Friday, December 30, 2011

Happy New Year!!!!

 
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas-we certainly  did.  The cooks were working in a flurry over Christmas in Illinois and then again on the 28th for Christmas with our children and grandchildren.  We had another turkey here at home, because it's just not Christmas until Mr. Grandma's Kitchen Recipes has leftover turkey for sandwiches.  The old fashioned sugar cookies were a hit, as usual, and everyone commented on how well my 6 year old and 4 year old grandchildren decorated them.  The other favorite is date pinwheel cookies.  My sister-in-law and husband all but fight over the date cookies.  But I always make enough so they don't come to blows (LOL)!

So, now Christmas is behind us and New Year's is directly ahead.  You all know what that means-New Year's Eve parties.  Perhaps you are hosting your own.  Of maybe you are going to a pot luck and have to make something special.  It seems like there are more parties that contain "finger food" than an all out meal.  We will be having kid friendly food because our grandkids will be here overnight, and we are really looking forward to that.  Any wagers on if any of us stay up until midnight?

But I digress.  Grandma's Kitchen Recipes would like to share some of our favorite party recipes.  These are very simple and take little time to prepare. The Cream Cheese Ham Pickles is my husband's favorite.  My favorite is the Stuffed Celery and the family favorite is the Roll-ups.  One of my son-in-laws makes the pinwheels for food day at work and his poker parties.  To make things easy on yourself, make sure to plan on several easy appetizers and a few more time consuming recipes.  You don't want to be so worn out from preparing all that food that you miss the ball drop in Times Square.


Grandma's Kitchen Recipes' Cream Cheese Ham Pickles

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
12 pieces of rectangular shaped deli ham
6 large kosher dill pickles

Directions
Use 2 pieces of ham (stacked) and spread 1 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese onto ham.  Make sure the dill pickles are well drained.  Place a pickle on each ham rectangle and roll tight.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Using a sharp knife, slice roll-ups into 1/2 inch pieces.





Grandma's Kitchen Recipes' Blue Cheese and Pecan Stuffed Celery

Ingredients

4 ounces softened cream cheese
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup lightly toasted finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons chopped dried cranberries
celery stalks, washed and dried

Directions

Combine first four ingredients.  Fill the celery stalks with the stuffing.  Cut stuffed celery on the diagonal in lengths of your choosing.  Refrigerate until chilled.







Grandma's Kitchen Recipes' Turkey Roll-ups

Ingredients

4 large tomato/basil tortilla shells
1 12 ounce container whipped cream cheese
3 green onions, thinly sliced
fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried, stems removed
3/4 pound deli-syle smoked turkey

Directions

Spread cream cheese on each tortilla shell.  Sprinkle with green onions.  Cover with spinach leaves and the sliced turkey.  Roll tightly, wrap in foil and refrigerate at least and hour before slicing.
Sliced ham also works well for this recipe.


That's my contribution to your New Year's festivities.  Grandma's Kitchen Recipes says, enjoy your parties, and have a safe and Happy New Year.