I love the cute food that always appears around Christmas, so last week I tried my hand at making some party appetizers. I usually refuse to use new recipes but these turned out so well I just might be hooked! The peanut butter Hershey's kiss cookies (a random recipe from a web search) turned out picture perfect. The ham roll-ups (a slice of ham, pickle, and cream cheese) I copied from a cookie party I attended. And the eggs...I started with 18 farm fresh eggs, which, for the record, is the wrong way to start hard-boiled eggs. They are next to impossible to peel--it's better to use eggs that have sat in the fridge for a couple weeks. That minor detail aside, I looked for a recipe with a little "kick" since deviled eggs can be somewhat bland. This recipe was a.w.e.s.o.m.e! My little sister tried one, and as her beautiful blue eyes widened in disbelief, she gasped, "I don't even like deviled eggs, but these are amazing!" The secret ingredient was horseradish sauce.

The other secret ingredient? Food always tastes better when it is shared with friends!

Tea for Ten

Occasionally someone will walk up to me and say something along the lines of, "I think I met your sister...what is her name?" I always laugh. I have 5 sisters...who are some of the most amazing, beautiful, talented young women ever, who know me better than anyone else.With 3 of us plus my mom in college, and living over 40 miles from my family, spending quality time together doesn't happen very often. When some good friends-with a few amazing, beautiful, talented young women of their own- came up on vacation I tried to find a way to get all of us together. The Four Seasons Tea Room in downtown Houghton was the perfect location! With a prior reservation for ten they were able to get all of us at one table and we enjoyed an unforgettable 2 hours, laughing, talking, sharing, sipping a bottomless cup of tea from the more than 60 choices on the menu (Vienna Opera Ball was a favorite!), savoring the delicious quiche, soup, and salad, and treating ourselves to a delectable desert of cake, scones, and lemon curd. An added bonus was a local musician providing live music!

Bekah, Marianna, Molly, Kendra, Linda, Grace, Amy