tthe only times that homebreak-ins take place. There’sno telling what goesthrough the minds ofthieves, and preparing forany situation is the way toavoid loss due to theft.

In the U.S., a home isrobbed every 14.6 seconds,and the average dollar lossper burglary is $2,119,according to the FederalBureau of Investigation.Statistics Canada offers thatbreak-ins are not only themost serious type of proper-ty crime committed in

Canada, but they are alsoone of the most common. In2009, there were more than205,000 break-ins reportedto the police, accounting for15 percent of all propertycrimes.

Despite burglaries beingdown overall in numbers inboth the U.S. and Canada,homeowners can still be dili-gent in their efforts to pre-vent break-ins and propertyloss. Here are some strate-gies for thwarting would-bethieves.

✶ Break down cardboardb o x e s . T h e r e ’s no betterway to tell thieves about allthe new presents youreceived than by advertisingthem at the curbside.Burglars will see that emptytelevision box or otherexpensive gadget boxes putout for pickup and have a

Prevent home break-ins any time of the year

Friday, November 25, 2011 ❋ Home for the Holidays ❋ clue about the new goodiesinside the home. Instead,cut up the boxes and bun-dle them with newspapersso they are inconspicuous.

✶ Lock every door andwindow all the time —including the garage. Manypeople fail to realize that thegarage presents a greatpoint of entry to the house,one that is private and awayfrom the eyes of concernedneighbors. Once inside thegarage, a thief can use toolsin the garage to pick at thelock on an inside door to thehome.

✶ Forget about hidingkeys. Thieves know about allthe places homeowners hidespare keys. You’re not fool-ing anyone with faux rocksor a key taped over the door.If you’re prone to forgetting

your keys, leave a spare pairwith a trusted neighborinstead.

✶ Don’t advertise your status on social networksites. You may be excited toshare your vacation adven-tures with friends, but post-ing pictures of your vacationor telling others about whenyou’re planning to leave thehouse can be dangerous.Even if you have your securi-ty settings locked down toonly friends, the fewer peo-ple who know about yourwhereabouts the better.Your list of 200 friends maynot be the closest friendsanymore.

✶ Trim bushes and fixlighting. Darkness and cam-ouflage are a thief’s bestfriends. Being able to hidebehind shrubs to jimmy a

window or lock hides him orher from others who maywitness suspicious activity.Keep landscaping neataround doorways and win-dows, and promptly replen-ish any burned-out bulbs.

✶ Don’t give burglarseasy access. Leaving laddersor items that can turn intostepping stools enablesthieves to reach any windowor door of the house — evenupstairs windows that maybe unlocked.

✶ Keep things out ofeasy view. Close the blindsafter dark. Some people lovethe open look of drape-freewindows. However, givingoutsiders a clear view of theinterior of your home canset you up for trouble, as itgives thieves a view of yourvaluables.

Keeping lights on andshrubbery trimmedaround entryways helpsdissuade burglars from attempting a break-in.


Little known facts about Chanukah...Chanukah is a Jewish

holiday that occurs aroundthe same time as Christmas,making it one of the better-known holidays of Judaism.Although Chanukah is nowmuch about flickeringcandles and eight days ofcelebration, there are manylesser known traditions andfacts about the holiday.

To non-celebrants,Chanukah is commonly con-sidered the “JewishChristmas.” However, theholiday actually predates

Christmas by several yearsand has a very different ori-gin than what Christians cel-ebrate at Christmas. Also,even though Chanukah ismore talked about thanother holidays, includingRosh Hashannah or Yo mKippur, it is considered bysome religious scholars to beof less religious significancethan other holy days. In fact,for most of its history,Chanukah was a very minorholiday. However, from thelate 1800s on, its popularity

grew. Eventually Chanukahbecame one of the most cel-ebrated Jewish holidays. Thestory of Chanukah isn’t evenmentioned in the Torah. Theevents that led to the holi-day occurred after the Torahperiod in 164 BCE.

Here are some other less-er-known facts aboutChanukkah.

✡ Although many peoplerefer to the Chanukah can-delabra as a “menorah,” atrue menorah has sevenbranches to hold candles

and is associated with theTemple. The nine-branchedcandelabra that holdsChanukah candles is knownas a “Hanukkiah.”

✡ Chanukah can bespelled in many differentways, including Hanukah,Hanukkah, Chanukah andChanukkah.

✡ Chanukah is a commu-nal holiday. It is best to lightthe Hannukiah where otherscan see it and hear yourecite blessings.

✡ Chanukah is based on

the struggle led by theMaccabees, a Jewish tribef a m i l y, against theHellenistic overseers of theLand of Israel. HellenizedJews, including KingAntiochus Epiphanes, haddecreed that local religions,including Judaism, ceasepractice and that their tradi-tions be outlawed on penal-ty of death. Hellenistic ritu-als and sacrifices defiled theHoly Temple in Jerusalem,which eventually had to becleaned and rebuilt.

✡ Jewish tradition con-cerning Chanukah isn’t cutand dry. As said, it’s notincluded in the Torah, andmuch of the history ofMaccabean events survivedinto modern times onlythrough texts written inGreek. For the classic Jewishview of Chanukah origins,individuals must turn to theTalmud, a record of rabbinicdiscussions pertaining toJewish law, ethics, philoso-

p h y, customs and history.What can be found is this:“On the 25th day of Kislev[begin] the eight days ofHanukkah, on which lamen-tation for the dead and fast-ing are forbidden. For whenthe Greeks entered theTemple, they defiled all theoils in it, and when theHasmonean dynasty pre-vailed over them and defeat-ed them, they searched andfound only one bottle of oil

sealed by the High Priest. Itcontained only enough forone day’s lighting. Yet a mir-acle was brought about withit, and they lit [with that oil]for eight days. The followingyear they were establishedas a festival, with Hallel(prayers of praise) andThanksgiving.”

✡ It has been said that theMaccabean war was the firstwar of ideology. TheMaccabees weren’t warriorsby nature. They were piousmen stirred to action bybeliefs.

✡ There are actually twomiracles associated withChanukah. First is that aflask of oil was found at all.The second is that the scantamount of oil found wasenough to light the templefor eight days.

✡ Chanukah is celebratedon the same day each yearaccording to the Hebrewcalendar. But because theHebrew calendar doesn’tcorrespond to our moderncalendar, the day seems tofluctuate.

✡ Gift-giving was not tra-ditionally associated withChanukah, but rather a fewsweets or money wereexchanged. Eventually itgrew into a gift-giving holi-day.


Christmas is one of themost celebrated dates on theChristian calendar.Commemorating the birth ofthe Savior Jesus Christ is onlysurpassed in importance bythe celebration of Easter, atime when Christiansremember Christ’s sacrifice oflife for His people.

Christmas is often cele-brated with much joy andfervor all around the world,with exchanges of gifts andspecial acts of charity allmonth long. One compo-nent of the Christmas cele-bration that has long beentradition and holds specialmeaning to celebrants is theMidnight Mass.

Churches all around the

world hold four differentChristmas celebrations,including three masses anda Christmas vigil. TheMidnight Mass is perhapsthe most cherished. Mass, aChristian liturgical rite thatoften involves the sacramentof the Eucharist, may beginprior to midnight andinclude Biblical readingsthat focus on the story ofChrist’s birth depending onthe church. At midnight onDecember 24, carols may besung and the ringing ofchurch bells to signify thebirth of Christ as December25 arrives. In Israel, a pro-cession takes place fromJerusalem to Bethlehem onChristmas Eve. In the

Catholic Pope’s home ofVatican City, the Pope him-self heads the MidnightMass and people in largenumbers pray for peaceamong mankind.

Many theologians say thatthe Midnight Mass evolvedfrom individuals making pil-grimages to Israel and theactual birthplace of Christ.Because the Bible states thatJesus was born at night andin a manger, to fullyimmerse oneself in the storyand the liturgical signifi-cance of the moment, aMidnight Mass seems thebest place to achieve thesegoals. The darkness and thegentle hush that nighttimeprovides helps set the sceneand enhance the spiritualcomponent of Christmas.

The Nativity of Jesus takesplace in two Gospels of theBible: the Gospel of Lukeand the Gospel of Matthew.The version of Luke goesmuch more deeply into thestory of Mary’s virgin con-ception through the time ofChrist’s birth in Bethlehem.Here is Christ’s birth accord-ing to the Gospel of Luke:

In those days a decreewent out from CaesarAugustus that the wholeworld should be enrolled.This was the first enroll-ment, when Quirinius wasgovernor of Syria. So allwent to be enrolled, each tohis own town. And Josephtoo went up from Galileefrom the town of Nazarethto Judea, to the city of Davidthat is called Bethlehem,because he was of the houseand family of David, to be


Significance of Midnight Mass


enrolled with Mary, hisbetrothed, who was withchild. While they werethere, the time came forher to have her child, andshe gave birth to her first-born son. She wrappedhim in swaddling clothesand laid him in a manger,because there was noroom for them in the inn.

Now there were shep-herds in that region living

in the fields and keepingthe night watch over theirflock. The angel of theLord appeared to themand the glory of the Lordshone around them, andthey were struck withgreat fear. The angel saidto them, ‘Do not beafraid; for I proclaim toyou good news of greatjoy that will be for all thepeople. For today in the

city of David a savior hasbeen born for you who isMessiah and Lord. Andthis will be a sign for you;you will find an infantwrapped in swaddlingclothes and lying in amanger.’

Later, the Gospel con-tinues, “He was namedJesus, the name given himby the angel before hewas conceived in the

womb.”Midnight Mass has

become an importantcomponent in the cele-bration of Christmas forthe faithful. While secularcelebrations may focus onthe arrival of Santa Clausat the midnight hour, reli-gious celebrations ofteninvolve filling churches atmidnight to spread theword of Christ’s arrival.

Ingredients

* 1/2 (1 pound) loaf white bread, cut into cubes

* 1 1/2 pounds Cheddar cheese, shredded

* 1 cup cubed cooked ham

* 8 eggs

* 2 cups milk

* 1 pinch salt

* 1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste

* 1/4 cup chopped green onion

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch

baking pan.

2. Place half of the bread cubes on bottom of baking pan. Sprinkle with half of

the ham and then half of the cheese; repeat.

3. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, salt, hot sauce and green onions.

Pour egg mixture into pan.


Start Christmas morning with traditional holiday breadsor this rich breakfast casserole.

Baked Brunch Omelet

Christmas Breakfast

4. Place pan on top of a

baking sheet with a rim

and place in oven. Pour

water into baking sheet

and bake for 60 minutes,

or until eggs have set.

Prep Time:

15 Min

***

Cook Time:

1 Hr

***

Ready In:

1 Hr 15 Min

SERVES: 12


At its best, fruitcake is simply a mixture of fruits, nuts, and justenough rich batter to hold them together.Baking Fruitcakes

Time is of the EssenceThe key to decadent fruit-

cakes is allowing enough timefor the flavors to blend, or“ripen”--both before and afterb a k i n g . Some bakers in theCaribbean begin soaking fruitin rum for many months inadvance.

☛ For most recipes, a fullmonth of ripening is a necessi-t y. You can always store itlonger than a recipe requires,but don't shorten the agingtime.

☛ Ideally, take several daysto make your cake or cakes.Chop the nuts and fruits, coverwith liquor and/or fruit juice,and let the mixture stand, cov-ered, for two or three days.Then make the batter and bakeyour cakes.

☛ Cool cakes thoroughlyafter baking. Use a toothpick orskewer to poke holes in thecake, and sprinkle with brandyor rum if desired. W rap inliquor-dampened cheesecloth,and store in airtight containersin a cool, dark place. The fridgeis fine, but don't transfer cakesto the freezer until the flavorshave ripened and mellowed.

☛ Check the cakes once awe e k . B rush the cakes withmore liquor, if necessary, andthen rewrap them in the dampcloth.

As You Like ItA recipe is only a guide. Feel

free to substitute other types ofcandied or dried fruit and nuts;just be sure that the weight ofthe fruit and nuts you chooseequals that of the ori g i n a l

recipe. Dried fruits cooked injuice or wine until they're plumpcan take the place of candiedfruits; home-candied fruits arefar more flavorful than thestore-bought variety.

A Long Day's BakeAlways bake fruitcakes slow-

l y, at a low tempera t u r e - -between 275 to 325 degrees F(135 to 165 degrees C). Thecakes are dense with fruit thatwill release liquid during bak-ing.

Prepare your pans by greas-ing and flouring them or by lin-ing them with greased parch-ment paper. When the cakebatter is ready, spoon it into theprepared pans, and tap thepans on the work surface topop any air bubbles. Arrangepecan halves, whole almonds,

candied cherries, or other fruitdecoratively on the cake.

☛ Place cake pans on centeroven rack; pans should not betouching each other. You maywish to cover fruitcakes withaluminum foil for the last halfhour of baking.

☛ With such a long bakingtime and with so many varietiesof fruitcake, color alone won'tindicate when the cake is done.Test for doneness by poking askewer or a toothpick near thecenter of the cake. It shouldcome out clean.

Storage & Serving TipsWhen wrapped in cloth and

foil, a fruitcake may be kept formonths or even years. Liquor-based cakes may be storedseveral months in a cool place.Cakes made without liquor may

be kept in the refrigerator forshort-term storage or freezer

for longer storage.☛ A classic technique fo r

s t o ring fru i t c a kes for a longtime without losing quality is to

wrap the aged cakes in a thinlayer of marzipan, coated withroyal icing. The icing forms afirm, protective seal that will

keep the cake moist. Store atroom temperature.

☛ Fru i t c a kes freeze ve rywe l l ; h oweve r, they must be

aged for at least few weeksbefore freezing, as they do notmellow and ripen while they arefrozen.

☛ When ready to serve,cut the cake into thin slicesusing a sawing motion.To avoidcrumbling, use a serrated knife

or other sharp knife.


Ingredients

* 1 cup butter, softened

* 2/3 cup white sugar

* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

* 2 cups all-purpose flour

* 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

* 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

* 3/4 teaspoon almond extract

* 1 teaspoon milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 2. In a medium bowl,

cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon

almond extract. Mix in flour until dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 1/2

inch balls, and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a small hole in the

center of each ball, using your thumb and finger, and fill the hole with pre-

serves. 3. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly

browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet. 4. In a medium bowl, mix

Raspberry and Almond Shortbread

ThumbprintsChristmas Cookies

together the confection-

ers' sugar, 3/4 teaspoon

almond extract, and milk

until smooth. Drizzle

lightly over warm cookies.

Prep Time:

30 Min

***

Cook Time:

18 Min

***

Ready In:

1 Hr 15 Min

MAKES: 36


Ingredients

* 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

* 4 eggs

* 1 cup vegetable oil

* 2/3 cup water

* 3 cups white sugar

* 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

* 2 teaspoons baking soda

* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch

loaf pans.

2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well

blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon,

nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just

blended. Pour into the prepared pans.

3. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick

inserted in center comes out clean.

Downeast Maine Pumpkin BreadChristmas Treats

Prep Time: 15 Min

***

Bake Time: 50 Min

***

Ready In: 1 Hr 5 Min

MAKES: 3 LOAVES

This is a great old Maine recipe, moistand spicy. The bread actually tastes even better the day after it is baked.

Great for holiday gift giving!"

(MS) — The holidays are afestive time of year whenpeople come together tosocialize and recall goodtimes shared through theyears. At the heart of theholidays are moments forendless entertaining.Delicious food and cocktailsare prime components ofthe fetes and festivitiescome the holiday season.Food and drink is so impor-tant it can take a little cre-ative thinking on the part ofholiday hosts and hostessesto devise unique food, bev-erages and favors that willgarner rave reviews fromguests. With some easyideas from Verdi Spumante,party throwers can put a lit-

tle sparkle into any socialevent of the season.

Good things come insmall packages

The bikini, the compactsports car, the miniskirt —despite their small stature,these things pack a bigpunch. When creatingmenu ideas, consider all ofthe foods you love to eatand then shrink them downto miniature. The fun factorof snacking on bite-sizedburgers or diminutivedoughnuts is hard to beat.Many stores sell decoratives e rving spoons, smallramekins and other inex-pensive bowls gearedtoward miniature food serv-

ice. Tiny tacos? Why not?

Favors are fantasticI t ’s the holiday season,which means there’s evenmore reason to send party-goers home with a trinket ortreat they can unwrap ande n j o y. Though it seemse v e ryone is downsizingthese days, upsize partyfavors so guests can reallyindulge. The good news isupsizing doesn’t have tocost a fortune. For an inti-mate soiree, purchase somekeepsake ornaments andattach to a bottle of VerdiSpumante, a sweet and sat-isfying sparkling beveragefrom Italy. Give one to allyour guests, and chancesare they’ll think you wentoverboard, but only you willknow just how budget-friendly this beverage canbe. Boxes of chocolate,small gift baskets full ofcheeses, or even packages ofwrapping paper and gifttags make ideal favors thistime of year.

Set the mood withmusic and lighting

There’s something magicalabout the holidays. Maybeit’s the chill in the air or thepossibility for an awe-inspir-ing spectacle just aroundthe corner. Turn your homeinto a holiday wonderlandfull of twinkling lights,scented candles and man-tles full of evergreen boughsas festive carols set the scenein the background. Even ifthe weather is brisk, tellguests to dress accordingly


Make the holiday season sparkle even more


and gather outside around afire pit or outdoor fireplacefor hot chocolate and warmcookies.

Create dazzling cocktails

Most holiday hosts andhostesses like to serve a sig-nature cocktail at their par-ties to set the mood of theevent. When thinking cre-atively, there are scores ofgreat cocktails to try.Available in four varieties,including Classic Ve r d iSpumante, RaspberrySparkletini, Green AppleSparkletini, and PeachSparkletini, Verdi makes anideal starter cocktail guestscan enjoy. For a green drinkthat’s tasty and festive, tryan AppleVerdimosa. Mix 3-

1/2 ounces Green AppleSparkletini by Verdi with 1/2ounce kiwi puree and a dashof cherry juice. To enhancethe green color of the drink,add a drop or two of greenfood coloring for some fes-tive fun! Place the ingredi-ents in a shaker and shake.And when New Year’s Evearrives, ring in the new yearwith a champagne flute ofVerdi in place of your usualchampagne.The holiday season is oftenbrimming with parties,informal gatherings withfriends and many otherchances to socialize and cel-ebrate. Ensure the festivitiesare full of sparkling fun thisyear. More cocktail recipesare available at www.verdis-pumante.com.

Holiday Eggnog(Spirited)

1 dozen eggs1 lb powdered sugar1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 cup vanilla8 cups evaporated milk3 cups water1 quart spiced rumNutmeg, to garnish

Beat eggs until light inc o l o r, gradually adds u g a r, salt and vanilla.Then add milk and water.Stir in rum (brandy, bour-bon or rye may also beused). Cover the nog andripen for 24 hours in ther e f r i g e r a t o r. Stir againand serve sprinkled withnutmeg.


ways to create new holiday traditions8

Much of what makes theholiday season so special isthe traditions that peoplehold dear. While familieshave traditions that stretchback decades, there isplenty of opportunity toembrace new means of cele-bration to breathe new lifeinto Christmas, Chanukkahor the season's other holi-days.

Chances are you're alreadyhanging stockings or goingcaroling this year. You canadd some of these and mod-ify as they fit for your family.

1. Feed the wildlife.During the cold days of win-ter, birds and small animalsthat don't hibernate mayfind it difficult to forage forfood. By trimming an out-door pine tree in ediblesnacks you'll have a beautifultree and one that benefitsthe wildlife as well. Stringpeanuts and other nuts forthe squirrels. Make littleornaments out of suet andstring for the birds. Berriesand corn can be enjoyed by

all. Be sure to choose a treethat is far enough away fromthe home, so you don't havetoo many scavengers hunt-ing and pecking around thehouse.

2. Create a photo Advent calendar.

Make your own Adventcalendar that has smalldoors that open up to pho-tos of different family mem-bers. Or use a collection ofchildren's pictures thatshowcase how they've

changed as they've grownolder.

3. "Adopt" a child forholiday gifts.

Each year you can bring asmile to a child in need bypurchasing a present for anunderprivileged kid. Somepost offices sponsor "Lettersfrom Santa" events whereparticipants can respond toone of the thousands of let-ters mailed to The NorthPole. Or work with a localcharity that organizes events

to bring gifts to children inhospitals or in foster care.

4. Holiday storycountdown.

Every night in Decemberwatch a movie or read astory that tells an upliftingholiday tale. Use this as amethod of counting downuntil Christmas. On thenight prior, reading "'Twasthe Night Before Christmas"should suffice.

5. Remember someone who has passed on.

The holiday season is onemade beautiful by lit candlesand twinkling lights.Remember a loved one or afriend who has passed awayby lighting a remembrancecandle in his or her honor.It's a way this person can still

be part of the festivities.6. Have a holiday

sing-a-long.Sure it may be tradition to

go around the neighbor-hood singing carols, but it'sjust as fun indoors. Have asinging party where guestsare given lyrics to populartunes they can sing aroundthe piano or karaokemachine.

7. Bring some joy to a public servant.

Police officers, firefighters,military personnel ... manyof these workers do not getoff for the holidays. Thereare a certain number of pub-lic servants who mustremain on call in the eventof an emergency. Tr e a tthese people to somethingenjoyable when they maybe missing their own festivi-ties. Cook or cater a meal for

a fire house, deliver cookiesto the police station or puttogether care packages forpeople living on a militarybase.

8. Banish the holiday blues.

When the holidays are setto go for another year, many

people find they become alittle down. After all, a homethat was once filled withmerry trinkets may now goback to the bare essentials.Create a tradition wheree v e ryone in the familyreceives one more gift -- apersonalized ornament that

can be packed away for usenext year -- that's given inJanuary before the decora-tions are packed away. It'sanother opportunity toopen a present, and it sym-bolizes looking forward tothe joy of next year.


The holidays are a seasonfor savoring moments withloved ones shared over deli-cious foods. Whether youprefer buffet get-togethersor intimate dinners, simplify-ing the details by planningand prepping as much aspossible in advance are sure-fire ways to save time andmoney. Here are a few help-ful tips to take the stress outof holiday entertaining bykeeping it simple and budg-et-friendly.

Creative CasserolesMake-ahead casseroles are

perfect side dishes for theholiday season. They cansave home cooks time andmoney by providing numer-ous ways to transform inex-pensive ingredients into fla-

vorful dishes. Italian PastaGratin, for example, com-bines basic items such aspasta, spinach, mushrooms,tomatoes, olives, mozzarellacheese and basil pesto tocreate an easy-to-make, sat-isfying dish. To streamlineprep work, select three ofyour favorite casserolerecipes and assemble one ofeach to have on hand beforeyour busiest holiday enter-taining week. (Store inrefrigerator or freeze andt h a w, if planning furtherahead.) Or borrow a tech-nique from meal assemblystore chains by labeling andfreezing all ingredients inseparate zip-top plasticbags, so you have every-thing ready to assemble a

tasty casserole that can bebaked as needed.

Baking FamilyTraditionsTempting holiday sweets

and savories are a staple ofthe season, but can be timeconsuming to make if youtackle all your recipes atonce. To gain efficiency andkeep cool in the kitchen, it’sa good idea to spread outthe prep steps, buy ingredi-ents in bulk (which can savea bundle), and make andfreeze dough and pie fillingsup to two weeks in advance.These steps can help youstagger baking times toavoid stress and keep you ina cheerful holiday mood.

Whoopie Pies — essential-ly made from two round

cake-like cookies sandwich-ing a fluffy creme filling —are topping sweet trendsthis year. Add a holiday fla-vor by making them fromgingerbread or adding adash of peppermint extractto the filling. Save time bybaking and freezing thewhoopie pies in advance, soyou can add the filling asneeded.

One-Dish MealsWhen you’re looking to

serve holiday guests a heartyand warming meal withouttoiling in the kitchen, soups,stews, chili, and braises aretasty one-pot meal solu-tions. Large batches of soupcan be prepared (andfrozen) from a variety ofingredients for nearly end-


Holiday Entertaining Simplified: Time- and Money-Saving Tips for Holiday Gatherings

less flavor variations. Yo ucan transform humble left-overs like a roast chickenand inexpensive frozen veg-etables into a delicious dishby slowly simmering theseingredients with flavorf u lstock, hearty grains likequinoa and aromatic spices.

If your holiday traditionsinclude serving seafood,take advantage of today’strend in Mediterranean cui-sine and wow guests withpaella, a one-pan dish thatmakes a colorful table pres-entation right in the pan.Your home will be filled withtempting aromas, andeveryone will enjoy diggingin to this traditional Spanishmedley of saffron-infusedrice, spicy chorizo, plumpshrimp, and other delec-table ingredients. For moreintimate dinners with fewerguests, chicken fricassee andother robust, braised dishescan be made ahead andwarmed up when the door-

bell rings. Simply BreakfastWhen friends and family

members are stayingovernight, simplify the taskof serving breakfast the nextmorning by arranging mostof the setup the nightbefore. A help-yourselfbrunch buffet with well-cho-sen options will stay freshand delicious, regardless ofwhen everyone wakes up.

Breakfast isn’t completewithout eggs, instead offeeling like a short ordercook scrambling eggs andmaking omelets, try a break-fast strata, which is a layeredegg dish that often includesbacon or ham and cheese,all flavors most guests love.The strata can be cooked inadvance, placed in thefridge, then reheated ands e rved straight from the

oven to the table. Tasting FeteTo save on your holiday

entertaining food budgetwhile letting guests samplea wide variety of delectabledishes, consider a smallplates-style soiree, instead ofa full sit-down meal.Inspired by restaurantswhere appetizer-portiondishes let diners sample thechef’s best creations, a tast-ing spread laid out on yourcocktail, kitchen or diningroom table can incorporatemini servings of soups,casseroles, and desserts witheasy prep and some menucreativity.

When your small platesmenu includes one or moredips and spreads, it’s a goodidea to pair them with freshvegetables that areblanched to give them a

more pliant texture.Blanching is an easy tech-nique where vegetables arequickly boiled and thenplaced in an ice bath to keepthem crisp and tender whilepreserving their color andflavor. Go for a range of col-ors, tastes and textureswhen selecting vegetablesto serve and pair them withan assortment of dips likeroasted red pepper hummusor a simple garlic aioli.

For a satisfying mini bite,i t ’s hard to beat sliders,which no one can resist andany host can personalize tomake even more fun andfestive. Serve sliders on minibrioche buns and offer arange of toppings, fromthinly sliced cheeses andveggies, to thick spreadsand spicy ketchups. Store-bought or homemade

spreads and condimentslook more appealing andsophisticated when they’reserved in pretty bowls anddishes.

Top off your fete with ano-fuss “interactive” dessertthat’s also low-cost withoutskimping on sophisticationand flavor. Cut up assortedfresh fruit, along with poundcake or loaf bread (baked inadvance, or store bought).Place the sliced fruit on oneside and cubed cake on theother side. Have bambooskewers on hand and offer aselection of dessert dips,such as warm chocolatesauce, butterscotch, andmarshmallow.

For more information ontime-saving favorites forstress-free holiday entertain-ing from please visitwww.potsandpans.com.



The food cooked duringthe holidays is often enoughto feed an army. Too often,hosts and hostesses prepareand serve much too muchfood, only to find them-selves left with a refrigeratorfull of leftovers when guestsdon’t eat as much as hostshad suspected.

In order to avoid wastingfood, many people attemptto create new meals fromtheir excess holiday ingredi-ents. Putting leftovers togood use can take a littleingenuity to disguise thereality that you’re eatingturkey or ham for the thirdconsecutive night. All it maytake is a little inspiration tocreate delicious meals with

repurposed holiday foods.The first thing to keep in

mind when using leftovers isfood safety. Any foodremaining after the holidaymeal should be packed intostorage containers andrefrigerated or frozen nomore than 2 hours after themeal has ended. Thisensures that bacteria are notable to proliferate in thefood and cause foodborneillnesses. Choose shallowcontainers, which willenable the food to chillmore uniformly and not cre-ate warmer spots that takelonger to reach a safe stor-age temperature. Do notsave any foods that haveremained at room tempera-

What to do with all those holiday leftovers

With a few creative ideas, anyone can turn leftover

holiday foods into new meals.

16. Why country has a tra-dition of a witch droppinggifts for children throughthe chimney at Christmas?17. Which of the followingis not the name of one ofSanta's reindeer – Dasher,Donner, Doppler andDancer?18. What is Santa Clauscalled in France?19. Which country is thelargest exporter ofChristmas trees?20. Which AmericanPresident bannedChristmas trees in TheWhite House?21. How many days do wehave between Christmasand the Epiphany?22. We all know about thetradition of hanging stock-ings for gifts. Which coun-try uses shoes instead ofsocks for the same pur-pose?23. Where did the Nativitytake place?24. Which of these wasnot a gift given by theWise Men to the BabyJesus – gold, silver, myrrhand frankincense?25. Which company madethe concept of Santa Clauspopular in America?

MOREChristmastime Trivia


ture for too long or seemquestionable, especiallyd a i ry products. It isadviseable to discard left-overs (even if refrigerated)after 4 days. Use it or lose it!

Now that leftovers areproperly stored, you canthink up some creativemenu ideas for using themin the next few days.

☛ Turn stuffing into cro-quettes or burgers by mix-ing chopped turkey withstuffing or adding a newmeat to the equation, likesausage.

☛ Dice ham and potatoesand add to the morning

helping of eggs for a coun-try-style omelette.

☛ Promptly boil t h eturkey carcass to makehomemade stock for soupsand stews.

☛ Turn leftover mashedp o t a t o e s into a creamypotato soup, with the addi-tion of cream, bacon andscallions.

☛ Use cranberry sauce inplace of butter on bagels ortoast.

☛ Mash up leftoversweet potatoes and bakeinto a moist and delicioussweet potato loaf bread.

☛ Create open-faceds a n d w i c h e s for lunch bylayering ham or turkey, stuff-ing, cranberry sauce andgravy on top of a thick sliceof bread.

☛ Diced meats, vegeta-bles and onion can beadded to a batter of pan-cake mix and turned into aneasy quiche.

☛ Host Mexican nightand use leftover turkey meatto make spicy fajitas, com-plete with sour cream andsalsa.

☛ Use stale bread t omake homemade croutons

for salad or use in a breadpudding recipe.

☛ Add cranberry sauceto boxed muffin mixes for atart treat.

☛ Turn leftover holidaymeats into an Asian stir-frywith the addition of waterchestnuts, bean sprouts, soysauce, and mixed vegeta-bles.

☛ Grind meats to make ahearty meat loaf.

☛ Make leftover potatoesinto hash browns.

☛ Cube leftover cake andserve on skewers and fruitfor dipping into chocolate

fondue.☛ Use pie crust and small

ramekins to turn turkey orham into savory pot pies.

There are so many ideasfor using leftover holidayfoods this season.Experiment with flavors yourfamily will enjoy.

home for the holidays november 25, 2011

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