New Years Eve 2010

We had another great New Years Eve this year, inviting eight friends over for an amazing dinner, drinks, gifts and poker.

As always, I am intensely focused on my food! One of the highlights of the meal was foie gras and pate that Carrie and Joe brought, along with homemade bread and a balsamic reduction sauce for the foie gras, which they ordered special for the evening. I made individual beef Wellingtons and a red wine/shallot sauce, mashed potatoes, corn pudding as well as stuffed mushrooms. Carrie also brought one of the best salads I ever tasted, with roasted butternut squash, candied walnuts and caramelized onions in it. In honor of my birthday, Bonnie made one of my favorite desserts, German chocolate cake. I only wish I had taken more food photos!

My dining table is never big enough for all of the food dishes, so I served buffet style. Unfortunately, my kitchen isn't very big, either! Thanks for your patience, guys. (One of the most amusing sights of the night was watching Carrie assemble her salad on the washing machine in the laundry room.)

Mike never takes a bad photo.

Most of the group played poker after dinner.

Bonnie, Joe and I cleaned up most of the mess. These two are troupers.

I helped. I like this photo because it looks like I'm patting Joe's butt.

 My table before the assault. Wish I had taken more photos of a lovely night.