It’s Christmas. Already? Well, not yet, but you can hardly tell by the looks of the stores. It looks like St. Nick is ready to load the sleigh as soon as he can get the spooky Halloween things and a few Thanksgiving plates and napkins out of the way.
I was asked to speak to a group recently on preparing early for Christmas. My answer fell immediately from my lips: “It’s Christmas. Already?” So, that’s the title they gave for my program.
You could line up 100 people to speak on this subject and I would be the least qualified. For many years Mary Hall and I had a catering business — fun and rewarding but very difficult. We would cook and serve until Dec. 23. Then we (or at least I) really began to Christmas shop in earnest. It is rumored (and maybe a little true) that I was seen finishing up my “stocking stuffers” at 7-11 stores late on Christmas Eve because they were the only ones open.
I know we are skipping Halloween, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving getting on to the Christmas preparation early because it is fresh on my mind. This might mean that I get my little miniature manger scenes out this year before Christmas Eve. That has been my extent of decorating for the past few years. With all the children gone and celebrating with their families, in-laws, etc., I just can’t dig up the energy to decorate in a grand manner. Besides, after the holidays, you have to undecorate and that is the part I can’t stand.
Though these recipes were geared for Christmas entertaining, they are good, useful recipes for entertaining at any time. I just felt that I should get them to you in a hurry before the Easter baskets and all the fixings appear on the shelves.
Mary Lawler’s Ranch Cheese Ball
Ingredients
2 packages (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 package (1 ounce) dry Ranch dressing mix
Seasoned black pepper (no substitute)
Steps
Mix cream cheese and dressing mix. Mold into desired shape — small wreath, ball or flat patty. Roll in seasoned pepper. Chill until slightly firm. Garnish with red bell pepper, green pepper and or parsley. Let set at room temperature before serving. Serve with crackers or raw vegetables.
Shirley Deteau’s Cranberry Cake
Ingredients
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
12 ounces fresh cranberries
Steps
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5-7 minutes.
The eggs are the only leavening agent, so do not skip this step. Add the butter and vanilla and mix for 2 more minutes. Stir in the flour and mix only until just combined. Do not overbeat. Add cranberries by hand and mix thoroughly. Pour into a greased or sprayed 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes until lightly browned and tests done with toothpick stuck in center. Cool before cutting. May top with a glaze, but it is great just plain. Freezes well to be made ahead of time and used later.
Hint: Buy cranberries when available and keep frozen all year round.