HAPPY HOLIDAYS--AND ATTENTION PARTY ANIMALS!--Here's a party idea that has everything. It's easy, it won't break the bank and it's a great way for old friends to mingle and catch up on the news and for friends to make new friends for the year ahead. 

You'll find many of the recipes for the party in the "Eats" archive of Get Lost Magazine.   Here's the menu for a great SOUP SUPPER for 12.

Surround a round of Brie with a sliced baguette loaf on a large round platter. Surround the Brie and baguette slices with a thinly sliced smoked cheddar log and crackers.   Put together a raw vegetable platter with celery and carrots sliced thin on the diagonal, some sliced zucchini, radish  halves and add ripe olives and well drained pickled artichoke hearts halved. Serve with Yogurt Dill Dip. Chill.  

Pop a huge bowl of popcorn and sprinkle with garlic seasoning. Serve warm.  

Drinks will be very easy and serve yourself. Serve a Chardonnay, a light red wine such as a Beaujolais or a Merlot and for those who don't indulge in alcohol have white grape  juice available. Add to the drinks some cold beer if you'd like. Be sure there's a bucket of ice near by--no ice bucket? Use your little picnic ice chest. Buy a stack of clear plastic glasses so that all that's necessary is to empty the trash can.   That takes care of the "cocktail hour".  

Next serve a selection of two or three soups - Seven Can Soup - Turkey Rice Soup and perhaps Chili. If you're not in the mood to really MAKE chili try S &W brand Chili Makins'. It's truly great. Just add crumbled cooked hamburger and don't tell anyone you didn't do it yourself. S & W son't mind at all as long as you keep buying more--and you will.   Serve a selection of quick breads--Beer Bread, Pecan Bread (below) and Double Corn Muffins   For Dessert---An assortment of bite size cookies and sliced fruit cake. Coffee and tea will complete the menu for a fast, easy and economical way to entertain friends.  

Want to make it even easier? Print the recipes from back issues. Give each of your friends  a copy  of one of the recipes and make it a planned "pot luck".  That's truly SIMPLE!  The only recipe for this menu that's not in a back issue of Get Lost Magazine is for  Pecan Bread. Here it is.  

PECAN BREAD

• 2 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
• 2 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER
• TEASPOON SALT
• 3/4 CUP COARSELY CHOPPED PECANS
• 1/3 CUP LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
• 1 CUP MILK
• 1 LARGE EGG
• 3 TABLESPOONS MELTED BUTTER 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8X4 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in pecans and sugar. In a small bowl beat milk and eggs. Stir in melted butter. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture.  Add milk mixture and using a fork blend only until dough holds together. Spoon dough into prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to cool.   Serve with assorted soups. An assortment of savory and sweet cream cheese spreads are delicious with this and the other breads recommended in the above menu.  

CHILI

• 1 TABLESPOON SALAD OIL
• 2 POUNDS LEAN GROUND BEEF
• 1 CUP COARSELY CHOPPED ONIONS
• 1/4 DICED GREEN PEPPER (OPTIONAL)
• 2 LARGE CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
• 2 14 TO 16 OUNCE CANS  DICED TOMATOES
• 1/3 CUP CHILI POWDER
• 1 1/2 TEASPOONS SALT
• 2-15 TO 19 OUNCE CANS PINTO BEANS
• FLORIDA CHADS (OPTIONAL)

In a 5 quart Dutch oven over medium high heat, in hot salad oil, cook ground beef, chopped onions, diced green pepper, and minced garlic until onion is tender, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.   Add tomatoes and their liquid, chili powder, and salt, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in beans and their liquid; heat. Serve in soup bowls with a chioce of accompaniments. In individual bowls serve minced green onions, Mexican cheeses, fresh cilantro chopped,shelled pine nuts, and sour cream. A shaker of chili powder and a bowl of red pepper flakes are also great additions.   Make at least 1 1/2 hours ahead. If made the day before the flavors will blend even better. Makes 10 servings.

HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY.  STAY HAPPY, HEALTHY AND WATCH OUT FOR RECKLESS REINDEER.

LOVE, MOM

Martha Strom's monthly "Eats" column will keep you cooking and eating well, which equates to health and happiness which equates to prosperity and well-being. Not bad for corn muffins and chili, if you ask us.