Someone else already said it so I'm going to say it again.....cheaterpants!! LOL Okay, really, that is a super swap package that I know Sally will enjoy for a long time. Nina, you went all out with this one for sure. If our resident "rat" loves this Muscat Orange Vinegar...along with others...lets just say I'm jelous and envious at the same time. Wish we had TJ's down here in mhy neck of the woods. David (who only sent one thing with packing material...lol)

forgot to add to title I was looking for these recipes

I've made them before. They're one of my very favorite cookies! To dip them in chocolate, I melt about 1 cup of chopped semi-sweet chocolate with a teaspoon of shortening, and dip the bottoms of the cookies in the melted chocolate. Coconut Macaroons 14 ounces sweetened coconut 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large egg whites 1/4 teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flaked coconut, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt in medium bowl to medium-firm peaks. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into coconut mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining egg whites. Drop half of coconut mixture by level tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Top each with a second level tablespoonful coconut mixture. (I used a 2-tablespoon disher, using one scoop per cookie.) Bake until golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool macaroons on parchment paper. Slide metal spatula under macaroons to remove. (Macaroons can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature.) Yield: about 22 cookies Source: Bon Appetit, August 2000 Lori

Whoa, Suero, that eggplant app sounds amazing! I have to be honest and admit that is something I am more likely to make for lunch instead of a party...more for me :-) I love apples and pears, garyfx! I'm trying to put together a menu that doesn't require a fork... Any recipes involving those fruits to share? I've also thought about using a tart pear paste with the Brie instead of fig. Holly Kay and Bumble---- like the idea of asparagus in phylo. What length of asparagus spear? Any sauce or purée or anything else in the phylo aside from Parmesan? Is it dry? Mtnrdredux: we make champagne cocktails often, usually just making them up as we go along. (When my mother tells me she's bringing a new recipe to try when she comes down to spend the weekend she's almost always referring to a new drink, preferably with champagne or grey goose :-). We have that particular cocktail at holiday parties because it has a festive look from the green lime and red cranberry and a gorgeous color from the pomegranate juice. Also it's easy to make a non alcoholic mock-tail that looks just the same. They can be made one at a time two parts champagne to one part p juice, squeeze of lime and a frozen cherry-- or if I've had time, a couple of them strung on a holiday toothpick. Or you can mix up a batch like punch and drop in the lime and cranberry as the glasses are filled. You can use prosecco for similar results and if we have lots of people I do. But we buy champagne by the case and usually use that.