WOW. Is it me, or did 2011 fly by in a matter of minutes? I can not believe it is over already. I wish I could find the secret to slowing the months down. Maybe I'll make it my personal goal of 2012 and then share that secret with everyone.
While I took a break (I know, shocker) from blogging over the Christmas and New Year holiday, I was busy lazy with laptop on couch reading all my regular favorites. I loved reading the recaps of favorite posts of 2011, and the New Years Resolutions here and there. I am working on mine right now and will post it later this week. Commitment phobe, right here.
We were actually busy on the 30th and 31st preparing for the 6th annual New Year's Eve dinner party with close friends, which we hosted at our new house this year. In the past, we've had a theme and each couple makes a dish and pairs a wine and presents it to the group in a friendly competition. This year we pared it down and had teams and you could choose not to enter the competition. The theme was Hawaiian and the food was great. We have some really competitive and accomplished chefs in our group of friends.
Of the seven dishes, four completed. To change up the competition this year, we added a Chopped/Iron Chef element. Competing teams had to use one or more of the following secret ingredients: Pineapple, banana leaves, ginger, macadamia nuts, Taro, Sugar, Seaweed, Puna Goat Cheese, Fish: ahi, shutome, opah, or opakapaka OR [wait for it] SPAM!!
We ended up with 3 appetizers (all entering the competition): 1) a rumaki, 2) a spam sushi roll with tuna poke and 3) a pineapple risotto with tempura shrimp and Spam), an Ox Tail soup, Salad with papaya and avocado, Entree of Kalua Pig with pineapple and Spam rice and Dessert of grilled pineapple with vanilla ice cream, macadamia nuts and a rum sauce (also in the competition). While the Spam was no one's favorite, it came out surprisingly well.
We ended up with 3 appetizers (all entering the competition): 1) a rumaki, 2) a spam sushi roll with tuna poke and 3) a pineapple risotto with tempura shrimp and Spam), an Ox Tail soup, Salad with papaya and avocado, Entree of Kalua Pig with pineapple and Spam rice and Dessert of grilled pineapple with vanilla ice cream, macadamia nuts and a rum sauce (also in the competition). While the Spam was no one's favorite, it came out surprisingly well.
Setting a table for 21 was a bit challenging when it came to using what we had. There was definitely a Hodge Podge of differing lace tableclothes, 3 styles of napkin rings, 2 different sets of dishes, 2 different sets of flatware, 21 wine glasses, 21 napkins, 21 champagne glasses. All in all in still looked nice. Three dishwasher loads full and an awesome time had by all.
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| One of the three appetizers being plated for presentation, which took 2nd place to Dessert. |
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| Salad preparations (YES, on my new bench cushion!) |
Wow, that sounds like the best time! What a great idea for a New Years party, or an 'anytime' party for that matter.
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