Ham Dilly Snacks

8 crisp dill pickle wedges
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 slices of ham
Stuffed olives or unpitted ripe olives

Directions:
Mix softened cream cheese with garlic and onion powders. Spread cheese mixture over each slice of ham. Pat pickle wedges dry with paper towels. Lay a pickle wedge on top of the cheese on each ham slice. Roll each ham slice, jelly-roll style, to enclose the pickle. Place in refrigerator to chill for 90 minutes. When thoroughly chilled, cut each wedge into bite-sized pieces. Spear each bite with a decorative toothpick that has an olive on it. Arrange on serving platter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes:
Deli-sliced turkey or roast beef can be substituted for the ham.

Shredded Wheat Party Mix

3 tablespoons margarine or butter 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

4 cups Bite Size Shredded Wheat cereal 2 cups cheese snack balls 3/4 cup oyster (soup) crackers 3/4 cup mini pretzels

Directions:
Melt margarine in a large, microsafe-safe bowl on "High" for 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in garlic salt, onion powder, salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Add cereal, cheese balls, crackers, and pretzels. Stir lightly until all pieces are coated. Microwave on "High" for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. (Adjust cooking time for your microwave. These directions are for a 625 to 700 watt oven.) Spread the mix on paper towels to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Party Time Popcorn Mix

3 quarts freshly popped corn 2 cups Wheat Chex® 1 cup salted peanuts 1/3 cup margarine

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon garlic salt 3/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/8 teaspoon hot sauce

Directions:
Combine popped corn, Wheat Chex®, and peanuts in a large baking dish. Heat remaining ingredients together in a small saucepan until margarine is melted. Drizzle margarine mixture over popcorn mixture, stirring to combine.

Notes:
My mother Doris Hill collected this recipe and copied it by hand for her recipe files.

Green Wedding Punch for 100

12 liters ginger ale
3 gallons lime sherbet
3 large cans pineapple juice
Thinly sliced lemon or lime (optional)
Mint leaves (optional)

Directions:
Chill the ginger ale and pineapple juice ahead of time. Set out the sherbet to soften 20-30 minutes before making the punch. Use two punch bowls. Scoop 1 gallon of lime sherbet into the bottom of each punch bowl, using an ice cream scoop or large spoon. Then, into each punch bowl gently pour 1 can pineapple juice and enough ginger ale (usually 3-4 liters) to fill the bowl 3/4 full. Lift the sherbet gently with a spoon and stir lightly while you add the liquids to encourage the sherbet to create a foam. Scoop balls from the remaining lime sherbet and add to each bowl to float in the punch. Thinly sliced lemon or lime or mint sprigs may be added for garnish. Any remaining ginger ale, juice, and sherbet may be used to refresh the punch after the serving begins. (Serves 100.)

Notes:
On the day before, balloons can be filled with pineapple juice, tied shut, and frozen to make round juice balls that will chill the punch without diluting it. (Slit the balloon and remove it before adding the juice ball to the punch.) Ice rings can be made and decorated with stemmed maraschino cherries and thin slices of lemon or lime.

Teddy Bear Treats

Here are a couple of cute teddy bear ideas from a Betty Crocker column that appeared in The Times Leader of Princeton, Kentucky, on November 13, 2002. I am saving these ideas to surprise my grandkids (when I get some!) But meanwhile, I might do these for Vacation Bible School snacks sometime.

1. Make toast, butter it, and sprinkle on cinnamon and sugar. Use a teddy-bear cookie cutter to cut the toast in a bear shape.

2. Make a teddy-bear party mix with mini teddy-bear graham crackers, raisins, peanuts, and M&M's.

Easter Nests

2 tablespoons margarine
3 cups miniature marshmallows
4 cups Fruity Pebbles Cereal
Shredded coconut
Jelly bird eggs and other Easter candies

Directions:
Prepare muffin pans for 24 nests by spraying their cups lightly with non-stick cooking spray (or use cupcake papers.) Place margarine in a large saucepan and melt over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir occasionally to blend with margarine until melted. Remove from heat and add cereal. Stir lightly to coat well. Divide cereal mixture between the 24 muffin cups; press lightly to form shallow nests. Fill the nests with a bit of coconut and several jelly bird eggs and other candies as desired.

Notes:
These are cute. You can also make them with Rice Krispies.

Pink Party Punch

2 large (46 oz.) jugs of cranberry/raspberry juice
1 quart (32 oz.) piña colada mix
2 liters ginger ale (raspberry flavored, if you can find it)
12 oz. frozen raspberries

Directions:
Combine the cranberry/raspberry juice and the piña colada mix in a large freezer container and mix well. Freeze at least 8 hours. (May be kept frozen up to 3 weeks.) When ready to use, thaw the mixture for 1/2 hour. Then place it (mostly frozen) in a punch bowl, add the raspberries, and pour the ginger ale over the top. Makes about 20 servings.

Easy Frosting

After Christmas when the blocks of candy bark coating are on sale, I buy several and freeze them.

When I make cookies or cupcakes that I have to carry somewhere (to school, work, church), I bring out a few blocks of the candy bark and melt them according to the directions on the package.

I put a spoonful of melted bark on top of each pastry, swirl it around a little, and then shake on some colored sprinkles . Or I drizzle the melted bark from the tines of a fork. When the bark cools, it becomes hard again and the cookies or cupcakes look very festive and taste great.

The bark makes a very durable frosting that does not mess up if it is accidentally brushed against or it comes in contact with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. If the cookies are of a crisp sort, I find I can even stack them on top of each other and they will still look great when they're served.