​With all the holiday parties that we have all been to in the past month, aren't you sick of the same old dips?  Crab dip, spinach dip, ranch dip, queso dip, every party has variations of the same thing.  It gets tired pretty quick

So when you try to think of something to make for a New Year's Eve Party, you start to panic!  What can you make that is unique and different, but also delicious to most people.  

How about a dip that is sweet?  I bet you didn't see many dips over the holidays that were sweet, they are usually quite outstanding among the savory French onion dips and salsas.  Take one of these to your next party and see the reaction, I bet you will be taking home an empty bowl!
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​If you have ever seen a movie of A Christmas Carol, you remember the scene of the Cratchit family's Christmas dinner.  At the end of the meal, Mrs. Cratchit brings in a very small, but elegant flaming dessert....a plum pudding.  After tasting, Bob Cratchit declares it is the best she has ever made, in all the years of their marriage.  She beams in delight at the compliment.

She should beam!  Plum pudding is not easy to make, and even harder to make well, especially with the equipment they had back in the time of A Christmas Carol!  Luckily, as time has passed, the equipment has improved and with it, the recipe has gotten easier.  It is still a complex recipe with many ingredients, but it is one of the most beautiful and awe inspiring desserts that you can make and serve at any dinner.  Let's take a look at how it's 
​​made.

​Wooden gift tags are very inexpensive and there are many fun crafts you can make with them.  They are enjoyable to decorate and can be used for so much more than just tagging gifts.  I bought a bag of them to use on my jar gifts as tags because I found that cardboard tags are easily damaged or lost.  I had quite a few left, so my crafting mind went into overdrive!
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