I'm going to have a non-traditional day before Thanksgiving evening with only Horderves. If any of you have any favorites, I'd greatly appreciate you sharing your recipes.

Hi, Dee: I usually serve sushi and dimsum. Will the company you're expecting over go for that sort of thing? That's the only suggestion I can think at the moment. I'm sure a few more will come up later from the rest.

COCKTAIL MEATBALLS

1 pound hamburger
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 Tablespoon snipped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup Crisco
1 bottle (12 ounces) chili sauce
1 jar (10 ounces) grape jelly

Mix the first 9 ingredients together. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. (a small melon baller or ice cream scoop works well.)

Melt the Crisco in a large skillet and brown the meat balls. Remove the meatballs from the skilllet and drain the fat. Return skillet to burner and heat the chili sauce and jelly, stirring constantly until jelly is melted. Add the meat balls and stir until thoroughly coated. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. These can be kept warm in a small crock pot. NOTE: you can substitute 4 jars (4 ½ ounces each) of cocktail sausages for the meatballs; simmer in the jelly mixture for 20 minutes. Both versions are really good!


CHEESE BALL

1 jar of Old English Cheese
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia cream cheese
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 cup onions, finely chopped, optional
1/2 cup sharp cheese, shredded
1/2 cup pecan chips

In a small bowl, using a large spoon, combine and Old English cheese & cream cheese until smooth and blended. Add remaining ingredients and combine again. Using the spoon or your hands, shape the cheese mixture into a ball and chill the cheese ball in the bowl for about 5-10 minutes. In a small bowl add the pecan chips. Remove the cheese ball from the bowl and roll the cheese ball in the pecan pieces until covered. Chill thoroughly. Serve with crackers. This is a yummy cheese ball. It's better than those premade store versions.

STRAWBERRY CRE`ME PUNCH

1 46-ounce pineapple juice
3/4 cup sugar
6-ounce can frozen pink lemonade
2 cups water
1 10-ounce bag frozen strawberries
1 quart strawberry ice cream, scooped
2 liter chilled ginger ale
(optional)1 cup vodka

Mix all ingredients in a punch bowl except strawberries & ice cream. Mix well. Add the frozen strawberries.(keeps the drink cold). Then add the whole quart of ice cream in scoops to the mixture. Serve. A really good punch for Adults. But when kids are around, I make it with out the vodka and they love it.

Approved for Diabetics too.
Cheesy Pecan Grapes

1 package (8oz.)reduced fat-cream cheese, softened.
1 package (4oz.)crumbled blue cheese
36 seedless green grapes, washed and patted dry.
1 1/2 cups of well chopped pecans

1)In a small bowl,combine the cream cheese and blue cheese; mix well. Add the grapes and mix gently to coat each one.
1)Place the chopped pecans in a shallow dish and roll the cheese-coated grapes in the pecans until completely coated.
3)Place the grapes on a platter. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving....Yum!!

Pepperoni & Cheese Roll

1 Pkg crescent roll dough
1/4 pound sliced pepperoni
1/4 pound muenster cheese

Preheat oven 375 degrees. Roll dough out in one piece until all seams ae closed. Spread a layer of pepperoni and then a layer of cheese on top of dough. Roll up dough making sure there are no openings . Place on cookie sheet and brush with beaten egg (optional) Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool and cut into one-inch slices .

Now this sounds good for the holidays also.

I have a cookie recipe found in the paper Italian Wedding Cake Cookies have to print it all and give to you ladies .

Renee

This is so cool...all my boomer friends to the rescue...I'm going to print off the recipes and start getting things ready...they all sound so good...

Lola, thanks for the Sushi ideas...my husband's family was raised on cornbread, fried chicken and beans...unfortunately, I don't think Sushi would go over well with them. Now fried catfish might go over well. When I lived in England I loved going to the market in Cambridge and buying fresh rainbow trout. I used to prepare a lemon sauce that I'd pour over it but cannot for the life of me remember how I made it. Any ideas?
Again everyone, thanks...time to get cookin'.

Cookie, Mom had a very similar meatball recipe, except she used cranberry sauce instead of grape jelly. I always make them during the holidays. YUM!

Funny how certain foods remind me of specific people. I have a nephew who camped out at the meatballs during holiday parties so I always think of him when I make them.

JJ, I remember those cheesy grapes. I think I got that recipe from Chatty a couple years ago. They are scrumptious.

Renee, that recipe looks so easy. I think my kids would like that. I imagine you could add any other pizza toppings too.

Heres one thats really good too...

SHRIMP SPREAD

Fifteen minutes is all it takes to put together this flavorful dish.

1 lb.(41-50 count) fresh or frozen shrimp, cooked, peeled deveined, and divided equally and separate...
1 pkg. (8 oz.)Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened.
3/4 cup finely chopped celery.
1/4 cup finely chopped stuffed green olives.
Ritz crackers(or whatever you prefer)

Finely chop enough shrimp to measure 1 cup; save the remaining whole shrimp and set aside.
Combine shrimp, cream cheese, celery and olives in medium bowl, blend well.
Spoon spread onto center of a platter or plate. Shape into 6-inch round. Surround with crackers then press saved whole shrimps around sides of the spread for garnish. Serve with crackers.
Makes 16 servings of 2 tbsp. spread per cracker. This spread can be made a day ahead for stronger shrimp flavor. Keep frigerated until ready to serve.

This is my personal favorite....

BRUSCHETTA TRISCUIT

The red and green ingredients create a holiday delight.

Prep. time: 10 minutes

1 small tomato, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup Kraft 2% Milk, shredded, reduced fat, Mozzarella cheese.
3 Tbsp. sliced green onions.
1 Tbsp. Kraft Free Zesty Italian dressing.
40 Triscuit crackers.
1 tub (18 oz.) Philadelphia light cream cheese spread.

Mix tomatos, cheese, onions and dressing.
Spread each cracker with 1 tsp. of the cream cheese spread; top with 1 tsp. of the tomato mixture.
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Time saver. Make ahead: Prepare tomato mixture as directed. Add cream cheese spread, mix well. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Spread onto crackers just before serving.

Chatty, the bruschetta sounds lucious. I love that stuff. Anything with tomato and some sort of cheese gets my attention.