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Main Dish: Steak Pinwheels with Sun-dried Tomato Stuffing & Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

Dessert: Nutcracker Holiday Cake

Beverage Bar: Mulled Merlot

Yard Décor: Candy Cane Lane

Music: Charlotte Church et al,
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For more ideas, browse the Holiday Issue of the Semi-Homemade® web magazine.

White
  Christmas

Welcome guests with a Candy Cane Lane leading straight to your door. Once inside, wow them with a White Christmas tablescape. Place a long mirror down the middle of the table and center several glass goldfish bowls on top. Fill each bowl with water and floating white candles, sprinkled with iridescent glitter for a snow globe effect. Arrange white pillar and votive candles up and down the mirror. Pour “drifts” of rock salt around each candle, lightly topping the rock salt with more iridescent glitter. Cluster clear glass ornaments around the mirror, then light the candles to create a glistening winter wonderland. For a meal just as magical, serve Steak Pinwheels, Nutcracker Holiday Cake (see recipe below) and Mulled Merlot.

Nutcracker Holiday Cake

This holiday cake is perfect for a Christmas party or winter birthday. It's so festive you can use it as a centerpiece for your table before serving it as dessert.

Serves 10-12 slices

Prep time: 5 minutes
Baking time: 25-35 minutes

PREPARATION:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour two 8-inch-round cake pans.
• Combine both mixes, eggs, and water in a large mixing bowl.
• Stir until just moistened.
• Divide batter equally between two pans.
• Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean.
• Allow to cool completely for 20 minutes.
• Frost the top of one of the cake layers with a quarter can of frosting.
• Place second layer on top.
• Frost the entire cake with remaining frosting.
• Decorate outside rim of cake with wrapped presents.
• Top with wooden nutcrackers.