The Costco Connection - December 2018

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!