It's getting that time of year

Hi everyone!
Its getting that time of year for parties and the big Jolly guy with a red sleigh to come around so I thought I would take a moment to give you a new recipe and a redux of an old one.. 

First the new one...  Pastry -Wrapped Brie with Raspberries
(Couple of comments - good luck finding the size Brie ring called for in this one - I couldn't - found one bigger and one smaller - I used the smaller one (8 oz) and it worked fine - just cut down the amount of raspberries and preserves a little)

Ingredients
1/2 cup Raspberry preserves
1/4 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries (thawed)
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 13.2 oz Bay Brie cheese wheel
1 large egg (mixed with teaspoon of water for egg wash)
pinch (or a little more) of freshly ground black pepper

Baked Brie

Crackers/baguette slices and Grapes

Pre-heat oven to 400* combine preserves, raspberries and rosemary in small bowl, season with pepper.  Roll out pastry dough on lightly floured surface to 12 inch square.  Cut top rind off cheese (hint here, cut it off cold re-wrap and let come to room temp).  Place cheese rindless side up, in center of pastry.  Spoon raspberry mixture onto cheese.  Fold pastry on 2 opposite sides over cheese.  Brush remaining 2 sides of pastry with glaze and fold them over the previous sides.  Press seams to seal and brush pasty with glaze and place on backing sheet.

Bake cheese until pastry is deep golden brown (don't worry if it splits open it still tastes good) - should take about 30 minutes.  Let cool 20 minutes.  Place pastry in center of serving platter surround with baguettes, crackers and grapes. 

The next one is a redux of a recipe a couple years ago, but have a picture this time.
Sausage- Cheese Balls
Ingredients
1 lb lean HOT sausage
2 1/2 cups Bisquick
12 oz SHARP cheddar cheese, grated

Pre heat oven to 375*.  with your hands knead all the ingredients in a bowl.  I have a couple of recommendations for this...  1) If you grate the cheese yourself throw it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or the heat of your hands will make it tough to grate 2) Mix the cheese and Bisquick together first - and put it in the microwave for 20 secs that helps get the cheese and Bisquick incorporated with the cheese - mixture shouldn't be too hot to mix the sausage in but the heat helps draw the moisture out of the cheese.  Then add the sausage and mix all three together to incorporate. (mixing may take a while -don't worry it will eventually get together.
Make into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet (leave plenty of room between them they will swell).  Bake for 15 minutes  This makes about 4 -5 dozen (depending on the size). 

Sausage Cheese Balls

I served them with a Sweet and Sour sauce as it works well with the heat of the sausage.   Not fancy food but very good for an informal party appetizer

As for the Jolly Man with the red sleigh... Here is the first sighting of the sleigh...  

Santa's Sleigh??????