When you’re decorating for the holidays don’t forget a centerpiece for your dining room table. Even if you have to move it at some point to make room for all the food, it’s nice to have an arrangement of evergreens, fruit, or flowers on display when guests arrive. Depending on your décor, you may want to add additional arrangements on end tables or near the front door.

While it’s easy to pick up a pre-made arrangement at your local florist, it’s fun to try making one yourself. Floral, fabric and craft supply shops and your local discount stores have plenty of materials to choose from. You may also be able to gather cedar branches from a Christmas tree lot or pinecones from nearby woods.

Supermarkets sell cinnamon scented bags of pinecones and decorative gourds that look great displayed in an attractive basket or bowl. You can even create an edible arrangement using fruits like apples, pears, oranges and lemons combined with an assortment of unshelled nuts.

Before you start, measure the space available. A centerpiece on the dining table shouldn’t be so tall that guests seated across from one another can’t see each other.

Be creative with materials when constructing your centerpiece. Bamboo skewers work great for grouping small fruits like lemons and cranberries, and you can use toothpicks, pipe cleaners and other household items to attach other decorative elements.

If you have your heart set on flowers, pick sturdy blooms in seasonal colors that you can place in a beautiful vase or combine with evergreens, ornaments and ribbon. Ask your florist to help you select hardier blooms that will last several days.

Whether you are using artificial or real flowers, use focal points to help draw the eye around the arrangement. Vary the height of objects and use odd numbers (three lemons, five silver balls, seven pinecones, etc.) After you’ve finished assembling the centerpiece, walk around it and see how it looks from all sides. Fill in as necessary to give it a more pleasing look from every angle.

Candles in varying sizes and widths are very attractive. Try placing them in crystal candleholders trimmed with red or green ribbon or place them inside a circular arrangement of branches and evergreens.

Holiday figurines such as an angel or Santa can also be used as centerpieces. Visit your local antique store for vintage collectibles. You might consider gluing holiday village ceramic pieces on a tray covered with white polyester fiber to create the look of snow. A miniature red wagon filled with vintage toys or ornaments can also be quite effective.

Another option is covering various boxes with colorful holiday gift-wrap and placing poinsettia plants inside each box. Gift-wrapped boxes can also be quite lovely on their own when trimmed with beautiful bows, tassels, ribbons, etc.

Some of the most beautiful centerpieces are also the simplest. Fill a clear glass bowl with colorful shiny ornaments, pinecones and sprigs of holly.

Create a theme for your table by tying in elements from the centerpiece with placemats and napkin rings. If you’re using pinecones in the centerpiece, choose napkin rings with a rustic look like bent twigs. If your centerpiece contains fruit you could use placemats in printed fabric with lemons, oranges, etc. Wrap colorful ribbons around napkins and utensils and add a sprig of holly for a casual but festive place setting. Be careful not to get too carried away with a theme or your table will look too busy.

Table coverings can also enhance a centerpiece. Consider using a swath of lace over a green tablecloth or a straw mat over a brown nubby tablecloth for an earthier look.  Be careful not to use a printed tablecloth that detracts from your centerpiece. Usually a solid white, red or green table covering makes the best backdrop.

Framed photos taken at past holiday gatherings can be grouped together and placed on a tray for an interesting centerpiece. Photos of your family and friends provide a warm touch that will also invoke conversation.

If you have a chandelier hanging above the table consider decorating it instead of using a centerpiece. Hang festive bows, sprigs of holly, mistletoe and sparkly ornaments to create a focal point that won’t infringe on your table space.

Don’t think everything has to be green and red. Using touches of ivory, gold, and silver help to make your centerpiece more elegant. Keep in mind the color and pattern of the plates, glasses, chair fabrics and tablecloth when you are creating your centerpiece. A rustic basket filled with fruits and berries or vintage collectibles might look odd when teamed with ultra modern furniture and dinnerware. If your dining room is more contemporary use clear bowls and sleek vases for a more complementary look.

Copyright © 2010 Smooth Stone Publishing

Build family memories and have lots of fun with these great Christmas cookie recipes…

Pistachio Cookie Tree

_ lb. butter

2 _ cups sugar

7 cups all-purpose flour

3 egg yolks

4 tsp. almond extract

3-1/2 cups shelled pistachios, finely chopped

2 tubes white decorating icing

1 cup white sprinkles or silver candy beads for decoration

Cream butter in a large bowl and beat in sugar, egg and extract. Add flour and 3 cups of pistachios gradually. Roll out sections of dough on a floured board to _ inch thickness. Cut into oval cloud shapes of three different sizes making an equal number of each size. Drill a hole slightly off center in each using a chopstick or dowel. Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes. Cover loosely with foil. Continue baking for 10 more minutes until centers are crisp. Transfer to a wire rack for cooling. Outline the edge of each cookie with icing and sprinkle with pistachios and other decorations while still wet. After icing dries stack cookies to form a tree shape on a 10-inch dowel glued into a wooden base eight inches wide with a _ inch hole in the center. Top the tree with a cardboard star. Makes 20 cookies.

Gingerbread Cookies

1 cup dark molasses

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cloves

_ tsp.  nutmeg

_ tsp.  salt

2/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 tsp. baking powder

1 large egg

1 egg yolk, beaten with 2 tsp. water

Candies for decoration

Place molasses, butter and sugar in a saucepan and heat just until the butter melts. Allow to cool. In a large bowl mix flour, spices, salt, nuts and baking powder. Add egg and cool syrup mixture and stir to form a dough. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out the dough into two 12-inch rounds and cut out holiday shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheets leaving at least one half inch between them. Brush with egg yolk and water mixture. Decorate with raisins, nuts and small candies. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges turn golden. Cool on wire racks. Makes 30 cookies.

Dalmatian Cookies

For Cookies

1 cup butter

2 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups flour

For Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese

1 (1 lb.) box powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Semi-sweet chocolate chips for topping

In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add egg yolks one at a time beating well. Add vanilla and flour and mix thoroughly. Cover and chill for one hour. Make the frosting while the dough is chilling. Beat softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powered sugar gradually and beat until smooth. Stir in vanilla and set aside. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Roll the chilled dough into tablespoon sized balls and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Decorate with semisweet chocolate chips for a Dalmatian-like pattern.  Flatten each ball until about _ inch thick. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.  Makes two dozen.

Cookies On A Stick

20 vanilla wafer cookies

_ cup peanut butter

1-6 oz bag white chocolate chips

Colored candy sprinkles in red and green

Red licorice cut into 1-_ inch lengths

M&M candies

Fruit rollups cut into four inch lengths

Cake decorating writing gel in green, black and red

Tube of white cake decorating frosting with flower tip

Popsicle sticks

Wax paper or paper plates

Spread peanut butter onto the flat side of the cookies. Place a Popsicle stick into the peanut butter on half the cookies. Top with another cookie so the stick is sandwiched between two cookies. Melt chocolate chips and dip the cookies in the melted chocolate covering them completely. Roll the cookie sticks in red and green sprinkles and lay on waxed paper or paper plates. For fun decorating variations you can decorate the cookies as snowmen, Santa’s, or other Christmas figures like reindeer. Use decorator gel for detail work like eyes and mouth and M&M candies for ear muffs, hats, etc. A fruit rollup can be wrapped around the stick for a snowman’s scarf. If you like you can tint the melted chocolate another color by using food coloring or vary the colors by using sprinkles. You may also use vanilla or chocolate frosting instead of peanut butter for the filling.  Place in refrigerator to chill.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 cup butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1-1/2 cup old fashioned oats

_ cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 package (6 oz) sweetened dried cranberries

2/3 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Beat butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and mix thoroughly. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add to butter mixture in small portions mixing well after each addition. Stir in the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. Drop by round teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

Want to impress your holiday guests? Many festive drinks aren’t as difficult to prepare as you may think.  Here are a few, some with alcohol, some without.

Irish Coffee

1 shot of Irish whiskey

2 tsp. brown sugar

1 cup of hot, freshly brewed coffee

_ cup whipped cream

Chocolate sprinkles (optional)

Place the brown sugar and Irish whiskey into a tall coffee glass or mug. Pour in coffee leaving room at the top for adding whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate sprinkles.

Warm Spiced Apple Lemonade

_ cup lemonade mix

6 cinnamon sticks

3 cups apple juice

1 cup water

2 cloves

2 tbsp. brown sugar

Measure lemonade mix into a medium saucepan and add remaining ingredients including two of the cinnamon sticks. Heat on medium for five minutes until hot but not boiling. Remove the cloves and cinnamon sticks from the liquid mixture. Pour into four mugs. Add a fresh cinnamon stick to each mug.

Hot Buttered Rum

1-1/2 oz. rum

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp butter

4 whole cloves

Cinnamon stick or lemon twist (optional)

Boiling water

Pour rum into a coffee mug. Add sugar, butter and cloves. Fill with boiling water and stir. Garnish with a lemon twist or cinnamon stick.

Holiday Eggnog

1-1/2 oz. rum

1-1/2 oz. half and half

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Dash of nutmeg

Combine the rum, half and half, vanilla and sugar in a shaker with crushed ice. Shake well and strain into a mug, adding a dash of nutmeg on top. If you prefer to use store-bought eggnog, add the rum and nutmeg after pouring the pre-prepared eggnog into a mug.

Golden Apple Crisp

1-1/2 oz. rum

1 cup hot apple cider

1 cinnamon stick

Dash of nutmeg

Measure rum into a mug and fill with hot apple cider. Add cinnamon stick and sprinkle on nutmeg.

Adult Hot Chocolate

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup half and half

1 tbsp. amaretto

1 tsp. vanilla extract

_ cup whipped cream

Chocolate sprinkles (optional)

In a saucepan heat the chocolate chips and half and half, simmering for one minute or until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and add vanilla and amaretto. Pour into coffee cups and top with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles. You can vary the taste by substituting hazelnut, coffee or orange liqueur, or peppermint schnapps instead of amaretto.

Cranberry Kiss

6 ounces cranberry juice

1 ounce orange juice

Club soda

Orange wedges

Pour cranberry juice and orange juice into a tall glass with ice. Top with club soda and garnish with an orange wedge.

Berries and Cream

_ oz. spiced rum

_ oz. wild berry schnapps

3 oz. strawberry cocktail mix

2 tbsp. raspberries in syrup

1 oz. heavy cream

16 oz. crushed ice

Add rum, berry schnapps and cocktail mix to a shaker. Slowly stir in raspberries and heavy cream. Blend well and pour over ice. Garnish with a berry or mint if desired.

Festive Holiday Punch

1 bottle (750ml.) light dry rum

6 oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate

6 oz. can frozen grapefruit juice concentrate

16 oz. can fruit cocktail, drained

2 liters chilled club soda

In a large punch bowl mix frozen lemonade, frozen grapefruit juice, fruit cocktail and light rum. Chill for two hours, stirring occasionally. Add ice and club soda to punch bowl and stir gently. Serves eight to 10.

Warm English Christmas Punch

1 bottle (750ml) dark rum

2 bottles (750ml) dry red wine

3 cups brewed tea

_ cup orange juice

_ cup lemon juice

2 cups sugar

Combine the wine, tea and juices in a saucepan and heat over low heat. Gradually stir in the sugar and rum and serve warm. Serves 25.

Hot Rumba

2 oz. rum

1 cup hot chocolate

Small marshmallows or whipped cream

Pour rum into a tall mug or glass, fill with hot chocolate and garnish with marshmallows or whipped cream.

Candy Cane

_ oz. cinnamon schnapps

_ oz. peppermint schnapps

Combine the two schnapps in a mixing glass with ice, stir gently and pour into a shot glass. For multiple servings make a pitcher using two 375 ml. bottles and chilling on ice. Serve in chilled shot glasses.

Chocolate Martini

2 oz. vodka

1 oz. chocolate liqueur

Cocoa powder

Hershey’s Kiss

Dip the rim of a martini glass in cocoa powder. Combine vodka and chocolate liqueur in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a Hershey’s Kiss.

Lemon Drop

2 oz. lemon vodka

2 tsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. sugar

Lemon slices

Rub a lemon slice around the rim of a cocktail glass then dip the glass into sugar. Mix vodka and lemon juice with the remaining sugar in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into the cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon slice.

Copyright © 2006 Publishers-Edge

By Amanda Knoles

In your zeal to provide a special dinner for family and friends, try not to lose sight of the fact that a holiday gathering is supposed to bring people together for a good time. That includes you. Don’t plan a meal that is so fancy or difficult to prepare, you will spend all your time running back and forth to the kitchen.

Do as much as you can ahead of time. Good planning and advance preparation will allow you to relax and spend more time with your guests. If cooking isn’t really your forte, order a turkey and all the fixings from a local supermarket or caterer. Many restaurants also offer family-style holiday meals.

Organize special recipes that you want to use in a folder. Shop for tablecloths, napkins, extra glasses and utensils well in advance. If you wait until the day before the holiday to buy a seasonal tablecloth you may be out of luck.

Allow friends and family members to help. Don’t be such a perfectionist that you can’t turn over salad or mashed potato preparation to someone else. Concentrate on the main entrees and side items that are your specialty.

If you have a large family contact relatives ahead of time and ask them to bring something. Most families have an aunt who is well known for her fantastic potato salad or an uncle who excels at roasting meats. Don’t ask people to make dishes they’ve never cooked before.

Plan to serve your feast buffet style unless you have a dining room large enough to accommodate everyone. Buffet style meals can help reduce the stress of planning a sit-down dinner. Instead of worrying about whether you have enough complete plate settings, you can opt for paper plates and plastic utensils or use mismatched sets and no one will care. Rent extra chairs or ask guests to bring folding chairs to provide extra seating. No one wants to eat turkey and cranberry sauce standing up.

Assign tasks to family members who aren’t cooking. Put someone in charge of ice and drinks, others in charge of heating the dinner rolls, someone in charge of cleanup, etc.

Organize your cooking utensils, pots and pans, baking pans and potholders within easy reach so you won’t have to spend time looking for things during meal preparation. Most people who cook frequently have already taken this step, but those who cook only occasionally may find themselves searching for gadgets and cookware they use infrequently.

Set up your kitchen like restaurants do. Use food stations for meal preparation. When certain areas are assigned for chopping veggies, heating things on the stove and cleanup, people are less prone to get in each other’s way. If you have a large gathering, create an assembly line to make cleanup more efficient.

Make a list of items you need for the holiday meal before shopping at the grocery store. Write down everything you need for each part of the meal to make sure you don’t forget anything. Check your pantry and fridge to make sure you have staples like flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, etc.

In the days before the holiday feast do advance preparation by chopping onions and celery, grating cheese, baking pies and cookies and thawing meats like turkey or ham. Use see-through containers so that when you reach for something while you are cooking, it will be easier to spot.

While you are cooking, clean the dishes and workspace as you go. For example if you are making lasagna, you can clean the pans and spoons used in preparation while the dish is baking.

Prepare beverages like iced tea, lemonade and fruit punch in large size pitchers. If you are entertaining a big group, borrow or rent a large coffee service so you won’t have to keep brewing fresh pots of coffee.

Buy more meat than you need. Since you will be roasting it for several hours you might as well choose a turkey and ham large enough to provide leftovers for meals in the days after the feast.

If your refrigerator is small and you don’t have room for all the leftovers, send guests home with doggy bags. Let them choose the items they would like and wrap them in foil covered paper plates or disposable containers. Your bachelor uncle or your grandparents can enjoy heating up turkey and cranberry sauce the next day and you will have more room in your refrigerator.

Use a calendar to plan your holiday feast. Mark off days for food shopping, baking, assembling pans and utensils, assigning foods for guests to bring, renting or borrowing chairs and tables, etc. The more organized you are before the big day the easier it will be to enjoy yourself when your guests arrive.