Bite size savory snacks are served in a fun and festive mini cup. Serve up this tasty appetizer to both kids and adults during your holiday parties this month!

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Charcuterie Cups

Makes 4 mini cups

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup mixed nuts or snack mix
• 8 cheese crisps or thin crackers
• 12 cheese cubes
• 4 mini pickles
• 4 cherry tomatoes
• 4 large pitted olives
• 4 Babybel cheese rounds peeled
• 16 sliced pepperonis or small salami rounds
• 2 large slices prosciutto halved
• 4 thin slices summer sausage
• 5-6 oz mini appetizer cups
• 8 decorative toothpicks
• cocktail napkins

Instructions

• Start by filling your cups with a heaping tablespoon of mixed nuts or snack mix.
• Add 3 cheese cubes per cup.
• Now add 2 crackers, one on each side.
• Time to make your skewers! Start with an olive, pickle, tomato, and end with a cheese round (like Babybel). Repeat until you have 4.
• Make your meat skewers by folding salami or pepperoni and stacking 4 then add a folded half of prosciutto and a thin slice of summer sausage. Repeat until you have 4.
• Add one meat skewer and one veggie skewer (round cheese at the bottom) to each cup.
• Serve with festive cocktail napkins and enjoy!

Start by gathering your supplies.

You need 4 (or adjust the recipe to what you want) appetizer cups and at least 8 decorative toothpicks. 

I used 5oz plastic cups from the Dollar Tree. 

Start by filling your cups with a heaping tablespoon of mixed nuts or snack mix.

Add 3 cheese cubes per cup.

Now add 2 crackers, one on each side. 

Time to make your skewers! Start with an olive, pickle, tomato, and end with a cheese round (like Babybel). Repeat until you have 4.

I doubled up on tomato in the pictures because my kiddo ate all my olives!

Make your meat skewers by folding salami or pepperoni and stacking 4 then add a folded half of prosciutto and a thin slice of summer sausage.

Repeat until you have 4.

Add one meat skewer and one veggie skewer (round cheese at the bottom) to each cup. 

Serve with festive cocktail napkins and enjoy!

Serve up this fun appetizer that everyone will enjoy during your holiday parties!

The post Party Time Charcuterie Appetizer Cups appeared first on For the Love of Food.

Last year for New Year’s Eve in Missouri we had a snow day at home. To come up with a fun surprise for the kids I made this Hot Cocoa New Year’s Eve Countdown Board .

All ingredients, including the cute hot cocoa bomb snowmen, are from Aldi! It only took a few minutes to assemble and it turned out so cute!

This kid friendly treat doubles as a fun countdown activity to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home !

Check out the video below to see our countdown.

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Hot Cocoa New Year's Eve Countdown Board

Ingredients

• 2 hot chocolate bombs
• 3 cups popcorn I used bagged kettle corn
• chocolate covered pretzels I used 6 jumbo
• 1 large marshmallow pop
• 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
• assorted chocolate candies and mints I like Andes Mints and Ferrero Rocher
• mugs of warm milk and spoons for serving

Instructions

• Start by covering the bottom of a large platter or tray with a mixture of popcorn and mini marshmallows.
• Now add your hot cocoa bombs on top in the center of the platter. I used 2 because I have 2 kids. You can adjust and add as many as you want!
• Now arrange remaining toppings like jumbo coated pretzels and assorted chocolates and mints all over.
• Finally add a jumbo marshmallow pop (or make your own with a jumbo marshmallow and a cake pop stick).
• For your countdown have the marshmallow positioned pointing towards the top (like a clock hand at 12).
• Serve with mugs of warm milk and spoons for mixing in the cocoa bombs and toppings and enjoy!

I found all these fun treats at Aldi. The snowman cocoa bombs are my favorite!

Ready for our “Noon Years Eve” afternoon countdown!

Happy New Year!

Be sure to watch our video above to see our countdown!

The post Hot Cocoa New Year’s Eve Countdown Board appeared first on For the Love of Food.

Christmas is a little over a week away and we are in full party mode!

Luckily we got some happy mail this month when we received the new Keurig® K-Duo Essentials Coffee Maker.

It was the perfect addition to my Holiday Coffee Bar for my cookie exchange party! Scroll down to learn more about this amazing coffee maker and how to set up your own DIY coffee bar.

Ashton has been wanting a new coffee maker for a while and after doing some research

he chose the Keurig K-Duo because it brews K-Cup® pods and has a 12-cup glass carafe to brew ground coffee too!

Since trying and loving our new Keurig® K-Duo Essentials Coffee Maker, we have definitely turned our home into a Keurig Coffeehouse! 

Keurig® helps make our hectic days easier and happier by starting it off right with a hot cup of coffee with just a push of a button.

I love the affordable price and how easy it is to use for the whole family! Mornings are a rush for our busy family and having a coffee maker that is fast and efficient is just what we need.

Keurig® has inspired us to Brew the Love , why don’t you give it a try?

About Keurig® K-Duo Essentials Coffee Maker

• The Keurig® K-Duo Essentials Coffee Maker is designed to not only
brew K-Cup® pods, but also ground coffee!

• It comes with a 12-cup glass carafe along with a heating plate to help
keep your coffee warm.

• With an auto-off feature for both your brewer and heating plate, this
energy-efficient coffee maker also contains a unique 60 oz. single reservoir
that is shared between single serve and carafe brewing and makes refilling
easy–saving you time and simplifying your morning routine.

• The K-Duo Essentials Coffee Maker is travel mug friendly and can
brew multiple sizes, such as an 8-, 10-, or 12-cup carafe and an 8, 10, or
12 oz cup.

• The Keurig® K-Duo Essentials Coffee Maker retails for $99.

and my favorite feature…

•The Pause & Pour feature allows the Keurig® to be paused mid-brew for 20 seconds, so you can pour fresh,
hot coffee right away.

Connect with Keurig

Available exclusively at Walmart
www.facebook.com/keurig
facebook.com/walmart
twitter.com/keurig
twitter.com/walmart
instagram.com/keurig
instagram.com/walmart

It’s party time! 

I set up this festive Holiday Coffee Bar featuring my Keurig® K-Duo Essentials Coffee Maker for my cookie exchange party.

Here are some of my coffee bar tips for any holiday party.

First, set out the coffee maker and the coffee. I add both ground coffee {medium blend} and multiple flavors of K-cups to the table.

I also added K-cup hot chocolate for the kids. 

I set out a tray of my favorite ceramic Christmas mugs for everyone to use. 

I also add a nice tray out with chilled milk and creamer along with whipped cream and caramel and chocolate sauce.

Now, set out your treats.

Depending on the theme party and your guests, you can customize what you set out. I usually serve shortbread cookies and biscotti since they go well with coffee.

I also like to have bite size donuts and chocolate mints on the table.

Finally, toppings are a must!

I add little decorative bowls filled with every coffee topping you can think of!

Some of my favorites are: mini marshmallows, white sugar, brown sugar, peppermint sticks, colorful sprinkles, cinnamon, and chopped up chocolate and caramel candies. 

Keurig® K-Duo Essentials Coffee Maker can be purchased exclusively on Walmart’s website or visit momsmeet.link/keurig.

The post DIY Holiday Coffee Bar appeared first on For the Love of Food.

 This sauteed cabbage recipe with onions and bacon is the perfect accompaniment to your lucky New Years black eyed peas and cornbread! 

 

Check out my new cooking video!

It is so simple to make that you will add this to your go to side dishes for meals all year long!

Serve warm with Hoppin’ John Black Eyed Peas and Broccoli Cornbread. 

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Southern Fried Cabbage

Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 large head of cabbage roughly chopped
• 8 slices thick cut bacon diced
• 1 yellow onion {I like Vidalia} diced
• 2 tbsp butter optional
• salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Add diced bacon to a large saute pan and cook over medium heat until crispy. Do not drain.
• Add onions and cook until softened and browned, about 5 minutes.
• Add cabbage, half at a time if you need to, and mix with the bacon and onions. Cook until it is softened.
• If you want to add even more flavor add a couple tablespoons of butter and stir until combined.
• Season with salt and black pepper.
• Serve warm with Hoppin' John Black Eyed Peas and Broccoli Cornbread.

Notes

I have also seen recipes that call for a splash of apple cider vinegar or fresh garlic.

The post New Year’s Southern Fried Cabbage appeared first on For the Love of Food.

 

The Melting Pot Houston offered to take our picture and then posted it for  download on their website. Such a nice, personal touch!

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The Melting Pot Garlic Herb Cheddar Fondue

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups (11 ounces) shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 cup beer
• 4 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 6 tablespoons Green Goddess Sauce (recipe link below)
• 1 teaspoon The Melting Pot Garlic and Wine Seasoning optional
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Instructions

• Toss the cheese with the flour in a bowl.
• Place a metal bowl over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of water (or use a double boiler).
• Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce the heat to medium and pour the beer in the bowl.
• Stir in the garlic using a fork.
• Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
• Add half the cheese and cook until the cheese is melted, stirring constantly.
• Add the remaining cheese a small amount at a time, stirring constantly in a circular motion after each addition until the cheese is melted.
• Fold in the Green Goddess Sauce, Garlic and Wine Seasoning, and pepper.
• Pour into a warm fondue pot and keep warm over low heat.
• NOTE: The cheese is shredded and tossed with flour to aid in thickening and to improve the viscosity of the fondue. The fondue should be the consistency of warm honey when completed. Monitor the cheese carefully as it is being added. Not all the cheese may be needed, and, in some cases, more cheese may be needed to reach the perfect consistency.
• *Serve with green apple slices, crisp broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower, pretzels, and crusty chunks of bread such as pumpernickel.

Notes

Recipe from The Melting Pot 'Dip into Something Different' Cookbook

Add the Green Goddess Sauce (recipe here).

 

The post The Melting Pot Garlic Herb Cheddar Fondue appeared first on For the Love of Food.

New Year’s Eve last year was a blast, the best part being I got to spend it with my honey, Ashton.

Mama’s Hoppin’ John New Years recipe:

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Mama's Hoppin' John in the Crock-Pot

Ingredients

• 2 32 oz containers vegetable broth
• 16 oz bag dried black eyed peas
• 1 large Valida onion diced
• salt pork or large ham hock
• 2 red bell peppers diced
• 1/2 cup parsley finely chopped
• 1 green pepper diced
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire
• 1 1/2 tbsp Cajun seasoning Mama likes Emeril's Cajun Essence
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 12 oz can whole stewed tomatoes Mama likes Cento brand, Italian style
• 1 large tomato, for topping diced
• salt/pepper to taste
• 3 green onions, for topping diced
• white rice, for serving

Instructions

• Rinse beans and pick through, then soak in water overnight.
• Rinse beans in the morning and transfer to a crock-pot.
• Cover beans with the broth.
• Add diced bell peppers, onion (reserve 1/2 cup onion for topping), Worcestershire, parsley, ham hock, and stewed tomatoes with juice. Mix together and break tomatoes apart into smaller pieces. Add all seasonings, stir, cover, and cook in the crock-pot on high for 3-4 hours or low 4-6 hours.
• Serve with white rice and cornbread and top with diced tomatoes and green onion.

Notes

Since I'm not a big raw tomato fan, I like to substitute green onions on top of mine!

Thanks for sharing your recipe Mama!

The post Mama’s Hoppin’ John in the Crock-Pot & New Year’s Fun! appeared first on For the Love of Food.