Okay, i'm about to say a phrase you've heard a million times, stick with me...
This year, the holiday season looked a bit different.
Honestly, i think that's probably an understatement. Asher and I stayed in Connecticut for the first time in 8 years and celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years as a party of two. I cried waking up to a quiet house on Thanksgiving morning when we normally would have a house full of both families. On Christmas, i slept in for the first time EVER and i actually missed my sister waking me up at the crack of dawn (yes, we are fully grown... yes, she still yells and sings and gets everyone out of bed to open presents before seven). The holiday season is also the only time i get to see extended family, so i really missed hearing about everyone's year, meeting all of the new babies, and picking at the dessert buffet.
But, there was also a silver lining:
- Asher and I got to spend time focused on each other... we created some new traditions and we played chess
- I got time to stick my nose in a book and take extra long baths (actually, i got through two full books!)
- I moved my body much more than normal because i had time to go to the gym, which usually is the first thing to fall off the list with all of the holiday festivities
I also tried my best to bring a little magic by making so exciting meals for us to look forward to. It gave me a goal to work towards and made the actual holidays a little more special.
For New Years Eve we decided on an appetizer spread consisting of a full charcuterie board, roasted shrimp and fresh bread.
For the Shrimp, i used Ina Garten's simple recipe and splurged on the biggest shrimp i've ever used. They were so easy and hands off, but tasted and looked really elegant.
The charcuterie board ingredients were all chosen by Asher (and he did a great job):
- Cheese: Mozzarella, wine soaked goat, smoked gouda, & gruyere
- Meat: Prosciutto, pancetta, serrano ham, & pepperoni
- Sides: roasted almonds, jams, olives, dried apricots & cherries, grapes, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, fresh ciabatta
To arrange the boards, i started with the cheese and the little bowls, then filled in the meat is sections, and lastly pilled on fruit anywhere that i could still see the board. It turned out gorgeous and was really fun to eat all night long as we waited for the ball to drop and usher out the crazy year that was 2020.
I would love to hear about the silver lining that you found this holiday season.
(Both the platters and the cheese tools are from Pampered Chef.)
Write a comment