Flour Tortilla Spirals

Quick, easy, make-ahead snack is the keyword for these really good ´snacks´:

2 pkgs cream cheese softened
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1 Tbsp chopped chives
1 Tbsp finely chopped jalapeno (toss away the seeds)
1 pkg flour tortillas (large size)
1/2 cup finely chopped pieces of ham (optional)

Mix first 5 ingredients by hand; spread onto flour tortillas about 1/4" thick then roll up. Chill for about 1 hour; just before serving, slice into approximately 1/2" ´spirals´. Can be rechilled, but too long in refrigerator can cause tortillas to become soggy.

Pecan ´lace´ cookies

mmmm..mmmmm...delicate and tasty! Ingredients:
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sugar (granulated)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pecan halves

Finely grind pecans and mix thoroughly with sugar (in food processor if you have one); place in a bowl; add and mix in flour, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl, beat egg; add melted butter and vanilla. Stir into sugar/flour mixture. Drop by teaspoonfuls, about 3" apart, onto lightly greased foil-lined cookie sheets. Place pecan half in center of each cookie. Bake at 325 deg.F for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown and lacy. Let cookies cool COMPLETELY before *carefully* removing from foil.
Makes about 4-1/2 doz.

Christmas Card list

With this little book, you should have no problem keeping track each year of names/addresses and sent/received records. Go to:
http://currentcatalog.com/productDetail.asp?superprodid=2004&oduid=614902
for the Christmas Card Record Book (prod. #SKU071406)

Raffia or ribbon

When wrappping gift packaages, use raffia rather than ribbon for a nice difference. Christmas raffia (various colors) can be purchased at most craft stores or at Current

Pass on the ´heirloom´

Now might be the time to pass on some of the
family-heirloom Christmas decorations to your children
or grandchildren. Wrap in tissue and place in box with a note of what the decoration meant to you, how you obtained it and date obtained. Keep the memories alive.

Other uses for tree ornaments

If you have more Christmas tree ornaments than you use, consider giving them to family or needy, or:
tie them with a pretty bow and attach to a garland or wreath. One or two ´ball-type´ with bow would be nice on corner of mantle, medicine cabinet, or mirror.

Dying Easter Eggs

If we dye Easter eggs for the kids (huh...even for ourselves), be sure they are hard-boiled (did I have to remind you? :o), and NOT cracked. Even vegetable-dyes seeping onto the egg can become unhealthy; don´t take a chance. Use the cracked eggs for potato salad or deviled eggs.

Easy Coffee ´Crackers´

Really tasty and easy ´cookie´...you´ll need:

1/2 stick butter (or margarine)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
Finely chopped pecans (approx. 1/2 cup)
1 box Club or Waverly crackers

Melt butter in microwavable bowl (in microwave oven); stir in brown sugar and vanilla; add finely chopped pecans.

Place individual crackers on cookie sheet, spoon sauce over crackers, bake 8-10 minutes at 350 deg.F.

Remove from oven and place on platter immediately (do not place on wax paper).
Great for company with hot coffee, tea or spiced apple cider (another tip), or to give to neighbors.
Note: you may not use all the crackers.

Little BBQ Sausages

Depending on the number of guests, you will need one or two packages of the little sausages. Heat these in saucepan with 1 cup BBQ sauce per package. Serve in a fondue warmer-pot with fork.

Safety First

Watch those gifts small children receive: do they have parts that the child could pull off and swallow? Either exchange the gift, or pull off the part and discard...better safe than sorry! AND...discard ALL plastic-wrap safely; away from child´s reach!

Easter Egg Hunts

If we´re planning on hosting Easter Dinner for the family, schedule time for the kid´s Easter Egg Hunt (betcha grownups join in)! Keep a supply of the plastic eggs to use in the hunt; give each child an opportunity to do the ´hiding´. Plastic eggs can safely be used over...and over...and...Have FUN!

Watch your pet

Children are natural ´sharers´. Keep an eye on them and your pet(s) during party and holiday times. No food from the table for pets; no chewing up of small toy pieces; no rough playing with pets. If necessary, keep pets in an isolated area/room...for their safety-sake. NO candy, especially chocolate - poison for pets!

´Surprise´ Peanut Butter cookies

These are quick and easy cookies - the surprise being there is NO flour in this recipe :o)
Ingredients:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients until smooth. Form into one-inch balls; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Criss-cross press balls flat with fork-tines after dipping in extra sugar.
Bake at 325 deg.F for 10-12 minutes.
Note: If you have a nice decorative cookie stamp, use in place of fork-tines.
Yield: approx. 2 doz.

Special poinsettias for home/gravesite

This is a special ´touch´ for poinsettias that I place at my husband´s gravesite and in vases around the house. Purchase at craft store one (or more) large, silk poinsettia ´bouquet(s)´, bottle each of glitter-gold and glitter-green Tulip fabric paint. Paint the ´veins´ and edges of poinsettia bracts (the red leaf), and the ´inside´ (the actual flower) with gold, and half of the other leaves with green. Let dry at least 24 hours. A really beautiful effect.

Cross on the roof

This outdoor Christmas decoration is especially effective if we have a definite ´slope´ to the front roof: with white mini-lights, place lights to form an outline of a cross (not just a´single-line´). Can be other color of lights, but the white glows so nicely.

Fly THE flag

Always remember to display your FLAG proudly in your yard, on porch, or auto on ´special´ days. We will be honoring ourselves, our nation, and our veterans by doing so. The American flag can be purchased (with pole) inexpensively at Target, KMart and various other locations.

Best way to shop for gifts

For Holiday giving, start with a list of all those people you want to give gift(s) to. Beside each name list 2-3 items they might enjoy/need. If buying clothing, be sure to get the right size listed. You will avoid ´guessing´ when at the stores.

Trees for bed-and-bath

What a pleasant surprise for guests to decorate their bedroom and guest bath. We can buy (or make) small Christmas trees to use here. I also put up a bow & ribbon garland around the window (love the ´wired´ ribbon) and the medicine cabinet.

Christmas Wreath for gravesite

Don´t overlook decorating gravesites at Christmas time. You can purchase at craft store (i.e. MJDesigns) a wire ´easel´ (stand), straw wreath, evergreen garland, ´picks´ (gifts, flowers, bells, etc), a few tree ornaments (attach with floral pins), bow. Wrap wreath with garland, add decorations and a large bow. With florist wire, firmly attach finished wreath to stand. Be sure to force easel legs at least 4" into dirt for stability.
© Copyright Jackie (Micke) Jinks, 2000