Woman's World
December, 2005

10-minute Christmas Magic!
Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade© Holiday Tricks

Before she was the Food Network’s Semi-Homemade© star, Sandra Lee was just like the rest of us: She watched Christmas go by in a frazzled blur. Then one day she began experimenting, determined to find ways to have more good cheer without the stress. What did she discover? A whole new career, for starters – plus lots and lots of delightful holiday shortcuts!

“The key is letting go of the right stuff,” she says. “We can’t do it all, but we can make sure our loved ones have a great time and know how much they mean to us!”
Here, she shares her very best and sneakiest how-tos…

Instant winter wonderland ideas!

• Glitz up napkins – Roll ‘em and tie with 12”-16” lengths of leftover garland.
• Help a scrawny tree – ­“Fill bare spots with spare branches picked up from a tree lot,” suggests Sandra. “Big bows can also be added after all the other decorations to perk up a tree fast!”
• Whip up a glamorous centerpiece – Set a small vase of white or red grocery store roses in an ice bucket; fill the space between vase and bucket with greenery or spare Christmas tree branches.
• Breathtaking candlelit welcome – Set potted poinsettias along your front walk with a glass-encased votive candle beside each; light just before evening guests arrive.
• Festive place cards in a flash – With a gold pen, write each guest’s name or initials on an inexpensive ornament, then center on his or her place setting.
• A 30-second dazzler – “Fill a large glass bowl with water, set it on a mirror in the foyer, sprinkle with glitter and float candles on top.”
• Free greens! – “Fallen branches are yours for the asking at most nurseries and Christmas-tree stands,” says Sandra.
• Spice up your mantel – Press cloves into oranges to make letters, then spell out holiday greetings like “Noel” or “joy.”
• Toss candy coins – A handful of the foil-wrapped treats scattered on a tabletop or place setting adds no-fuss shimmer.
• Turn up the music! – Whether you pop in a holiday CD or tune in to classic carols on the radio, you’ve got instant ambience, says Sandra.
• Set a nostalgic mood – “Display Christmas storybooks. It’ll take everyone on a journey to holidays past.”
• Display leftover ornaments – Perch single balls atop candlesticks; fill pretty bowls with spare greenery and groups of gleaming balls.

“Your time is precious. My tips will help you spend it wisely.”

Perfect last-minute gift ideas

• Sandra’s truffle secret – Keep boxed truffles to give as impromptu gifts. And if you don’t pass ‘em all out, no worries. “They freeze beautifully,” promises Sandra.
• Easiest hostess gift – “Tie a pretty bow around a grocery-store poinsettia, and voilá!” says Sandra.
• Incredible edibles – Fill glass jars with Jordan almonds, yogurt-covered pretzels or Pirouette cookies, then add a bow.
• Make your best wishes glow – literally! – Handwrite Christmas sentiments and photocopy onto parchment paper; cut into rectangles, wrap around a pair of beeswax candles and secure with a wisp of ribbon.
• Personalize gift cards – Package ‘em with another small gift – for example a bookstore gift card with a paperback. “And include a heartfelt message,” suggests Sandra.
• Extra-special magazine subscriptions – “Slip a few recent issues of the magazine into a wire or wicker basket with a note telling the recipient why you think he or she will enjoy the subscription,” suggests Sandra.

Recipes that make themselves!

• Fast’n’fancy Scotch plaid cookies – Use store-bought tubes of red and green decorating icing fitted with small round tips to create crisscrossing lines on plain sugar cookies.
• Quick candy-cane cocoa – For each serving, bring one cup milk to a low boil, then add 1 1/2 Tbs. semisweet chocolate chips and one crushed candy cane; whisk until smooth. Garnish with whipped cream and a candy cane stirrer. For an adult treat, skip the candy cane and use a splash of crème de menthe.
• Warm up wine lovers! – Heat an inexpensive Merlot on the stovetop with cinnamon sticks. The delicious brew chases away winter’s chill and “makes the house smell wonderful,” says Sandra.
• Christmas morning “bread pudding” – Cookie-cutter raisin bread into holiday shapes, prepare as French toast, then serve drizzled with heated caramel sauce.
• Bubbly berry punch – Mix two parts inexpensive chilled champagne with one part fruit juice, such as cranberry-raspberry. Garnish with frozen berries, if desired, and serve in a punch bowl.

Impress guests with a magical centerpiece dessert!
“To make this cake extra-magical, serve it as you tell the Nutcracker story,” says Sandra.
Nutcracker Holiday Cake

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 2 (9”) round cake pans.
• Stir together 2 pkgs. (14.5 oz. each) gingerbread cake and cookie mix, 2 cups water and 2 eggs until moistened.
• Divide between pans. Bake 25-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool.
• Fill and spread cake layers with 3 cans (16 oz. each) cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with white decorating sugar. Decorate with tiny presents and nutcrackers.

Wrap it in a snap!

• Pretty paper bag idea – Slip a gift in a brown bag, fold top down and secure with a ribbon attached to a paper clip.
• Just add ribbon – That’s all many gifts need. “Raffia, rope cord, tassels, colored string, lace, rickrack, tinsel, – anything colorful or textured will do,” notes Sandra.
• Buy colored or patterned boxes – Pop the gift inside, add a bow, and you’re done!
• Easy scented tissue paper – Dab cottonballs with your favorite perfume, place in a sandwich bag, and seal overnight in a lidded plastic tub with storebought tissue. “It makes gifts twice as nice to open!”
• Gift wrap in a pinch – “Old sheet music, pages from picture books, shelf paper, fabric remnants, old table linens or lace curtains all work,” promises Sandra. “You can also use the sports section for an armchair quarterback, the food section for a budding gourmet, and the comics for kids.”