Friday, December 23, we were up early and off to the airport to return home to Reno. Jordan picked us up and once I got home, i started to work on the appetizers for the cocktail party I was catering that night. My sister, Janell gratiously did my shopping for me (although lots of calls went on, she wanted to get everything just right!) so everything I needed was right there. She and my mom also came over to help. We made Breaded Artichoke Bottoms on a bed of greens tossed with vinaigrette, Spinach and Goat Cheese Tarts, Lobster Salad served in Porcelain Spoons, Tomato Basil Mozzarella Skeres with a pesto dip, Thyme Roasted Tomato Bruschetta, and Rosemary Chicken Skewers with a Spicy Dip. It took right up until delivery time to get everything done! We loaded up Janell's SUV and drove over to drop the food off at my client's house.
And what a house! A beautiful old Tudor style home, all decorated for Christmas. We arranged all the dishes on the dining room table, then I helped set up a cheese tray with crackers and bread slices, took the desserts out of the box (no wonder he only asked for hors D'oeuvres!) that my client had gotten at Backstubbe, had a small glass of wine, then left it up to the hosts. Everyone was tired by the end of the day! Jordan took me out to dinner so I didn't have to cook even more, lol.
Saturday I got a text saying the food was a huge success, the favorites being the lobster salad and the spinach and goat cheese tarts. Yeah!! I did the grocery shopping for Christmas dinner, then came home to relax. At 3:30pm, I went over and picked up my dishes from my client and got paid at the same time! Yeah! Every time I do a job I learn something. Whether it's how to cut the cheese differently for a better presentation, or how to keep hot food hot and cold food cold or how to best present a dish. Always learning!
By Christmas morning I was still undecided about dessert-Icebox cake or Cheesecake? Cheesecake won, so I made a chocolate graham cracker crust and a cream cheese filling. I topped it with Colonial Cranberries when serving. You take 2 cups of cranberries sliced in half, 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 tsp orange zest and mix together in a casserole dish. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until soft then remove from the oven. Add 2 tsp vanilla when you remove them from the oven, then cool and store in the fridge for up to one week. Yummy! The cranberries can also be flavored with liqours. I made a Beef Rib Roast crusted with mustard, salt and pepper, muffin tin Potatoes Gratin, and Vichy Carrots (a form of glazed carrots). We finally got to eat around 4pm. I did have a couple of appetizers-Goat cheese studded with dried cranberries and pecans and some bruschetta with prosciutto and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. We opened Janell's bottle of Muscato d'Asti to have with the appetizers. We opened presents and also watched a Christmas movie called Family Stone. Pretty good movie.
Today I did some of the shopping for my work day tomorrow. I am doing meals for a week for my personal chef client. Just like old times (he's been in Hawaii for almost two months). I also made a Chocolate Truffle Cake and Ribolita. Otherwise it was a quiet day spent reading and watching a movie. Me and Ah Choo....
And ere she went to bed, she was heard to say, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
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