A helping hand is usually welcomed if you are a busy pastor's wife, especially around the holidays with the extra demands of shopping, baking, wrapping, memory making, travel, parties, practices and Christmas programs, to name a few. Though we can't hire Merry Maids to show up on your doorstep (we wish we could, as a thank you for all you do!), this week and next we are offering a few tried and true recipes and activities to help with the hospitality you may be hosting or participating in this Christmas season. We all have our favorite "go-to" recipes and traditions, but sometimes we are faced with, "What will I make this year?" or, "What can we do for fun in this gathering?" We hope this helps!
from Kimm Harvey
Holiday Meatballs (appetizer)
1 lg bag of frozen Italian style small meatballs (turkey or beef – Sam’s club)
1 or 2 pkg Lil’ Smokies (mini smoked franks)
1 can jelly or whole berry Cranberry sauce
1 jar Chili Sauce
2 T (heaping) brown sugar
3T Dijon or any champagne mustard
1c BBQ sauce (any flavor)
Place Meatballs in large Crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients in bowl and pour over meatballs. Cook on low for up to 8 hours or high for 6 hours. Add “Smokies” half way through cooking time.
For a sweeter sauce add additional cranberry sauce. For a milder flavor add 1 can tomato soup. To serve remove meatballs from crockpot and serve on holiday platter with sauce on the side for extra dipping or simply serve from Crockpot.
from Liz Emerson
Crab Meat Dip- from my dear friend Linda Teter, the senior pastor's wife of Living Faith Church in Franklin, West Virginia.
I have used this recipe many times for a Christmas open house or family Christmas Eve parties.
1 pound canned crab meat (Three - 6 oz cans canned crab meat works great- does not have to be fresh)
2 – 8 ounce cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Triscuits or Wheat Thins
Blend all ingredients but 1 cup cheddar cheese in a mixer. Spread into a greased 13 x 9 pan. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Cover with remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese and bake 5 minutes more. Serve warm with crackers.from Rachel McConnell
Grace Bible Church
Philadelphia, PA
Memory Game
This works best if the group isn't all related or even super close. supplies: 3x5 cards & pens. Ask the participants to quickly jot down a holiday memory (nearly everyone there chose Christmas) without using any names. Mix up the cards & redistribute. Now they have to go around asking everyone what seems like random questions to figure out the author of their card: "Do you have a sister born on New Year's?" or "Did you get a halloween mask for Christmas?" or "Did you find a bandaid in the gravy one Christmas?" until they find the person on their card. It can be quite fun to hear some bizarre family life experiences!! (I found 3 ladies with sisters born on New Years before I finally found the one that actually wrote that on her card). It definitely got everyone talking.
More to come next week! Remember to send a favorite if you like!
