Last Minute Thoughts Before The Holiday

On this day in 1823, a poem entitled A Visit From St. Nicholas was published in the Troy Sentinel in New York City. The unsigned poem that began "Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house..." was years later credited to Clement Clarke Moore. Originally  the poem was submitted to the newspaper by a relative of Moore. The magic of this jolly visitor in the poem is largely responsible for the conception of Santa Claus as we know him today.
So it was the day before Christmas Eve for me and I was giving my cupboards a much needed overhaul when what to my wondering eyes should appear but this lonely can leftover from Thanksgiving.

So I sprung into action perhaps a bit like St. Nicholas and went straight to my work making  Cranberry Sauced Meatballs, the perfect appetizer for a Christmas Eve buffet. And by sheer luck I even had on hand prepared meatballs in the freezer to make the job easier. Now that was a real time saver.
words in italics taken from his poem...just to give the author full credit.

 I liked this recipe as a nice alternative to the grape sauced/chili sauce meatballs I have made before.

Cranberry Meatballs 

Ingredients:

• 2 LBS. of meatballs-make your own or use prepacked ones
• 1 can ( 16 oz.) cranberry sauce
• 1 bottle (12 oz.) chili sauce
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4-1/2 cup water
• 2 TB. soy sauce
• 2 TB. wine vinegar
• 1 TB. lemon juice
• 1/2-1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes 

Directions:

• In a large dutch oven over medium heat whisk all ingredients except meatballs
• Cook for 5 minutes or until ingredients are smooth
• Add meatballs and cook on low heat 30 minutes-stirring occasionally and meatballs are warm
• Another alternative is to place meatball mixture in a slow cooker/crock pot and cook on low-medium for 2 hours  

Note: Recipe can be made ahead and then placed in a crock-pot to cook when needed

adapted from Southern Living Recipes (Internet) 

Bellini

This drink would make a wonderful toast to the New Year 2012

Bellini was invented at Harry's Bar in Venice in 1931. This simple drink was a favorite of Ernest Hemingway, Sinclair Lewis and Orson Welles, who were said to have sipped it while the United States was under Prohibition. After tasting this drink I must say one would use a lot of restraint to just sip it :)

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. (1/8 cup) peach nectar
• 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. (1 TB.) peach schnapps
• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) sparkling wine/champagne
• 3 fresh raspberries

Directions:

• Pour peach nectar, lemon juice and peach schnapps into a glass and stir
• Gently stir in sparkling wine/champagne
• Add raspberries on top