:: A Few Festive Recipes ::

I thought I would share a few of the recipes I made tonight for our little at home New Years Eve party.

First up one of our Holiday staple munchies.

Crispex Spicy Party Mix ::

12 oz box Crispex cereal

2 cups KIX

2 cups pretzels -broken

1 pound can cashews

2/3 cup oil

½ tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 ½ tsp chili powder

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix (original buttermilk mix)

Mix cereal, pretzels, cashews in roaster : mix oil etc. together pour over cereal mixture. Stir well. Bake @ 250 stirring every 15 minutes for 1 hour

Now if this doesn’t become a favorite of yours I will be shocked. WE LOVE it! I always make a double batch and it always gets eaten. *** Just a note*** I have been known to add other things to this that I have in my cupboard such as cheerios, cheese nips crackers and there is a WONDERFUL cereal out there from Quaker called Crunchy Corn Bran…let me tell you, it is delicious and I ALWAYS add it to this mix! So as you can see, anything goes! So make it and munch away!

My second recipe is a brand new one for me this year. Nigella Lawson is a new favorite chef of mine. I love her carefree, express way of cooking. She is a joy to watch and beautiful inside and out too!

Here is her recipe for Roquamole ::

• 1 cup crumbled Roquefort or St. Agur
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 ripe avocados
• 2 tablespoons finely sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup jarred sliced pickled green jalapenos
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 bag blue corn tortilla chips

Directions

Crumble or mash the blue cheese with the sour cream in a bowl. Mash in the avocados. If they are ripe, a fork should be all you need. Roughly chop the sliced jalapenos and stir them into the mixture along with the finely sliced scallions. Arrange in the center of a plate or dish, dust with paprika and surround with tortilla chips. Dive in!

I topped mine with a few more snips of scallions.

Like I said, this is a new recipe for me. And it was so fresh tasting. The Bleu cheese didn’t overpower and neither did the jalapenos. Give it a try!

The last recipe is a fun, festive drink ::

Pomegranate Soda (Non-Alcoholic)

• 4 oz. Pomegranate Juice
• 2 oz. Club Soda
• 1 lime wedge
• 1 cup ice

I squeezed real pomegranate juice, you could use the bottled. And just for fun I put the pomegranate juice and the ice in a cocktail shaker. I strained it and then added the club soda and some pomegranate seeds just for fun!

Refreshing ::

I am sure you all have your own favorite festive recipes! I just thought I would pass on a few of ours! The good old standbys are great and the new ones are so fun to try!

:: Happy 2011 ::

Until next time, take care.

~Sarah~