Winter Getaway

Any Winter Getaway headline will command your attention this time of the year when the flurry of activity from the holiday season subsides and the temperatures take a dip. One of my favorite Christmas cards has a picture of Santa wearing a lei on the beach doing the hula with two native women. He is standing next to his sleigh that has been beached on shore. Title on back of card How Santa Unwinds. Do you not wish you could join them for a little bit of fun...warm breezes, sunshine, Margaritas on the beach??? What more can I say!

Perhaps we all need to create our own winter getaway when it is not possible to fly off to some far away place. Now I believe that sock fairies have the right idea about rewarding themselves with some much needed downtime. Since they have worked many long hours to complete a variety of sock accessories for the holiday season it is now time for the parties to commence. I have been told that between Christmas and New Years a different fairy takes a turn hosting a gathering in their home. It is up to the hostess to choose a theme for the evening. Some foods that will be served are nutshells filled to the brim with fragrant juices, piles of hazelnut seeds and bowls of crab-apple jelly. Sprinklings of fairy dust will give the room a silvery sheen. Delicate gossamer strands woven around the room with tiny twinkling white lights add to the festive mood for decorations. Bunches of lavenders tied together with twigs provide a wonderful aroma. The music will be merry and lively to lift every one's spirits. Even if the snow keeps falling it will not stop any of their merrymaking. So my advice to you if your spirits dip in the upcoming weeks use this as an excuse to plan some type of get together with friends. Let some merrymaking be your Winter Getaway.

Cornbread Crostini Appetizers

Ingredients:

• 1 package of Marie Callender cornbread mix (found in cake mix aisle)
• variety of toppings:shaved ham, chopped walnuts, fig or cranberry chutney, apple slices, peppers
• container of Boursin cheese: garlic herbs, spinach artichoke

Directions:

• Grease mini muffin pans
• Heat oven 350
• Put a heaping tablespoon of batter in each muffin well
• Cook 15 minutes remove cornbread and cool on a wire rack
• Before serving place on a cookie sheet each cornbread muffin and re bake 375 for 5 minutes to crisp
• Cool and frost each cornbread muffing with Boursin cheese and decorate with some of these suggested toppings

1. strips of shaved ham and snips of dill
2. apple slices
3. dollop of fig chutney and sprinkle chopped walnuts
4. roasted red peppers-cilantro or chives