Last Month's Dinner and Jam Menu & Recipes (December 2007)

So as promised to you peeps out there in cyber land, here is the menu along with related recipes from my successful December Dinner and Jam Party.

Now, I had created this menu based upon its proximity to Christmas, and since the party was obviously just recently after Thanksgiving, serving Turkey was out. I had also several parties planned, literally one for each weekend three weekends in a row. So I make sure the recipes didn't clash or duplicate themselves.

Come back often as I will add a few more recipes form this menu every day.

This is important for all you party people, in fact I had several non-drinking and vegetarian guests at this last party and they mentioned and applauded me more than once while patting me on the back for NOT doing onions & peppers or lasagna (as they were used to seeing only these dishes lately at parties) and having available several non-alcoholic drink specials.

A word to the party-giving wise, always have a couple of vegetarian dishes - even if their are appetizers and one side available, along with one non-alcoholic specialty drink. Your designated drivers, and vegetarians will love you for it! You want your guests and yourself for that matter to enjoy themselves.

I had one guest who mentioned (after he said he was a chef for a local Private Country Club) that I was brazenly brave to attempt to do soufflés for the main entrees. I say hogwash, in fact soufflés which are truly easy to make, leave you as the Host to mingle and talk with your guests. It's also a huge wow factor when you bring it out. Your guests will think you took hours to make it and that you took several professional cooking classes, when you simply did not spend almost anytime in the kitchen making them up. By the way ,this chef was amazed at the taste of my soufflés along with the other dishes.

So enjoy reading recipes

December's Party Menu:

The Appeteasers:

• Mixed spiced nuts
• Cheese Plate
• Leah's oh-so-Famous Salsa & Chips
• Hungry-Musicians' Hummus
• Crudite with Dill Sour Cream Dip
• Warm Artichoke and Spinach Dip
• Mushroom and Ricotta Puffs
• Sausage and Goat Cheese Tartlettes

The Main Meal Dishes

• Corn Souflee
• Crabmeat and Parmesean Souflee
• Baked Smoked Ham
• Salad with Mixed Greens and Balsamic Dressing

The to-die-for Desserts

• Holiday Toffee
• Grandma Nelle's Fudge
• Holiday Butter Thin Cookies

The Holiday Beverages

• Mulled Cider
• Mulled Wine
• Sparkling OJ