Christmas Party Ideas

This is my first year really out on my own and I can't wait to host my first Christmas part. My parents were never into hosting parties so this is totally new to me but I do have some ideas which I'm going to share. 

DISCLAIMER: I have not tested any of these so if it doesn't work don't blame me. 

Christmas Wreath: I got this idea from a friend who's hosts a Christmas party each year. You would make a rice cripsy treat mix but with cornflakes instead of rice cripsies and add a little green food coloring. What I'm thinking will be best is to add the food coloring to the marshmallow mix first and then add the cornflakes. Then shape it into a circle on a piece of parchment paper (this will let you transfer it onto your serving plate without worrying about making a mess or the wreath sticking) and add and few red hots here and there to look like berries. 

Pine cone cheese ball: I got the idea to make my own cheese ball and then shape it into a pine cone and add sliced nuts to the outside to look like a pine cone. 

Rice cripsy gingerbread house: I saw the FoodNetWork Challenge were they were building a city out of rice cripsies and got the idea to do the same for my gingerbread house. Last year I got a kit and just felt like I didn't have enough options but I don't fell like I'd be able to correctly bake the gingerbread in the creative shape I want. My solution is to make the house out of rice cripsies, this will let me create any shape I want and to change it at any point because I can just shave it away. I'm also thinking about doing a less traditional design and decorations, but I'm still working on it. 

If you have any ideas about what else I could do for my Christmas party please comment. 

Turkey Tips

This year for Thanksgiving we tired something new with the turkey. I had been watching a bunch of FoodNetWork and learned how much I was doing wrong. Instead of stuffing the turkey with stuffing, which we normally do, we filled the turkey with apples, oranges, and a few lemons. 

I learned that this is suppose to help keep the turkey really moist and that the stuffing can really dry out the turkey. 

What also really helped my turkey turn out perfect this year was basting the inside just as well as the out, now you only get one shot at basting the inside of your turkey and that's before it starts cooking so don't try to when it hot. 

While your turkey is cooking cover the main section with foil this will keep that part from getting too done too fast. 

A Holiday Tradition

For my family it's not a holiday unless we have sticky buns. Thanksgiving dinner was actually postponed once because the sticky buns weren't ready.

It's a very simple recipe, all you need is an box of hot roll mix, melted butter, cinnamon, and sugar.

First you prepare the hot roll mix as directed and then instead of making it into rolls put the dough in a greased bowl and leave it in a warm place to rise. After the dough has doubled in bulk punch it down and let it sit for another 30 minutes.

Next coat golf ball sized balls of the dough in the melted butter and then coat them in your sugar and cinnamon mixture. Then place the balls in a well greased bunt pan.

You can add nuts, raisins, or whatever you'd like in between the layers.

Let the rolls rise for about an hour before baking.

Bake the rolls at 350 for about 30 or until they are golden brown.

Let the rolls cool in the pan for a few minutes and then invert them onto a serving plate and then ENJOY!