there's a par-tay goin' on!

Our 6th annual Christmas Open House is just around the corner.  I love planning this event and my family has come to love it as well.  It's become a great kick-off amongst our friends and family for the Christmas season.  Yea!

I really try to keep it simple...yet, still find that I am running around like a chicken with her head cut off.  Can't imagine what it would be like if it wasn't "simple." Ha!  Anyhoo... I try to limit food to just a few items.  Finger foods only or things that can be obtained by a skewer or toothpick.  The boys and I already had our cookie making afternoon.  It was dreadful!  LOL.  I REALLY don't like the kitchen.  I mean, I think they're cute and all, but I am so not a domestic diva and I hate all that has to happen in the kitchen.  Can't someone else please cook all our meals?!!

Ok, so simple foods:  we bake a zillion gingerbread and sugar cookies.  Then we frost the dang things 'til our tummies ache and the poor, little brown men start looking like hideously dressed blobs or wounded zombies.  Six hours later we're done and every year I swear it'll be at least a year before I ever do anything that crazy again...so I guess that works out.  I buy a couple bags of candies and crackers.  I throw together two cheese balls and I make several batches of what have become very popular cranberry meatballs.   That's it!   Of course, there's punch, tea, coffee, cocoa, and cider.

I set up the bounce house, have the boys stock every fire place (indoors and out) with ample firewood, and decorate, decorate, decorate.  Play music, light candles, have fun!  And don't forget to invite family, friends, and neighbors (obviously this should occur way before lighting candles).

So, how 'bout those recipes...  I usually find a cheese ball recipe online.  Still haven't found one that I love enough to repeat, but this year I discovered (in my mom's stuff while moving her and her hub out of their home) my Grandma's fabulous pineapple cheese ball.  Oh my goodness gracious great-balls-of-fire it is to die for!


Pineapple Cheese Ball
(F. Maxine McClain)

12 oz. cream cheese
green pepper, diced
small can crushed pineapple (well drained)

Mix it all together (let the cream cheese stand at room temp to soften).   Refrigerate for 24 hours.  Shape into a ball and roll in crushed pecans or bacon bits.  Ta da!  Try not to devour the whole thing before hand.  It is SO good!


Sweet Cranberry Meatballs
(Fix It and Forget It)

50 meatballs (Obviously I multiply this like crazy for our shindig.)
1 cup brown gravy
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
2 T. heavy cream
2 t. Dijon mustard

Put meatballs in slow cooker.  Mix remaining ingredients to gather and pour over meatballs.
Cover.  Cook on high 2-3 hours or low 5-6 hours.

Easy peasy.  That's how I like it.  If food involves more than 10 minutes to organize, then I'm so out of there.  So, you know this has to be easy enough for someone with a cooking allergy like me to be able to pull it off.