Priscilla Richardson

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We all need fast and easy ways to be hospitable because sometimes there just isn't enough time to do up that fancy recipe, and it's too late to get a caterer. So here are some gleanings from Botetourt events to help you right now.

Botetourt folks are so hospitable that you feel like Scrooge if you don't have a little something to offer when they stop by. It takes only a minute to load up the coffee maker or boil water for some tea. You can add a festive touch to any hot tea or coffee with a cinnamon stick stirrer.

And don't forget eggnog. It comes ready-made from the store, lasts for more than a week, and our local groceries even carry low-fat versions. I can't tell the difference between the low- and high-fat ones. Some folks add rum or bourbon. However, a dash of ground nutmeg atop each glass is perfect no matter the alcohol content (or lack of same).

A hot cider is always welcome here in apple country. That's what caterer Lisa Janney did for the Botetourt Chamber of Commerce's holiday party. She heats a pot of cider with some cloves, cinnamon and sliced oranges. After a few hours of simmering on the back of the stove, your house smells wonderful and your cider tastes great.

Look for her new Teaberry's Restaurant location in Daleville come April.

"We definitely are going," she promised.

Of the two paths you can take when serving guests, I seem to take the sweet one the most. Maybe because I'm serving a meal plus a dessert. But some people don't want sweets. And certainly, in the middle of the day or after work, you need alternatives. So then what?

One Botetourt trick, which I have copied many times because it's so easy, is to slice a smoked cooked sausage -- think kielbasa -- into bite- sized pieces. Place them in a dish of barbecue sauce, slip it into the microwave and heat. Serve with toothpicks. You can do the same thing with purchased frozen meatballs. Or, for either one, the sauce can be a combination of prepared yellow mustard and fruit preserves, about half and half of each. I've had many variations of this sauce combination around this county, and they're all good.

You can always trot out the standard cubes of cheese and some crackers. For a holiday change on that, try a slaw made of grated cheese held together with a dab of mayonnaise and a touch of very finely chopped raw onion.

Even faster is the old standby: a block of cream cheese with something on top of it. Unwrap the cheese, place it on a serving plate and top it with chutney. Or with A1 sauce. Or with some canned chile con carne. You get the idea.

When you have a little advance notice, mix the cream cheese with a drained can of tuna, a tiny bit of finely chopped raw onion and celery and a dash of seafood seasoning. Or use a well drained can (or two) of tiny shrimp or chopped clams. Another time, you can substitute ground ham for the tuna. In that case add some grated sharp cheddar and some mustard for zing. And leave off the seafood seasoning.

Then for something sweet. One clever Botetourt lady confided she always bought the plain brownies in the bag and added canned icing. Or you can make mine, almost as fast. Happy eating!