Catering a Ladies Christmas Luncheon

Some ideas for your next party or for celebrating the holidays.  First, let me point out the tablecloth how the ends are tied. I love the look and it also keeps your guests from catching their toe in a cloth that goes to the floor. It's hard to tell from these pictures but my client had a beautiful gold tablecloth and I accented it with a white cloth that had gold and silver strands in it. 

Elevating foods on the table looks so much more appealing than having everything the same level. Foods all have such beautiful colors it is easy celebrating the season with so many red and green combinations. The red and greens apples, red cherry tomatoes with green basil and mozzarella cheese balls, red and green peppers and I decorated the top of an herb cheesecake with rosemary from my garden and pomegranate seeds. For the veggie platter, red pepper hummus dip and creamy green avacado dip.

Last but not least, I put cranberries on the ends of picks for the cranberry meatballs I made.  I think it made a great presentation and looked very festive.  The ladies at the luncheon loved the idea.

A lot of work, but I love seeing it all come together.  The food was wonderful and my client was very pleased!

Cranberry Meatballs

2 pounds of ground chuck
2 large eggs,
1/3 cup of dry breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 garlic
1/2 t. onion powder (I used 1/2 cup finely diced onion, I like the flavor of the real onion)
1/2 teaspoon of thyme ( I used fresh thyme from my garden and I used 1 heaping tablespoon)
1-16 ounce can cranberry sauce
1-12 ounce jar chili sauce
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl.  Shape mixture into about 54 (l inch ) balls.  I used a melon baller to help me get the correct amount.
Cook meatballs, in batches, in a large skillet over medium heat until brown. Remove meatballs from pan and drain well on paper towels. I then put meatballs in a casserole dish and finished them off in the oven, 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.  I don't like pink meat. When meatballs are done, drain off any grease.

Stir together cranberry and chili sauces and next 5 ingredients in large dutch oven over medium heat and cook whisking occasionally until smooth.  Let sauce simmer about 10 minutes on low heat and then cover the meatballs. Then transfer to a chafin dish or crock pot on low.  When I am catering, I put the crock pot on low and occasionally will turn it off for about 20 minutes and then turn it on again  because I don't want the meatballs to cook I just warm to keep them warm.

Note:  To make ahead you can place cook meatballs in a zip-lock plastic freezer bag and freeze up to one month.  Thaw in frig, warm sligthly in oven and then cover with warmed sauce.