Entertaining Hints:

This is a time of year that many of us are involved in entertaining family, friends, and co-workers for one reason or another.  A few of my tried & true HINTS are: 

- add a little color of red to your lettuce before you use it to line a food plate of appetizers by dipping the edges of leaf lettuce in water & then in 2 T. of paprika that is on paper towel. 

- prepare a couple of punches so that the guests can serve themselves & you’ll have more time to visit with everyone.

- put maraschino cherries, lemon, lime or orange sections in each ice cube tray section before you add water or a punch ingredient, then freeze.

- keep your meatballs round by baking them on a cookie sheet in a 350° oven for 10 to 12 minutes (for walnut size meatballs)  Cool them on cooling racks that are placed over a double layer of paper towels.     

OR: BOIL the meatballs in beef bouillon for 10 minutes then drain.

- make the meatballs ahead and freeze them on a cookie sheet so that they do not freeze together.  After they are frozen -quickly put them in a freezer type zipper bag & then into the freezer.  This way you can just remove the number of meatballs that you want & return the rest to the freezer.

- Foods in 1 to 2 bite sizes are best so that quests can keep their hands free to hold drinks and move around the room easier.

 - When serving a variety of finger foods figure that you will need at least 6 items per person.  So if you have 20 guests, you’ll need a minimum total of 120 pieces. 
(Note: this is adding up ALL of the different items – not 120 pieces of each food you’re serving.

 - Be sure to have plenty of toothpicks or bamboo skewers for guests to use.  These are less cumbersome than forks.   

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- BEAT eggs in a large mixing bowl

- MIX in the flour, baking powder, dry dressing mix, and butter. 

- BLEND together. 

- STIR in the grated cheeses and spinach. 

- SPREAD the mixture in a greased 9” X 13” pan. 

- BAKE for 30 minutes in a 350° oven   

- COOL for 10 minutes     

- CUT into 1 1/2 “ squares 

- SERVE with a dollop of sour cream on top of each one. 

HINT:  This can be made ahead to reheat in the microwave as served. 

It also freezes well.

**  Make ice cube molds out of an ingredient of your  punch so that the ice mold doesn’t dilute the punch with water.

** Those of you in the northern states – during the winter – to save refrigerator space I chill my champagne, pop, etc. outside on the deck in our large cooler or by just sticking them in a mound of snow.

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You can - by trying out these methods -

1) Never cut the root end off first. That end
contains most of the 'tearing' vapors. Start cutting
at the 'top' - the pointed end.

2) Put the onion in the freezer 5 - 10 minutes
BEFORE you cut it up.  Chilling it first slows down
the 'tearing' vapors.

3) Try not to buy onions that are pointy at both ends.
This shape tends to be stronger than the
squatty, flat, root end ones.

4) Keep candles handy.
Place a lit candle next to your working area
the 'tearing' vapors will go toward the heat of the flame
and stay away from you.

5) If need it chopped up, just
Peel & cut the onion in 3 - 4 pieces.  Put in a blender
add enough cold water to cover it
Pulse the blender on & off several times
then drain off the water using a drainer or sieve.

If you want, you can combine these methods
I recommend you at least use
method 1)
with any of the other 4 HINTS.