How to make memorable holiday Appetizers

I'm pretty sure these came from Southern Living ~ just not sure when!!

Ham & Cranberry Cream Cheese Sandwiches (Actually, we don't eat pork so I use turkey instead - yummmm!)

1/2 c cream cheese (use the tub of cream cheese versus the block of cream cheese!)
1/2 c whole berry cranberry sauce
28 slices cinnamon swirl bread, crusts removed
28 very thin slices smoked ham (or turkey) about 1 1/4 lbs

Combine cream cheese and cranberry sauce, mixing well.  Spread a heaping teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture onto each bread slice.  Top half of the bread pieces with two slices of the meat.  Place remaining bread, cream cheese side down, onto meat.  Cut each sandwich into four trianles using a sharp knife. 
Makes 56 appetizers

Savory Kalamata Cheesecake Squares
1 1/4 c Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 c very finely chopped pecans
1/3 c butter, melted
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 3 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 8 oz container sour cream
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 c kalamata olives, pitted and sliced or chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

Combine first 3 ingredients,stir well.  Press firmly into a lightly greased, foil lined 9" square pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, set aside to cool.  Beat cream cheese, sour cream, flour and seasonings at medium speed with electric mixer until smooth.  Add egg and egg yolk, one at a time, beating just until blended.  Stir in sliced olives and chopped rosemary; pour into baked crust.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or just until firm.  Cool to room temp on a wire rack, cover and chill. 
To serve, lift foil out of pan, cut cheesecake into squares.  Garnish serving platter with fresh rosemary sprigs if desired.  Makes 3 dozen.

Holiday Party Recipes

The first two are from my favorite Georgia girl, Paula Deen & her boys, Jamie & Bobby.
Pecan-Crusted Cranberry Cheese Balls

8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
3 Tbsp softened cream cheese
3 Tbsp dried sweetened cranberries
2/3 c finely chopped pecans

Mix together cheeses and cranberries in a bowl.  Form into small, bite-size balls, then roll in the pecans.  You'll have to press gently to get the pecans to stick into the balls.  Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.  Let them come to room temperature before serving.  Stick a cocktail toothpick into each, you can serve with crackers, fruit, and nuts on a platter - yum!

Turtles

1 lb caramel candies
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
8 oz salted pecans
12 oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Grease 2 cookie sheets.  In a double boiler, or microwave, melt caramels and butter stirring frequently until smooth.
On the cookie sheets, arrange 36 groups of 3 or 4 pecans, about 2 inches apart.  Spoon a tsp or so of caramel over the nuts, cool for 15 minutes. 
In double boiler or in the microwave, on low power, melt the chocolate chips, stir until smooth.  Spoon chocolate by tsp over each caramel turtle; spread with a butter knife.  Let candies set at room temp, or you can place in the fridge to set more quickly.  
(You can also use salted cashews or other favorite nuts in place of the pecans)

Holiday Punch
The night before, make ice cubes with an additional bottle of the sparkling grape juice, keep in freezer until serving time

(start this about 2 1/2 hours before serving so it has time to chill)
3 c cold water
3/4 c sugar
1 bottle sparkling grape juice (I like white, but you can use red, as well)
1 cup orange juice
1/2 c lemon juice
3 16 oz chilled bottles 7-up
5 cinnamon sticks

In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar and cinnamon sticks to make a cinnamon simple syrup.  Heat to boiling over medium heat, stir as needed.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove & discard cinnamon sticks, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. 

In a large punch bowl, combine the cinnamon syrup, the juices and sodas.  Add the sparkling juice ice cubes from the night before, and garnish with citrus slices, fresh mint leaves, or more cinnamon sticks.  Beautiful and delicious!

Setting up for a spooky weekend...

Oh my gosh, do I ever feel like a chicken with its head cut off!! The weekend is almost here, and I'm starting to FrEaK out because I have so much left to do!! I am really bad about procrastinating, and I went and did it AGAIN!!! Anyone else have that problem!? : )

So my list of things to do is going here. Maybe I will actually get it all done if I post it publicly?! We have a soccer game tonight, I work in David's class tomorrow for their Fall Festival, and Saturday morning our favorite small-town library is having a quick Halloween party, so dropping in for that. SOLD OUT! We may go to the bookstore while I run errands - they are having a Halloween party I think.

The rest of the next 3 days I'll be cleaning, baking, cooking and decorating for our annual get together with dear friends - get ready for this - the Adams Family!! Steph and I went to high school and one year of college together, and we have managed to stay friends for a long, long time. This is our second year of a Halloween dinner/movie/trick or treat night. The kids go out with the dads, Steph & I catch up and put the food out, then we all eat together and enjoy a scary movie, great food and wonderful fellowship!! Last year my recipes and foods were kind of scary/gross, but I have decided to really pare down my menu because I'm really not sure I will get all this done! lol It's going to be easy to make food that will be tasty, and a little scary. I still have a few ideas for some other foods, but I'll have to wait and see

Clean ~ foyer, living room, dining room, kitchen, shampoo carpet in living room, dining room
Have kids clean - all the baseboards, Katie's (guest) bathroom, put clothes and school things in their rooms, Katie's room, David's room
Bake: pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, devils food cupcakes, Turkey Bacon Cheeseburgers with rolls
Cook: frozen pizzas with cheese jack o lantern faces
Assemble: layered mexican dip with green goddess spiderweb on top, apple nachos, chocolate dipped oreos, frozen juice hand for punchbowl (ended up not making punch, so didn't need this)
Wash: Grandmother's candleabra for my bloody-dripping candlesticks, & punchbowl & glasses for juice (didn't end up using)
finish faux painting last kitchen countertop
paint as much of the kitchen walls as I can get done! didn't do this - ran out of time!
cut out and hang black paper bats
LAUNDRY monster downstairs must be tamed!
DH's Honey-do list written & delivered to himlol
Holy moly - I'm never gonna get this all done!!

What are your Halloween plans? What are you & your kiddos going to be for Halloween? I'm not dressing up, but the kids are: David will either be a ninja or an army man, and Katie is going to be a silly 16 year old Dora the Explorer. Teenagers *shakes head*!!!

And the million dollar question ~ what kind of candy do you give out? Usually we have one or two good kinds and the rest is smarties or lollipops. This year we have a huge assortment. Fun size Hershey bars, Kit Kats, Butterfingers, Reeses cups, Reeses Fast Break, Smarties, Lollipops, Sweet Tarts, Nerds, and Tootsie Rolls, plus boxes of stickers, and some spider rings. Thanks to awesome sales at CVS & Kroger, and good coupons, I was able to get all this great candy for under $12, so I hope we have lots of trick or treaters this year! : )

Ok, sorry for the rambling. I'm so tired and feeling overwhelmed, but putting it all down in a list makes it easier to cross each item off as I go! Y'all have an excellent evening, and I'll try to have some good stuff on here tomorrow!