Your "Local Sunday Newspaper" Seven Days a Week!

Recipes

For Easy Holiday Fun—Have An Open House

Posted: 12/21/2011

(NAPSI)—The holiday open house-a laid-back party at which guests of all ages come and go as they please over the course of an afternoon or evening—can be a great way to bring folks together with a minimum of fuss. Here are some hints on how to make it fun for guests of all ages:

• Get the word out early. Be aware of people’s busy holiday schedules and send your invitations three to four weeks in advance.

• Lighten up inside and outside. Twinkling lights are not only an inexpensive way to decorate, but really set the atmosphere for a fun party environment. Simple white Christmas lights strung outside your door as well as throughout the house can give your party that fancy glow.

• To help with crowd control, push back sofas and large furniture to your walls. Place fragile trinkets in a safe place. Set up folding chairs for extra seating. Separate drinks and food so guests won’t crowd one room of the house. Spread out the food and allow enough walking room to let the party flow.

• Feature a kids-only craft station manned by a neighborhood teen. And have the pint-size guests decorate the Peppermint Ice Cream Ornaments for the party.

• Keep the food simple and easy for guests to eat as they mix and mingle. Consider cut veggies with an assortment of dips. Set out dishes of such treats as spiced pecans and mini holiday cookies throughout the house. Foods that can be prepared ahead of time let you enjoy the party, too.

• Make delicious desserts such as these festive treats. Their peppermint flavor helps create more holiday cheer.

For more holiday ice cream dessert ideas and recipes, visit www.icecream.com.

Peppermint Ice Cream Drum Cake

After the feast, you and your family can enjoy the leftovers and have a festive time with ham-filled tacos.

Makes 8−10 servings

1 chocolate cake layer, 8- or 9-inch round by 1½ inches tall, baked in a springform pan with removable sides

1 carton Dreyer’s/Edy’s® Slow-Churned® Light Peppermint Ice Cream

1 carton (16 oz.) purchased vanilla frosting

24 thin candy canes or sugar sticks

12 glacé (candied) cherries

Chocolate decorating icing

2 long pretzel rods

2 large marshmallows

Red or green sugar crystals

Freeze cake in pan for 30 minutes to firm top. Spread ice cream in an even layer to the top edge of pan. Freeze several hours until ice cream is firm. Remove sides of pan. Frost sides of cake and a 1-inch border around cake top. Return to freezer if ice cream softens. Squeeze decorating icing in a crisscross pattern on top. Press sugar sticks diagonally around sides (if using candy canes, remove bent tips). Place cherries around top of cake. Freeze several hours or overnight before serving. Dampen top and sides of marshmallows with water. Roll in sugar crystals. Insert pretzel sticks to make “drumsticks.” Place on top of cake before serving. Note: Prepare a chocolate cake mix, making two cakes and reserving one cake for another use.

Peppermint Ice Cream Ornaments

Peppermint adds a spirited twist to holiday treats such as these clever cookie sandwiches.

Makes 12

24 chocolate wafer cookies or chocolate-frosted shortbreads

1 carton Dreyer’s/Edy’s Slow-Churned Light Peppermint Ice Cream

Cookie decorating icing, sugar crystals and candies

Decorate tops of 12 cookies. Let dry thoroughly. Place a scoop of peppermint ice cream on an unfrosted cookie; flatten and smooth edges of ice cream with a table knife. Top with a frosted cookie. Place in a covered container and freeze. Repeat with remaining cookies and ice cream. Freeze for up to 3 days.