Crudités is a French term that refers to “raw vegetables,” so a platter of crudités typically consists of one or more types of raw vegetables served with one or more dips. These are great for parties and can be served as an appetizer

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CRUDITES
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Crudités is a French term that refers to “raw vegetables,” so a platter of crudités typically consists of one or more types of raw vegetables served with one or more dips. These are great for parties and can be served as an appetizer.

Tips - Make the vegetables as appetizing and ready-to-eat as possible: rinse well, trim stems, remove spots and seeds, peel (if necessary), cut into sticks or rounds
- Arrange the vegetables on a nice platter with the dip(s) in the center
- Garnish the platter with slices or wedges of lemon, lime, orange, and/or tomato
Garnish the dips with minced parsley and/or a sprinkling of paprika and/or black pepper. Here are some ideas for Christmas or anytime else…

Vegetables
Asparagus (steamed)
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumbers
Mushrooms
Radishes

Possible additions
Bread
Cheese
Crackers
Potato Wafers/Chips

Dips
Salsa
Tzatziki
Hummus

If you’re really short for time, mix half a teaspoon into some ketchup. Add a teaspoon of Soya sauce, and som very finely chopped celery or coriander and you can pass it off as an exotic dip.
Or just about anything out of a bottle.

December 18, Sunday.
There are 6 days, 8 hours, 11 minutes and 33 seconds left to Christmas 2005. 6 days more of stress. Or just 6 more days of stress. Be optimistic.

- This is a nice day to polish the silver and brass. Don’t forget a lot of it will be on show, and there’s nothing like a sparkling vase or candlestick holder as centerpiece, wound round with dry arrangements or mistletoe.
Inspect your best cutlery. Does it have old water marks? Wash again with water and vinegar and dry thoroughly.
Think of what your table setting will be like. It doesn’t have to get complicated, in fact thinks that keep getting in the way of elbows and eating can be rather irritating, no matter how pretty. Just white table cloths with red and green napkins are classic and easy and look lovely. Remember not to have a centerpiece that obstructs conversation.

- By now you must finalize a menu for any Christmas meals you’re planning to have at home. Review the ingredients, figure out the amounts. Check your grocery list. The last thing you want is to scurrying around on Christmas day looking for something that’s missing. You can probably do without it but the stress it adds is certainly something you can do without.
Are there any parts of your Christmas meal or your Christmas Eve’s meal you can make in advance and freeze. Do it.

- What are you making for dinner tonight? Think up how you can double it, change a few ingredients, and put away half in the freezer for another day. More on Freezer cooking.

- And another menu I’ve put together. All lovely!

MENU 5
Crudités
Minestrone with a Difference
Shrimp and Macaroni Salad
Veggi-Chili
Greek Chicken
Chocolate Crepes

December 15th. While you’re imbibing spirit of the festive season, telling yourself you’re so busy, rushing around doing important tasks, and enjoying large family meals with all the fixings; being tempted by cookies, candies, pies, and cakes; socializing more-and nibbling on appetizers and hors d’oeuvres, it’s a good idea to remember that the festive spirit is imbibing you too!!

December 15th

While you’re imbibing spirit of the festive season, telling yourself you’re so busy, rushing around doing important tasks, and enjoying large family meals with all the fixings; being tempted by cookies, candies, pies, and cakes; socializing more-and nibbling on appetizers and hors d’oeuvres, it’s a good idea to remember that the festive spirit is imbibing you too!!
Studies show that the weight put on between Diwali, and through the ‘wedding season, Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year’s accounts for 51% of our annual gain. Help!

The fact is that unless you’re absolutely obsessive about your exercising or your gym routine, it’s easy to find more important things to do. I should know, everything is more important that exercising for me. Sigh.
But the fact is keeping up that part of your routine during the this season helps keep you fit in a couple of ways. Not only does exercise temper your appetite but it also speeds up your metabolism. Did you know that when you do a toning workout, you burn a number of calories during your routine but, more importantly, you continue to burn calories at a higher-than-normal rate after your workout as your body busily synthesizes muscle protein. Research data done at Johns Hopkins and Arizona State Universities, shows that people continued to burn calories at a higher rate for at least two hours after the workout. In other words, for only 15 minutes of exercise, you gain more than two hours of an elevated metabolism!

Go for it then. If your usual routine is impossible today, take a short 10 minute walk. Climb up and down 3 flights of stairs 3-4 times. Basically, move!

- Learn when to separate saving money from saving time. Believe me, the latter is usually more important. For example, you’ll find prepared pie crusts, – whether they’re flat and pre-rolled in the deli section or pre-shaped and frozen, are really worth the extra money especially at this time of year, because of the time and effort they save.

- By the coming weekend you really MUST finish all gift shopping. If it really seems like there’s no time, go online, The vast array available to you in 30 minutes, really beats what you can see just watering around the stores for 30 minutes.

Get a German touch to your Christmas with Uberbackener Spinat Mit Kase
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BAKED SPINACH with CHEESE Serves 8
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INGREDIENTS
3 pounds fresh spinach
7 tbsp butter
2 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt to taste
1/2 pound Emmenthaler cheese, grated
2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp pepper

PREPARATION
Wash and drain spinach. Dry well on sheets of paper. Cut it lengthwise into wide strips. Set aside.

In a large pan, heat the butter, stir in the onion and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach. Season with salt.

Cover and steam just until spinach begins to wilt. Remove from the stove immediately.

Lightly grease an ovenproof casserole with butter or olive oil. Put in the spinach. Sprinkle with paprika, nutmeg and pepper. Top with grated cheese. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 15 – 20 minutes or until cheese bubbles.

This one is rather heavy on the butter. Use 5 tablespoons on olive oil instead, if you want to cut the fat.

Wednesday, December 14.

Another idea for a menu. All very exotic and rather European…

MENU 4
Shrimp Bisque & brandy soup
Baked Spinach with Cheese
Roast Goose with Rice Stuffing
German Potato Dumplings
Apple Pie