TARBORO — I keep telling people that the older you get, the faster time goes by. When I was in my 20’s and “older” people said that, I didn’t really understand what that meant. now, in my (early) 50’s, I totally get it. I don’t know where 2010 went but it seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. now, 2011 is less than a week away. Wow! whether you are hosting a large bash or a simple family gathering, you can use these recipes. I am trying to include some that are quick along with a few that take a little more time but are worth the effort. Our first recipe is an apple tart. it is really simple except that you have to thinly slice the apples. that is the only part that takes any time at all. If you work with apples a lot, make a $20 investment and get an apple peeler/corer. It’s amazing how much it will change your life. in a matter of 5-10 seconds, I can peel an apple and have a long, continuous apple ring that I can then slice or chop. even if you don’t use apple every day, it’s worth it to have it on hand for when you do need it. it will also peel potatoes! The second recipe is for cocktail meatballs. everyone loves meat balls, so this is a must. even if you have to go to Sam’s and buy them in a bag. You can still jazz them up with this recipe. The third recipe is a fondue recipe. These are popular, even for small gatherings. be sure to use a variety of things for dippers and this will be an easy hit. The fourth recipe is my all time favorite. Sausage Balls. I could eat them any time anywhere. I make them mild because that’s the way that Hobert likes them. But, you can use hot sausage for a little extra punch. The last three recipes are for punches. The first is a peach punch and the last two are versions of Sangria. You can make these with or without alcohol. they are great either way. have a happy and safe new Year’s Eve and a prosperous and blessed 2011! Simple Apple Tart 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed 1/2 cup slivered almonds 2 tablespoons sugar, divided 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon Pinch kosher or fine sea salt 1/2 Granny smith apple, cored and very thinly sliced (1/16th inch) 1/2 Fuji apple, cored and very thinly sliced (1/16th inch) 1 large egg, lightly beaten Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in middle. Unfold pastry on a baking sheet. Combine almonds, 1 tablespoon sugar, cinnamon and salt in the bowl of a food processor; blend until finely chopped (not ground to a powder). Leaving a 1/4 inch border, sprinkle nut mixture evenly over pastry. Shingle apple slices on the pastry, alternating and overlapping the slices and covering all of the nut mixture. Brush slices with egg wash and sprinkle evenly with remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake until edge of crust and some of the apple slices on edges are golden, 22 to 25 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature. Cocktail Meatballs 1 pound lean ground beef 1 egg 2 tablespoons water 1/2 cup bread crumbs 3 tablespoons minced onion  1 (8 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce 3/4 cup chili sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. in a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, water, bread crumbs, and minced onion. Roll into small meatballs. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once. in a slow cooker or large saucepan over low heat, blend the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Add meatballs, and simmer for 1 hour before serving. Apple Cider-Cheddar Fondue 4 cups (about 1 pound) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded 1 teaspoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 1/4 cups sparkling apple cider 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg Freshly ground black pepper to taste For dipping: Bite-size pieces of cooked chicken, pork sausages, waffle pieces, strudel, apple wedges, cubes of cheddar cheese, crusty bread. in a medium-size bowl, toss the cheese with the cornstarch. in a medium-size, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the cider and lemon juice over medium heat until barely simmering. Add the cheese, a handful at a time, stirring until the cheese is melted before adding more. When all the cheese has been added, stir in the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper, to taste. Cook over low heat until thickened about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer fondue to an enamel or ceramic fondue pot and keep warm over a fondue burner. Serve immediately. makes 10 servings. Easy Sausage Balls 1 lb Sausage (mild or hot, your choice) 4 cups cheddar cheese, shredded 3 cups baking mix (like Bisquick) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. in a medium bowl, combine the sausage, cheese, and dry baking mix. Mix together, and shape mixture into walnut-sized balls. place on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot. Pineapple Peach Punch 1 (46-ounce) can pineapple juice 1/2 quart peach nectar 1.5 cans of cream of coconut 1 quart seltzer 1 quart vodka (optional) Freeze all but seltzer and vodka. Remove from freezer 30 minutes before serving. Dump frozen slush into punch bowl, add vodka, and top with seltzer. Two non alcoholic        Sangria recipes 1/4 cup of sugar 1 cup of orange juice 1/2 fresh lemon 1/2 fresh orange 1 banana 1 apple or peach 4 cups of club soda or seltzer water 4 cups of grape juice place the fruit, except for the banana, and 1-1/2 cups of water and 2/3 cups sugar into a saucepan. Bring to just before boiling and reduce heat to medium low. Cook until about half the water is reduced. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before adding the banana and the other liquids. Both of these non-alcoholic Sangria recipes also suggest proper amounts of ice and refrigeration before consumption! that is what makes them taste great. I pour this into a pre-chilled punch bowl. The fruit floating in the liquid looks great! here is another version. I like this one, but both are great. 4 cups cranberry-grape juice 1 cup orange juice 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 banana 1 pear 1 apple 3 cups carbonated lemon-lime beverage place the fruit, except for the banana, and 1-1/2 cups of water and 2/3 cups sugar into a saucepan. Bring to just before boiling and reduce heat to medium low. Cook until about half the water is reduced. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before adding the banana and the other liquids. Both of these non-alcoholic Sangria recipes also suggest proper amounts of ice and refrigeration before consumption! that is what makes them taste great. I pour this into a pre-chilled punch bowl. The fruit floating in the liquid looks great! Did You know? The various symptoms of your average hangover – headache, dry mouth, nausea, exhaustion – all come from different effects that alcohol has on your body. Many of these symptoms can be lessened by eating a good meal before drinking; the more food you have in your stomach, the slower it'll be processed, which means it'll hurt a lot less in the morning. And, while there's no "cure" for a hangover, there's no shortage of ways, both fabled and factual, to take the edge off. For the headache, which is thought to come from the dilating effect alcohol has on your blood vessels: Aspirin (not acetaminophen or ibuprofen) will help with that headache, though there's no evidence taking it the night before will help you. Caffeine also helps constrict your blood vessels; it's also a stimulant, which will help you feel less tired (until it wears off…). Simultaneously, though, it also dehydrates you (like alcohol), so you'll still need to drink lots of water. For the dry mouth, which, along with thirst, is a direct result of alcohol's dehydrating effects: Water. Lots of it. before you go to bed (as unpleasant as the thought might be) and all day the next day. Sports drinks are great too; their salt and sugar content help to replace all the electrolytes you've been losing all night. The potassium in bananas works against the diuretic (that is, dehydrating) effect of alcohol as well. For the nausea, caused when alcohol irritates your stomach lining, also generating extra stomach acid: Every culture has their idea of which food helps. Northern Germans believe strongly in marinated fish (like herring), Mexicans have posole (a meat and hominy soup) and the Senegalese have yassa (chicken and lemon stew). If you can handle food, your best bet is something like eggs, which are high in cysteine, which helps your body process the toxins in alcohol. Tomatoes have lots of vitamin C (which alcohol saps your body of) – but make the Bloody Mary a Virgin Mary if you're trying to get better. And don't bother with: Hair of the dog. Drinking more in the morning doesn't make it better, it just prolongs the pain. And it's probably not a good call on a regular basis. Karen’s Kitchen is a weekly column by Karen Freeman of Tarboro. Contact Karen at: .com to exchange ideas, ask questions, submit recipes, tips or suggestions. Check out her Web site: geocities.com/kvfreeman27886/