Cranberries and Dynamite

While searching the web for some interesting new additions to party food, I ran across the Sparkling Cranberry recipe on www.101cookbooks.com .   Those little darlings do sparkle and taste fantastic.  Described differently by guests the other night, I found them to be totally addictive and recommend them highly as a different touch to cocktail party food and they are so very easy to prepare.

We also served Dynamite sandwiches at the party (although I have no final pictures).  My husband has been talking up these monster sandwiches up since I met him and finally I procured the recipe to make them.  Based on research I did, these sandwiches are French Canadian blue collar food.  In the proportion of 15 pounds of peppers and onions to 5 pounds of hamburg, they make quite a massive amount and you need a rather large pan.  With the addition of tomato paste, red pepper flakes, and some seasonings, it is recommended that you make this at least one day in advance to make sure the flavors blend and intensify.  You serve this on "hoagie" rolls and accompany it by potato chips.  A real man sandwich. 

It was a fun party with lots of appetizers brought by the guests and a gift exchange that brought lots of laughs.  I just love the holiday season and it is not the food or the gifts that define the season to me, it is the joy and outpouring of generosity and fun.