First post of 2018! Fitting that it's a reflection on the holiday season - the very busy time of year that kept us away from blogging for a bit. We wound up hosting family meals for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. We loved having so much quality time with everyone, but being in charge of such feasts can be a little stressful. We really like the challenge of trying out new recipes when it's just for us, but being responsible for pleasing a large group is a whole other ball game. We wind up spending the whole time worrying about whether everything is seasoned properly, cooked to the right temperature, and tasty enough for the whole crowd to enjoy. Some chefs thrive when hosting big gatherings. Ironically, these two food bloggers do not!
So this year we decided to try ordering our side dishes from Whole Foods' holiday catering menu. That way DJ could focus on his favorite activity - preparing the meats - and the rest of the meal would just have to be reheated. Best. Decision. Ever. These were the least stressful holiday meals we've ever hosted! Perhaps when our little guy is old enough to be our sous chef we'll go back to making everything from scratch. But until then, we're going to appreciate the convenience Whole Foods has to offer.
Thanksgiving
Our turkeys have been hit-or-miss the past few years because we kept trying new ideas: spatch-cocked (so much work for no major benefit), pre-brined from Whole Foods (tasted like they hadn't brined it at all), and a dry rub that led to dry meat. This year DJ decided to go back to his old faithful approach: submersing the turkey in seasoned water for overnight brining. We will never do it another way again!
Christmas
DJ wanted to attempt his first full beef roast. He used the same seasoning we use for steak and followed his grilling intuition to bring it to a perfect medium rare. It was a hit!
We got one of each rugelach from Bovella's to sample for dessert - all fantastic.
New Year's Eve Soup Joumou
Officially a tradition now.
HAPPY 2018!
