I think a cheese ball makes a party spread very festive. You make them ahead and only have to bring on the chips and crackers to get things going. I like this one. It has a bite to it with the jalapeno pepper.

JALAPENO CHEESE BALL
8 ounce pkg cream cheese,softened
8 ounce pkg sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup minced red onions
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

So you bought a bigger bird than you needed and now you are swamped with leftovers? Here is another good way to tackle that problem.

We don't usually make fried turkey cakes. Why not? They are easy to do. You have the cooked turkey. This recipe called for instant potato flakes. If you have leftover mashed potatoes, use 2 cups of them instead. Just omit the water in the recipe.

My daughter Anne's favorite cookie is chocolate chip. There is no doubt about that. But Spritz Cookies run a close second. She seems to crave them around Christmas time. Every year I make a variety of candies to give as gifts during the holidays, but I must bake a batch of Sprtiz just for Anne. It is not Christmas unless she has her special cookies.

I have a problem with egg yolks and avoid them as much as possible. This eggnog is a good substitute for regular eggnog that is loaded with eggs. The flavor is a bit different, too. It is a sweet refreshing drink. Try it, please.

This recipe has been around for a long time. I remember back in the day when everyone had a favorite recipe for Snickerdoodles. It is an old timey stand-by cookie. I give cookies at Christmas time. This year I included Snickerdoodles. This is my favorite version. You are supposed to chill the dough for 1 hour before baking. I prefer to chill it overnight. Keep the balls of dough small, 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter. You might think that 2 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon is too much. It's not. You will use it all.

You know, some of these turkey leftover recipes can be prepared and frozen for later this winter. It will be a treat then, not just a way to use up leftovers.

TURKEY – NOODLE CASSEROLE
2 cups cooked turkey or chicken pieces
8 ounces egg noodles, cooked, drained
8 ounces sour cream
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 can french-fried onion rings

No, this is not a variation on chicken salad. This turkey treat is special. I bet you never thought of making a fruit salad with your leftovers? Here it is.

TURKEY FRUIT SALAD
4 cups chopped cooked turkey breast
1 cup pineapple tidbits, drained
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
1 cup chopped walnuts (pecans would do)
1 cup chopped red apples, peel and all
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

Combine all fruit in large bowl. Carefully add turkey. Finally, moisten with mayonnaise. Cover and chill for 2 or 3 hours.

This recipe is so simple. We know you have turkey leftover from the big day. Make it when some time has passed and the leftovers are lounging in your freezer. Of course, you could make it with the leftover pieces of rotisserie chicken you picked up at Food City. It is good either way. I first made this recipe the Thanksgiving I discovered Brined Turkey Breast. It is a staple in my menu box.

How can a poinsettia be unhappy, you say? Let me tell you this sorry tale. It began Easter 2018 when I donated two Easter lilies for the altar at church. They were returned to me after the holiday. That is the usual procedure.
I sat the lilies, still with blooms, on a bookcase below a southern exposure window in my office at the back of my house. I watered them from time to time during that summer. By fall, the leaves had fallen and the stalk was dead. I stopped watering them, but they remained at the window. I cut off their stalks.