Holiday Open House Favorites

Christmas is for children. But it is for grownups too. Even if it is a headache, a chore, and nightmare, it is a period of necessary defrosting of chill and hide- bound hearts.
~Lenora Mattingly Weber


I don't know about you, but I always have gatherings to bring dishes to during the holidays-- open houses,potlucks, family dinners etc. The recipes below can all be used if you are having an open house or any one of them are great potluck dishes as well.

Cinnamon Praline Scones

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 1/2 tablespoons butter, chilled
1 extra large egg, beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 cup pecans, finely chopped or crushed
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and prepare baking sheet with parchment paper. Chop the chilled butter into small pieces. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and 2 tablespoons sugar. Using a pastry blender or your finger, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles crumbs. In a small bowl, combine the egg and cream and add to the flour mixture. Mix until just blended. Turn out the batter onto a lightly floured board and knead for 1 minute. Roll dough into a rectangle approximately 8 x 12 inches. Brush the dough with the melted butter. Combine filling ingredients and spread on the dough. Roll up, jelly-roll fashion, and seal the long seam by pinching it together lightly with your fingers. Cut the roll into twelve 1-inch thick slices. Lay slices on the baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden.

Hot Cranberry Franks

Ingredients:
2 pounds cocktail franks
1 can whole cranberry sauce (15 1/2 oz.)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Combine cranberry and soy sauce, ginger and mustard in a 2 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil; turn heat down to medium. Add franks and let simmer 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with toothpicks. This can also be transferred to a slow cooker after the boiling step. This can also be made with smoked kielbasa that is cut into round slices about 1/2 inch thick.

Cream Cheese Tarts

Ingredients:
Tart Crust:
48 graham crackers crushed
1 1/3 sticks butter, melted
6 tbsp. sugar

Tart Filling:
2 pounds cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Optional toppings:
Fruit pie fillings
Drizzled chocolate, white and milk chocolate
Fresh fruit
Crushed chocolate graham cracker or Oreo crumbs

For crust: Blend all ingredients together well. Press about 1 tsp. mixture into mini muffin tins, lined with muffin papers.

For filling: Blend all ingredients together well. Place about 1 tablespoon filling over crust. Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool and refrigerate. Before open house remove all of the tarts from the refrigerator to add toppings.

Suggested toppings:
Cherry, blueberry or lemon pie fillings-sprinkle very lightly
with confectioners' sugar after adding a small spoonful of
filling over the top of the tart.

Crushed Cookie Crumbs: Oreos, gingersnaps, vanilla wafers
or cinnamon graham crackers.

Drizzled Toppings: Melt milk or white chocolate, caramel or almond bark gently over a double boiler and drizzle with a tsp. onto each tart.

Crockpot Hot Apple Cider

Ingredients:
1 gallon apple cider or juice
12 whole cloves
3 sticks cinnamon
2 whole nutmegs
2 large pieces crystallized ginger

Place all ingredients in crockpot. Heat on high for 2 hours,and on low to keep warm until ready to serve. This makes about 20 servings. Keep another batch ready to go in the kitchen in a second crockpot or in a large pan on the stove simmering at the lowest temperature.

On OFL we have cookie exchange tips and recipes:
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/cookie-exchange.html