The 12 days of Christmas are here in my world, ending with the Feast of Epiphany on January 8, 2017. Many of you will be celebrating on the 31st so were featuring appetizers for you to make. We’re also including non-alcoholic beverages, especially for designated drivers because we want it to be a safe holiday.
DIP INTO THESE TREATS
My all-time favorite vegetable dip was given to me by Mrs. Dale Rupp of Bryan.
BEST VEGETABLE DIP
• 1 cup light mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons finely mince scallions
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon light La Choy soy sauce (gluten free)
Whisk ingredients together. Store in the refrigerator. Dip keeps for several days. Serve with relishes.
BAKED ARTICHOKE
• 114-ounce can artichokes, drained well and chopped
• 1 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Combine in a small, oven-proof baking dish. Bake in 350ºF oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
MICROWAVE HONEY-GLAZED CHICKEN WINGS
• 3 pounds chicken wings
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup La Choy light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon McCormick California garlic powder
Cut through each chicken wing at 2 joints. Discard tip (or freeze to make chicken broth later). Arrange other sections in 8×12-inch glass baking dish. Set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in 2-cup glass measuring container. Microwave on high, uncovered, 2 to 2½ minutes or until mixture boils, stirring once. Spoon over chicken wings. Cover with waxed paper. Microwave on high for 10 minutes. Rearrange and turn chicken pieces. Recover with waxed paper and microwave on high an additional 10 to 12 minutes or until chicken is tender and glazed.
APPETIZER CHICKEN SPREAD
• 1 5-ounce can boned chicken
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon minced onion
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon reduced-sodium La Choy soy sauce
Mix ingredients together until well blended. Chill. Garnish with a sprig of parsley and serve with crackers. Note: Chicken can be replaced with same amount of canned tuna, if you prefer.
CHEERS EVERYONE!
This punch was new to me when I moved to Bryan and so I refer to it as Bryan punch. A word of caution, be sure to make it with Canada Dry Ginger Ale, not Vernor’s because it will not taste the same.
WHITE GRAPE JUICE PUNCH
• 2 parts white grape juice, chilled
• 1 part Canada Dry ginger ale, chilled
Pour white grape juice into punch bowl. Slowly add ginger ale. Add ice ring made of white grape juice.
RED HOT PUNCH
• 1 cup water
• 1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons red hots
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 46-ounce cans unsweetened pineapple juice
• 8 cups ginger ale, chilled
• 1 quart vanilla ice cream
NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS
Resolutions are apparently made to be broken because I resolve each year to waste as little food as possible by not buying foods that are on sale unless I know that they’ll be used within a few days. It isn’t a bargain if it spoils, not to mention the food value it loses in storage.
WINTER DRY SKIN PROBLEMS?
A few suggestions from Consumer Reports on Health are to turn down the thermostat a few degrees because cooler air is less likely to aggravate your itch. Bathe briefly and use tepid water because the hotter the water, the more skin oils you strip away. Moisturize after bathing, while you’re slightly damp, using a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic lotion for sensitive skin and stick to fragrance-free soaps.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
• 3 pounds chicken wings
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup La Choy light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon McCormick California garlic powder