New Years Eve

For the last two years, we've done a sleepover with some sweet sweet friends of ours.  This year I REALLY wanted to go out to a fancy schmancy dinner and get all dressed up.  But....I was 8 weeks pregnant, have a toddler, and hate crowds.

So we stayed at home.

But I was determined to make it special.  So I told everyone to come for dinner in formal dress and I set the scene for a fancy schmancy dinner!

Just because you have kids doesn't mean you can't class it up every now and then.

For our first course we enjoyed a fresh bruschetta drizzled with raspberry balsamic.  You know you want to make this and only this for dinner one night this week.  

Ok so here is the recipe for this:

Bruschetta

Ingredients:

7-8 roma tomatoes
9-10 leaves of FRESH basil
Tablespoon of garlic
a dash of balsamic vinegar
a dash of EVOO
Baguette

Directions:

Dice the tomatoes, roll the basil long wise and slice (this will create nice strips), and add both ingredients to a bowl.  Add garlic, vinegar, and EVOO.  Toss.
Slice baguette and lightly toast in oven or toaster oven.  Top with bruschetta mixture and serve.

I have this awesome raspberry balsamic that I got from the Reading Market in Philly.  I drizzled that on top.  It was delicious.

I have made this before a topped grilled chicken, it would also be really good topping fish...if you like that sort of thing.

Our second course for the evening was marinated flank steak served over pureed potato (that's fancy for mashed potato) and served with a side of zucchini strings.  It was delicious.  

My friend Jenna swears that this "tasted like Christmas."  Which I obviously take as the highest compliments.  I will be sharing the steak recipe at a later date, but not today.  I have to keep you interested somehow!

Our final course was an apple crisp with vanilla bean ice cream.  I drizzled it in caramel sauce and the cried a little at how good it was.  

I would love to give you the apple crisp recipe....but I'm holding onto it right now.  It's a family recipe and I think I might keep that one to myself.

Later in the evening we celebrated my sweet friend, Jenna.  She turned 30 not too long ago and she is one of my "non-cakers."  So, upon request, I made one of my famous fruit cakes.  They are famous, because they are being requested for birthdays; but they are not what you think when you think FRUITCAKE.  I should call them something different.  Fresh Cakes?  I dunno, I'll workshop it.

It is a cake made ENTIRELY out of fruit.  She loved it and I love her.

We enjoyed waking up in the new year together and feasting on a breakfast fit for a king (read:Will).

Yes his spoon is sitting in a pile of whipped cream.  No, I am not sorry.

It was a great way to ring in the new year and celebrate with my little and my bigs. :)

Download Recipe Here