Caroling or Tree Trimming Party
After a night out caroling with friends and/or relatives,
invite everyone back to your house to help trim your Christmas
tree and serve up the following drinks and snacks.
Hot Mulled Wine
Ingredients:
- 1 bottle red wine
- 12 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon
sticks
- Rind of 1 lemon
- Rind of 1 orange
- 2
tablespoons sugar
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a pot and steep gently over a medium heat
until hot. Avoid boiling the mixture. Serve in sturdy mugs.
NOTE: This is good to make in a crock pot, too. Makes the house
smell nice, also.
Kahlua Nog
- 1 cup Kahlua
- 1 pint dark rum
- 1 quart egg nog
- 1 pint chocolate ice cream
- 1 pint coffee-flavored ice
cream
Mix rum, Kahlua and egg nog in a large pitcher. Right
before serving, pour 1/2 of the mixture into a chilled large
punch bowl. Add scoops of the ice creams. Then add the remaining
liquid mixture.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup
sugar
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 drops
peppermint oil
- Sweetened whipped cream for garnish
- Candy
Canes
In a saucepan, combine the cream, milk, sugar and
chocolate and cook until the mixture just begins to steam. Add
the peppermint oil. Divide the hot chocolate into mugs and top
with sweetened whip cream. Add a candy cane to each cup.
NOTE: Kids love this yummy drink.
Get-togethers like this call for food that can be prepared ahead
of time and put out on a buffet table when everyone arrives.
Make ahead a crock pot of beef stew or chicken noodle soup.
Prepare a tray of fresh vegetables with dips and another tray of
sliced cheeses, sausages, and other cold cuts then put out
different types of breads and buns so everyone can make their
own sandwiches. And since it's the holidays, be sure to keep it
simple.
Put out plates of home made sweet breads such as banana bread,
pumpkin bread and brownies. Plates of homemade Christmas cookies
added to this and you have your desserts. The point is to enjoy
yourself with as little hassle as possible. And if anyone offers
to bring something, suggest a colorful pasta salad, or a bread
bowl full of dip with bread cubes around it.