December
ENTERTAINING TIPS
Dressing up place settings
Upgrade your place settings from average to holiday festive
with just a few steps. To each napkin, simply add a holiday tag
with each guest’s name and decorate it with a small treat. For
the centerpiece, a collection of ornaments on a light bed of
evergreen branches can add extra sparkle.
WRAPPING PAPER DISPOSAL
What do you do after the gifts have been opened and there’s a
mountain of wrapping paper left?
Thankfully, the majority of wrapping paper can be recycled. On
big holidays, keep a recycling bag handy to throw all of the gift
wrap into. Along with wrapping paper, you can recycle paper
gift bags, greeting cards, popcorn tins and pie plates. (Don’t
forget about the cardboard box that the gift came in.)
RecycleNow ( recyclenow.com)
suggests using the “scrunch
test” to determine whether
you can recycle something.
If it scrunches, then you can.
If it doesn’t, you can’t.
You cannot recycle
wrapping paper if it’s
metallic or has any extra
embellishments, like glitter,
on it. Shiny wrapping paper
has to be thrown in the
garbage. Keep in mind
that bows, ribbons and
Styrofoam packaging are
all nonrecyclable as well.
QUICK & EASY RECIPE
Easy party bites
Bacon-Wrapped Medjool Dates with Havarti
Cheese and Green Onions
1 lb Medjool dates, pitted
3 oz Havarti cheese, sliced
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 lb Kirkland Signature Hormel Fully Cooked Bacon,
sliced in half
20 small skewers or toothpicks
Preheat oven to 400 F. Stu; dates with cheese and green onions.
Tightly wrap 1 bacon piece around each stu;ed date and secure with
a skewer or toothpick. Place bacon-wrapped dates on sheet pan.
Bake for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until bacon is crispy and
cheese has melted. Makes 20 servings. For more ideas and video, go
to Costco.com, and enter “Quick & Easy” in the search box. ©
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HOLIDAY SNACKING
Crazy for nuts
When you are putting holiday meal plans together, don’t forget
the nuts. That is not a reference to your guests, but a reminder
that mixed nuts are an easy snackable item to set around the
home. Open, pour, done!
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