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Thursday, December 31, 2009

Crazy holiday season!

I have been very remiss in updating my blog. I have thought about it often but everything just seemed so crazy! The last few weeks at school were nuts, with SRC elections, formals, graduation assemblies and end of year festivities. THEN the Christmas craziness started!

Shopping, baking, more shopping & more baking. SIGH. All this made for a much neglected blog. However on the bright side it did make for a lot of great recipes... although I did tend to forget to photograph most of it. DOH!

Some of the yummy Christmas goodies I made were

- Cherry ripe & Bounty balls

- Sugar cookies- Christmas trees, snowmen, stars and baubles. (My photos of these turned out blurry. They didn't look blurry on my camera but when I loaded them they are. I will see if I can fix them before posting!).

- Mini Gingerbread house (I also made a large one, but that was a major FAIL)

I had a wonderful Christmas. I was spoilt by my husband and family, and received EVERYTHING that was on my wish list. I was VERY excited to receive a wheelbarrow and a compost bin too, as I becoming quite a keen gardener!



We had an absolute feast both days (I see Christmas as a two day event, with separate family get -togethers!). Christmas day was a slightly overcast but mildly warm day, perfect for the cold buffet spread that Mike's family had put together. We had Turkey, Ham & Pork, then a multitude of salads such as Caesar, mango and avocado (my contribution)a DIY garden salad (A plater with all the bits and pieces so people could put in what they like!) a yummy potato salad, pasta salad & quiche. PHEW!

This was followed be the much anticipated dessert, a heavily laden table filled with goodies. I confess that I always eat very light for my lunch because I would rather leave room for the main event DESSERT!



We had outdone ourselves this year with a decadent trifle, cannoli, Ice cream cake (Cherry ripe flavour- made by moi), A rummy Christmas pudding (Made by my Mum as a gift to Mikes family), then cherry ripe balls and iced cookies for coffee.

GROAN.... it was really wonderful, with the only thing better than the food was the company!!

The next day we hosted my family for our Chrissie get together! I tried not to let everyone go overboard with bringing food as there was a smaller gathering of only 11 adults and 4 kids. Unfortunately the weather was decidedly damp. I really wanted to have the celebration on our outdoor deck, so we put up some large silver tarps to enclose the area, and then put on our outdoor heater. It made the area really really cosy, although maybe not as pretty as I had hoped. I also hung 12 white paper lanterns from the roof.

Lunch was one huge ham glazed with cranberry and balsamic vinegar (Mum), 3 roasted chickens stuffed with cranberry, almond and pistachio (Me), Seafood salad and prawns (My sister)and more salads such mango and avocado salad (when your onto a winner stick to it I say...) Sweet potato and beetroot salad (Mum)& Italian Salad (Aunty). It was all very tasty!

Again, the dessert was the main event, with trifle (My Nanna's), Pudding (Mum again), DIY Ice Cream sundaes, Ice Cream cake & Fruit platter. MMMMMMmmmmmmm

Again it was another day filled with laughter, talking and love. At the end of the day, that's what Christmas is about isn't it? Love, sharing, and celebration!