Easter? Halloween? Christmas? Fourth of July?

Bring it.

Whatever holiday it is, these cookies can waltz right in and be fashionable, readily available, unassumingly appropriate.

All you need to do is buy that bag of holiday colored m ‘n’ ms. Hey, they are cookies. I didn’t say they were good for you. Though I suppose you could sneak in some wheat germ, use wheat flour, add in some flax meal, substitute canola oil for some of the butter, use some applesauce… but I will leave that up to you. Sometimes my version of healthy is less about the ingredients, and more about moderation (I didn’t say always, just sometimes). Consequently, these cookies aren’t made often: they simply show up, in colorful uniform, to stand in as a holiday treat.

I pop these casually dressed cookies into school lunches to usher in some holiday cheer. They don’t require a lot of planning or foresight on my part—I just walk through Target, notice the m ‘n’ m’s and scoop up a bag. And then smile, knowing my kids will hover around the mixing bowl, begging for a taste of the dough. Yes, the dough is unavoidably good. Especially with the big chunks of pecans.

M ‘n’ M Cookies
2 sticks butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups m n ms
3/4 cup roughly chopped pecans

Oven to 350. Cream butter and sugars. Add egg, vanilla and mix. Add flour, salt and soda and stir to blend. Mix in M ‘n’ Ms and pecans. Place in spoonfuls on tray and bake 10-13 minutes. Happy Holidays!

Core-eezo? Chore-eezo? Empa-what?

Skip filling your mouth with fancy ingredients or tell-tale titles. Just open wide and insert a few of these pastry and sausage bites.

I made these for a special holiday dinner, and it was all I could do to slow down and save some room for the main event. I am SO making these again; they were delightful, unusual and easy to make in advance. And I adore it when food can be made before the party starts.

Pronunciations aside, I actually enjoy learning about new foods. Here is the Wikipedia info about chorizo:

Sometimes mispronounced as “choritso”, it can be a fresh sausage, in which case it must be cooked, but in Europe it is more frequently a fermented cured smoked sausage, in which case it is usually sliced and eaten without cooking. Spanish chorizo and Portuguese chouriço get their distinctive smokiness and deep red colour from dried smoked red peppers (pimentón/pimentão or colorau). Chorizo can be eaten as is (sliced or in a sandwich), simmered in apple cider or other strong alcoholic beverage such as Aguardente, barbecued or fried. Like breakfast sausage, it is used as an ingredient of other dishes. It also can be used as a partial replacement for ground beef or pork.

It is a bit spicy; I used the cured version, so no cooking required. I just cubed, cut and pasted:

Chorizo Empanadillas
chorizo sausage, about 1 cup in 1/4 inch dice
9 0z (1 sheet) puff pastry
flour
1 egg, beaten
paprika, to garnish

Preheat oven to 400. On floured counter, roll out puff pastry dough. Cut dough into 3 inch circles. Dampen edge of each round with water, fill with 1 heaping tsp chorizo, fold into half moon and press to seal [with fingers]. Use fork to crimp edges. Cut tiny slit in side with knife. Brush tops with beaten egg for glaze; bake for 12-14 minutes, topping with sprinkle of paprika to serve. Serve warm.

Why don’t you just bring an appetizer? Maybe a dip and some veggies? Sure, you think, wondering why you were left with the boring alternative. I can bring the 1950’s veggie platter. But it is true, people crave the green crunchy alternative to the creamy, oily, cheesy, bread-crusted delights we hide under the diminutive term ‘appetizers.’ I spent a whole weekend eating holiday meals; and thanks to the innovative, seductive, often large and beyond-a-bite appetizers, I was consistently full by the time dinner arrived.

BUT if you are going to eat and eat, it is good to insert some of these under-appreciated vegetables. And the good news is, once you find a great vegetable dip, you have conveniently expanded your lunch-making arsenal for the rest of the year. Ranch and carrots don’t always cut it. Sometimes, adding in sliced cucumbers, red peppers, cauliflower, snap peas and cherry tomatoes—with a fancy dip—are just what you need. So, holiday or otherwise, here are three options:

I often make Sundried Tomato Dip (from Barefoot Contessa). The Weekly Dish provided a Feta twist on the Sundried Dip, and I recently found this curry dip from Epicurious. All the reviews [for the curry dip] are thumbs up, with a recommendation to make it one day in advance, so the flavors have a chance to wrangle. Oh, and upon making these dips, I did some tweaking. My recipe twists are below, but for the original recipes, just click on the respective source.

From The Weekly Dish

Sundried Tomato and Feta Dip
1 5-ounce jar of sundried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained
2-3 ounces feta cheese
1 cup sour cream
3 green onions, white and green parts, sliced
Sea salt, to taste
A pinch or two of cayenne pepper

Place all in blender; blend.

From Barefoot Contessa:

Sundried Tomato Dip
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped (8 tomatoes)
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup good mayonnaise
10 dashes, hot red pepper sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

Puree the tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, red pepper sauce, salt and pepper in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the scallions and pulse twice. Serve at room temperature.

From Epicurious (and Gourmet magazine, 2002):

Curried Vegetable Dip
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 scallion, trimmed and finely chopped

Garnish: scallion greens, sliced diagonally

Place all in blender; blend.

It is Christmas time. And my [extended] family, probably not unlike others, struggle year upon year about whether to give big gifts or little gifts, pile grab bag gifts or make homemade gifts. Are the gifts getting too expensive? Is the family getting so big that we still buy gifts for everyone? How about an exchange? Couple gifts? Family gifts? No gifts? What does your family do?

And yet, it is nice to give gifts, to show someone you care. Whether gifts are bought or made, expensive or not, at least once a year it is nice to say: here is a gift for you, from me.

Often, I make gifts from my kitchen: jars of blueberry chutney, a bag of peppermint bark wrapped with tinsel and a home-made card, a sangria kit or limoncella that has rested and readied itself for 80-some-odd-days.

Some years, I spend more money and less time. Other years, I spend more time [making gifts] and less money. In fact, I like to mix it up: some years I have time, energy and good ideas. Others, I see something in a store that grabs my attention—that seems so fitting and perfect—I can’t help myself. And there are years when I have little energy, even less time and my mind has been consumed otherwise. During these times, I buy gifts instead of making them; it fits with that chapter of my life—and still tells those around me that I care.

This year, one of my brothers encouraged us to all spend under $15, and make gifts for each couple. It was a good suggestion, and I was amused and touched that each member of my own family-of-four embraced the challenge. My youngest son is a talented artist, and sketched pictures—or symbols rather—that reminded him of each family member. My 12 year old son, who received a rock polisher for his birthday, spent weeks upon weeks engaged in the process of cleaning, switching, grinding and processing—then chose one rock for each person. He might share with each person why the rock, with all its intricate details—reminded him of them.

While touring a farmer’s market this summer (picture me grinning ridiculously, as farmer’s markets are my candy store. disclaimer: because they are my candy store, I tend to be overly distracted by the baskets of apricots, the mounds of squash, the unique peppers and enormous tomatoes: I will most likely walk right into you), my husband and I saw some ingenious bird houses—made from recycled wood and license plates. And the idea stayed with us. So for Christmas, we he made some. Well, I scavenged for the old, paint-pealing dresser that cost near nothing, and found old latches at second hand stores, but he actually did all the take-apart, sand, saw, measure, nail, screw, design, be-patient-with-the-kids-while-making-birdhouses routine.

And then there is this [pictured top] wreath. I am like many mothers, often awestruck by my child’s brain or thinking or way of engaging the world. And this wreath was one of those moments.

My 11 year old was home, sick, for 4-5 days. And homework kept coming home; one assignment was to make an ornament made from recycled material (p.s. I adore this project). So, after announcing the assignment, he goes upstairs for 20 minutes—presumably perusing his ’special box’ of trinkets, treasures and keepsakes. Awhile later, I am wrapping presents in the dining room (okay, I have taken over the dining room, my husband remarking that the room is beginning to resemble Santa’s workshop). He comes in and sees the tissue paper: and asks for a whole green and part of a red sheet. I hand over the requested materials.

Soon I find him with a slinky, on the carpet with pieces of tissue here and there. To myself I am thinking: what is he making? what can he possibly make with a slinky? how can that become an ornament? you have to be kidding me. And then… I hope he is happy with what he makes… I hope he doesn’t get frustrated… should I offer to help? offer suggestions? no, he looks intent, I will leave him be unless he asks… and not long after: this wreath was formed. Mom: do you have a hook for me?

Lest this writeup be sans food, my gifts this season were of the sugar and sweet variety. I didn’t make birdhouses: I made cookies. And then some: snowball cookies, wreath cookies, thumb print cookies, peppermint bark, some toffee and [see photo of] peanut butter cookies dipped in chocolate. (Any classic peanut butter cookie will do; once cool, dip in chocolate, drizzle with white chocolate, let harden).

It is that time of year, when we engage in party-throwing and dressing up and cocktailing for the sake of the season. In my opinion, we should do this more often, despite the season. I just think it is good to gather, converse, and to not replace a perfect tag line: eat, drink and be merry.

Merry in March. Merry in May. Merry on our way.

Life is short—throw more parties. Perhaps in 2008 we should all resolute to have more parties—to even out our life full of work with more play.

Ah, good traditions. We started one a few years back in my [extended] family: during the Christmas weekend festivities (aka getting together to celebrate Christmas, eat some good food, open presents), insert an adults-only dinner. My siblings and I are all married, with children. It is nice to hire a sitter, send all the kids to grandma’s house and actually carve out some adult time for a nice dinner. Sometimes, we even wear heels—or not. We can dress up or come as we are, whatever suits our fancy. And we all sign up to bring part of the menu.

Each year, we start earlier. Each year, we end later. We are practicing at being merry.

For the past few years, my menu assignment(s) has been bring the creative cocktail and bring two appetizers. Last year, I brought the Christmas Kamikazi—it was even featured on the home page of Food & Wine! So we were feeling glamorous while we sipped our holiday cheer. This year, I will bring two special drinks: my eggnog, made from scratch (a first for me: but I can already tell it will be sewn into family tradition), and my favorite cocktail of 2007: Gingerum. Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum. (I admit, I just renamed that: around Halloween I called it Mummy Juice; I am still looking for the perfect name for this drink-that-fits-so-many-occasions). Any ideas?

And then there are the appetizers. To me, a party like this is my chance to either 1. show off a new favorite appetizer, or 2. try something completely new or 3. bring back an old favorite. I am still deciding; but one appetizer I am considering is one I have been plating and partying with for at least half a dozen years: Cambazola (a creamy, mild blue cheese), roasted garlic (cut off top, lube in olive oil, pinch of kosher salt, oven at 350 for an hour) and focaccia (or other artisan bread). The aroma alone is worth it.

And, come to find out, I am not the only one with cocktail food on the brain:

Appetizers from AllRecipes
Cocktail Party fair from Epicurious
A Party Menu from Martha Stewart
25 cocktail recipes from Food & Wine
A Holiday Cocktail Party slide show from Bon Appetit