Crackers

I have to say, these disappeared when I went to the hair dressers today.  I made all four sleeves of crackers and left a tray to sample.  When I got home, they were all gone.  The hair dresser said her mother made a version using the same recipe, but with oyster crackers. Both are workable and tasty.

1  1/2 sticks butter
1 package Ranch dressing mix
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
 3-4 sleeves saltines crackers ( I got all four sleeves into this solution)
Mix these all together except for the crackers.  Dip both cracker sides into this mix and place on a baking sheet that has been covered with foil.  Bake the crackers on the baking sheet at 250  degrees for 15 minutes and then turn them over and sprinkle parmasean cheese over the crackers.  Bake another 15 minutes or until slightly brown. Yum!

Note: I went to the hair dresser today after making the crackers.  I took a bag of them to her and she gave me an idea; she said her mother did nearly the same thing but with oyster crackers.  Isn't that a good idea?

Merry Christmas 2017

Today will be busy.  It's three days before the party and the refrigerators are filling up with items for the event.  Today I can prepare and add three more and mark as ready.  I have a long hair appointment at 3:00 and David and his dog are on the way from Florida and if I know him, and I do, he will drive straight through. This dog rodeo will be harrowing, but we will survive, we have done it before. (There will be four dogs and 22 people at last count.) 

Mike, Beth and Brooks leave tomorrow and Nate is in Hawaii, yet the list grows here at Many Branches.  The leaves, the leaves, good grief, I have never seen so many.  Matt is supposed to come next week, when he can to get rid of some of them; otherwise we will have to put up with them until spring.

For the first meal, around 2:30 on the 23rd I am trying several of Trader Joe's hors d' oeuvres.  I like to try his new things and he has many new and different offering for Christmas.  I'll let you know how they go. There will be a cheese board and cheeseballs, and dried fruit, nuts, and grapes nestled in place. There are four crock pots lined up and ready for duty to hold, seafood chowder, beef and noodles, beef and vegetable soup, and bean and ham soup. (Make that five, Nancy is bringing her special soup.) I am trying a new cranberry salad that I am eager to report about its acceptance to you after the holidays.

Dinner will be a ham and a beef tenderloin, scalloped potatoes, that good corn recipe that I have given to you before, squash/sweet potato dish with the caramels and marshmallows from Ky., three salads, brussel sprouts, trifle and orange cake for dessert...I am sure I am forgetting something; oh, Nancy and Danny are bringing chicken enchilada soup, buckeyes, and the orange cake.  AND, they are coming a day early to help me out.  I am sure I am leaving out something, but there you go.

Merry Christmas to all of you out there.  You never know what is in the future, so enjoy every minute (even if you have four spoiled dogs nipping at your feet every minute of every day for a week.)