Pre Christmas with Family

So last weekend we were privileged enough to spend the day for the first time in ages with Kevin's WHOLE family, minus one nephew-in-law (my favorite nephew-in-law, for the record! Missed you, David!).  My sister-in-law, Edith, is a fabulous cook and we feasted on a divine lamb stew and delicious kale salad from her garden.  Super yummy and not a drop left.  Also, treated to a special treat...a Gearhart's chocolate cake (notice the 24 karat edible gold on top)!  Divine!  Great job, as always, Edith!  Wish we had taken more pictures.  Love you all!  

Christmas 2015

Christmas dinner....My first big attempt at my regular kind of cooking for a group since my injury.  Turned out great despite my respite.  Matthew's favorite party mix (he tells me "it's the reason for the season") along with a fresh-from-our-garden cauliflower, fresh fig and olive appetizer started the feast.  Followed by Ruth's homemade parsnip soup which was super yummy and a divine grilled Caesar salad that I recently discovered at The Belvedere Inn in Lancaster, PA.  I've never had any salad quite like it.  Lightly grilled romaine topped with a homemade Caesar dressing, Parmesan Reggiano and homemade croutons, served straight off the grill.  Super simple, and a conversation piece, for sure.

Second course...Delicious Craig County lamb shoulder roast (thank you, Jaimie Oliver) served with a caper gravy and fresh mint,  risotto with butternut squash oil drizzled on top, mixed petite potatoes, and two new salads from, yet again, Yotam Ottolenghi.  The first, a warm lentil, radicchio and walnut dish with manuka honey.  This dish could be a meal in itself.  The bitterness of the radicchio paired beautifully with the sweet honey.  The warm lentils, the grilled radicchio in combination with the honey spiced walnuts, shaved pecorino cheese, basil, dill and parsley again reminded me of why I love Yotam's creativity.  I am not experienced enough to know how to pair so many tastes together and make them work; three spices are about my limit.  Yotam is a genius at this.

The second salad was a cold tomato and roasted lemon salad.  Lots of flavorful tomatoes, pomegranate seeds, and red onions tossed with a reduced pomegranate syrup, mint leaves, parsley and blanched lemons slices that are then dried in the oven.  All this makes for one very flavorful and colorful salad.  

All this delicious food was too much for us to enjoy the beautiful chocolate cake my dear friend, Eva, gave us.  Not to worry...we will save it for another day!  My little broken wings were totally worn out, but I can still dream of getting back in the kitchen.  I never was one for baby steps!  

Merry Christmas and God bless us every one!!!

According to Matthew..."Party mix...the reason for the season."