Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the ­Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

These five recipes — two appetizers and three desserts — offer nostalgic comfort and holiday cheer as we enter the home stretch of the December holidaze.

“I take this to parties frequently and it’s always gone in a hurry,” writes Beth Page.

Cracked Pepper Summer Sausage

• Summer sausage (Page recommends Hillshire Farms brand)
• Worcestershire sauce
• Honey
• Cracked black pepper
• Ritz crackers, optional, for serving

Remove casing from sausage.

In a large zip-close plastic bag, combine sausage and Worcestershire sauce. Marinate overnight. Roll sausage in honey and black pepper. Bake at 275 degrees for 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Serve with crackers, if desired.

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This recipe is from Sherrie Smith.

Strawberry Preserves Cheese Ring

• 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground red (cayenne) pepper
• 1 cup or more strawberry preserves (jelly will not work)

In a large bowl, combine cheese, mayonnaise, onion, garlic powder and cayenne. Mold mixture into a ring. Place strawberry preserves in the center. Chill for several hours before serving.

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“My mom, Ruth, always made this for our family holiday meals,” writes Beverly Brooks.

Ruth’s Pie

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip OR 1 cup whipped cream
• Up to 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, optional
• 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk, as needed
• 2 to 3 bananas, sliced
• 1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust
• 1 (21-ounce) can blueberry OR cherry pie filling (no sugar pie filling is OK if a low-sugar pie is desired)

With the mixer on low speed or by hand, combine cream cheese, Cool Whip and confectioners’ sugar (if using), being careful not to over-whip. If mixture is too thick, add whole milk 1 tablespoon at a time. It should be a little thicker than cake icing.

Place sliced bananas in the bottom of a prepared graham cracker pie crust. Spread cream cheese mixture over bananas. Smooth mixture so that there is a shallow well in the center, leaving about 1 inch of raised mixture on the outside edges. The well should be ¾ …….

Source: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/dec/22/five-holiday-ready-recipes-for-alley-kats/