Let's Celebrate 2012!

This year Keith and I hosted the annual New Years Eve party that Bob and Sue have hosted for many years.  Since we weren't having family here over Christmas, we asked if they would like us to host this year.  I sent out Evites online and invited the usual gang that has come over the years.  Many of this group are from the Jamaica team that also, for many years, had gone on annual mission trips there.  Since we don't all attend the same church anymore, it was nice to catch up with everyone.  There were a few that couldn't make it for various reasons, but we had a nice group of 9.  When we sent the Evites, we said we were going to provide pulled pork sandwiches, orange nutmeg sauce covered smokey links, and chips and hot cheese dip.

Pulled Pork ~ Crockpot 
pork loin
1 bottle of Sweet Baby Rays Honey BBQ Sauce
1 can of apple pie filling

Combine ingredients and cook in crockpot for 5 hours on high or
8-10 hours on low.  Serve on buns.  Yummy!

Orange Nutmeg Sauce for Smokie Links
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained

Combine sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg and orange juice in a small sauce pan.
Cook, stirring constantly until it thickens.  Add the mandarin oranges, drained.
Brown 2 packages of the mini-smokey links and combine.  Keep warm in
crockpot for serving.

Hot Cheese Dip
1 (25 oz.) can Hormel chili, without beans
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese (low fat)
1 small package Velveeta cheese

Microwave cheeses until melted.  Add chili and heat through.
{I put this in the crock pot for serving and for keeping it hot.
Keep crock pot on low or warm setting.}
Serve with nacho chips.

Playing Balderdash and having so many laughs.  One guest was laughing so hard, he was rolling on the floor!

New York Times Square -- HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012!!!!

Our guests then brought their favorite snacks to share as well.  We had a great evening together playing Balderdash, laughing a lot, and watching the ball drop from Times Square in New York. 

New Years Toast!

Bob, John, Jan, Becky, Keith, Marsha, Sue, John, Gary