I have a girlfriend who throws a lavish holiday party every December to coincide with her birthday and Christmas. Her home is decorated beautifully with Christmas cheer in every room – from the bedrooms to the bathrooms to the laundry room. It’s truly a sight to see. She has so many Christmas trees that we’re still not quite sure how many trees she actually has this year. Everytime we start counting, we end up losing count.
Her parties usually include a variety of guests from all walks of life, live music (her husband has been in several bands over the years), a margarita machine (which sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t) and an absolutely dazzling array of food.
Things usually get quite hectic leading up to the party, yet it always comes off swimmingly, with everyone enjoying it. I’ve often wondered how she does it, and this year I think I’ve finally figured it out. She creates the grand vision and then has an army of elves (friends, family, coworkers, employees) that pitch in to help pull it off.
Though decorating has never been my forte, I can cook all day long, so that’s why I volunteered to bring several dishes. I’d seen a “Mini Cheeseball Wreath” in a magazine that intrigued me that I wanted to attempt. My friend Kelli’s “Caprese Skewers” are easy, fun and add a bit of freshness to a holiday table. My friend Rosemary’s “Mexican Spinach Dip” is always a hit – and usually the first thing to go. And you can’t beat a heaping platter of cold boiled shrimp, which Hubby fixes to perfection.
As for the “Mini Cheeseball Wreath,” I opted to forego the wreath aspect and just have a platter of beautiful holiday cheeseballs. I used a cookie scoop as recommended in the recipe for the cheeseballs. However, it was a little on the large side, so next time I’ll either get a smaller cookie scoop or perhaps use a melon baller which another friend recommended. The balls are rolled in a variety of toppings (finely chopped fresh herbs, dried cranberries and pecans) so you end up with the requisite Christmas colors of red and green. The “Caprese Skewers” tick off the red and green box as well.
Three different rooms featured tables laden with food. One table featured a crystal punch bowl full of pink lemonade surrounded by a selection of sweets – cookies, cakes and candies. The other two tables featured savory fare that ran the gamut from a spiral ham to meatballs, cold boiled shrimp, salads, crudités, chips and dips, fruits and nuts. Everyone had a lovely time and I know there’s just no way that anyone left hungry. Although I did wake up the next morning dying for another slice of the delicious tiramisu. (I need to find out who made that.)
I think any of these would make nice additions to your holiday gatherings so I encourage you to give them a try. Here’s wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
From Brookshire’s Celebrate Cooking
Cheese Balls:
Toppings:
Using a food processor, beat the cream cheese, butter, shredded cheese, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and salt until smooth.
Lightly coat your hands with nonstick spray. Scoop the mixture and roll into balls. (Use a cookie scoop for uniform size.) If the mixture becomes too soft, chill briefly to firm it up.
Place the toppings in shallow dishes. Roll the balls in the toppings until evenly coated.
Arrange on a round platter in a wreath shape. Tuck the herbs around the edges for greenery.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with assorted crackers.
Thread a grape tomato, a fresh basil leaf and a cube of mozzarella cheese onto a toothpick. Make as many as desired.
Place the skewers on a platter and drizzle the olive oil all over them. Top with kosher salt and several grinds of fresh ground black pepper.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients. Pour into baking or casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with tortilla or corn chips.
