48 - Wednesday, November 6, 1991 ~ North Shore News Learning the art of pre-preparation | HEARD Jingle Bells on the radio the other day. How can they do this io us? Don’t those radio people have any sensitivity at all? I don’t want to have a rush of adrenalin just yet. When I was a kid and even a young adult, Christmas prepara- tions consisted of buying and wrapping a few presents, writing out cards and nothing more than peeling a few vegetables on Christmas Day. Otherwise, I was free to enjoy the season, con- tributing nothing but my smiling face. Boy, did I get a shock when I became ‘*‘Mom-in-charge.”* That seems to show no signs of letting up — stage setting, choreography, directing, financing, catering — there ought to be a payroll cheque in here somewhere! "If I’ve learned anything, it’. the art of pre-preparation. Get out the notebook and start the. lists. Buy . an extra fancy liqueur’ every time . you go to the grag shop. Stock your freezer when the buys are great — I’ve got my big . Christmas .-Eve ham wrapped and frozen and my turkey has been in the freezer for a month. - Every year, when we pack up ‘the ‘decorations and wrappings I make a list.of what’s needed for next year. Sometimes I even, get so efficient that I stock up on light bulbs at a post-holiday sale. It’s net the big things that drive you nuts about the third week in -December —- it’s running out of Scotch tape! In the next month, try setting . aside a few hours to prepare some ‘s appetizers. “Here are a ‘few that NMcCreadie BUDGET BEATERS will give you a head-start. Barbecued Chicken Wings Look for 5 Ib. bags of frozen “‘drumettes.’?. Keep them in your freezer until you have a few spare hours. Bake and sauce them and return to your freezer. Freeze these on cookie sheets and then bag them for quick re-heating as many as you need. 5 Ib. drumeties (or wings, split and tips reserved for stock) . 1 cup brown sugar, packed % cup sherry 1 cup soy sauce ¥ teaspoon dry mustard 1 tablespoon: gariic powder or paictaiaabatee gravulated garlic Bake thawed drumettes in a single layer at 350° for half an hour. Stir remaining ingredients together in a saucepan and sim- mer. Pour over wings and bake one hour, turning quite often. eee Never-Fail Meat Balls These give you a firm, bite-sized ball that can be skewered. They pair nicely with the wings — you can grab a handful of each from your freezer and you’re all set for any unexpected guests. 1lb. pork sausage meat 2 ib. iean ground beef 1 teaspecn salt 1% teaspocns dry mustard 1% teaspoons powdered coriander Ya teaspoon allspice 3 eggs % cup fine dry breadcrumbs (packeged) 1 bunch green onions, finely sliced Combine all ingredients and mix well. Form inte. bite-sized balls. Bake on sheets, 350°, 20 minutes. Drain and freeze individually, then bag. eases Crab Balis 1 tin (flat) crabmeat egg ¥. cup fine dry breadcrumbs dash Worcestershire sauce Ye bunch green onions, chopped 2 package bacon, sliced in half Drain crabmeat and combine with other ingredients except bacon. Form crabmeat into balls and wrap each bal! in half a bacon slice. Bake at 350° about 20 minutes or until bacon is crisp. finely STOP IN AND SAVE! Sive your minor car troubles before they become major - and save money ai the same time - at Shortstop Brake & Muffler. We're the neme for quality. service and repoirs. We're a sign of competitive prices and fost, dependable workmanship on brakes, shocks, mufflers and exhaust systems. And we honour competitors’ warranties. So stop by our iocation nearest you today. We're ready fo save you time and money. BRAKE & MUFFLER Visit our location nearest you. North Vancouver 894 Aarine Drive Ph. 988-9801 Delta/Tsawwassen 1617 56th Street Ph. 943-6065 Vancouver 2567 Ki Ph. 437- e307 Vancouver 2105 East 12th Ave. Ph. 872-6047 Offer is veld watil Nov. 30, 1991. Mot volid with any other promotion. These can be frozen either before baking or after. If you freeze them raw, they'll take about half an hour at 375°. If cooked, they can join the wings and meatballs for about 15 minutes at 350°. eee Each time you visit your favorite supermarket, pick up one item that you wouldn’t ordinarily buy from the luxury bin. Buy a couple of tins of smoked oysters, .~ a package of Camembert cr Brie (check the dates!) or some liqueur chocolates. Check your recipe file for deep-fried treats. You can usuaily fry and freeze. | never deep-fry in the hours befoze guests arrive — who needs the house smelling like Lucky’s Chippery? Pastries can be frozen but avoid microwaving to re-heat. A con- ventional oven restores the crisp texture, a microwave vulcanizes them. : Take advantage of frozen pastry cups to prepate mini-quiche. Be careful not to buy the sweetened dessert tartlets! They are horrid with a savory filling. Snow Geese make annual stop. DURING THE month: of November Snow Geese from Wrangel. Island, which is located off the coast of Siberia, make an annual Stop - on the Lower Maintand. These magnificent birds and. . their interesting life cycle are the focus of a day-trip to the Reiffel Sanctuary in Ladner on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The public is invited to join naturalist Graham Sunderland for an insightful look at these ——— wintering ‘birds ‘as well as other ~ seasonal wiidlife of the area. The trip is offered: through: the West Vancouver Recreation - Centre (WVRC) and _ tickets, which cost -$30, include trans- portation and admission to the -f sanctuary. - For more informatio ion: and to. purchase’ advance ‘tickets: call: .. 926-3266, or -visit the W.V.. Recreation Centre at 780— 2nd St. in West Vancouver. | Den | MAKE SURE his, A NON-SMOKER.. Next summer, British Columbia’ will pn introduce AirCare, a vital part of the’ government’ S. effort to improve air quality in the Lower * : Mainland. Beginning in July 1992, al pe isenger cars, motor homies and light trucks must be inspected -- to make sure they're tune emission control systems installed at the factory a operating efficiently. This required before a vehicle reneved. d properly and that. that were originally. re in place and inspection will be 's license can be So if you're thinking of buying a used car, - light truck or motor home, be sure it’s in good - mechanical condition and that its emissions control devices have not been removed or _ tampered with. If you're not sure what to look for, ask a qualified service tec hrician. Finding out before you buy could save you time and money later. Vehicle E Emissions Inspection & Maintenance Province of British Columbia Motor Vehicle Branch LA wae