Thursday, December 31, 2009

A New Year’s Feast to Remember

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New Year’s Eve offers a great opportunity to relax and have fun.

You’ve finished with the rigors of the holidays. The presents have been opened and put away. And it’s time to wrap up one year and pin our aspirations on the next.

It’s also a fun time to get together with friends to celebrate. But, following Christmas, I’m usually not excited about hosting a complicated meal.

My friends, Bob and Stephanie, hosted a wonderful meal recently that involved some preparation but no real cooking. I thought it sounded like an ideal dinner to plan for New Year’s Eve. It was all cold cuts, cheeses, breads, olives…and, of course, wine! (Hard to imagine a New Year’s Eve celebration without wine.)New Year's Feast 2

A New Year's Feast

Bob and Stephanie set up the meal in three courses: cooked meats like mortadella and salami cotto; cured meats like soppressata, picante and Milano salami, chorizo, and coppa; and bacons like ham, knuckle bacon, and lamb bacon.

It would be even simpler if you wanted to have the food set up as a buffet.

As you can see in the pictures, they also served cheeses like aged Provolone, Gruyère, and Parmesan-Reggiano; different types of olives; and breads…Italian, French, and pork-buttered biscuits. They perfectly complemented the meats.

It’s the simplest of meals to prepare—and it allows you to enjoy the celebration along with your guests after a busy holiday season!blog20

Happy 2010 to all our Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen friends!

Riley/Elizabeth
Pretty is as Pretty Dies –Elizabeth Spann Craig
Delicious and Suspicious (May 2010)—Riley Adams

    http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com

Don’t forget to keep entering ingredient ideas for our Iron Chef week and hunt for Julie’s Eggsecutive Orders to be entered
in her contest, too!

11 comments:

  1. The table looks wonderful. A great meal, little fuss and no major cooking. What could be better? Great idea combining a lot of good food.

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  2. What a great party... I am hosting mine tonight, but I made it easy...

    BYOB and BYOAppetizers (everyone brings two)

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  3. Riley/Elizabeth - Gorgeous spread! That photo really captures it. I'm ready to dig in right now! Sweet idea for an appetizer/tapas style dinner. I love those - so many tastes and little to no sweat in the kitchen.

    Happy New Year!

    ~ Cleo

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  4. Mason--I love it when you can have a pretty table without a lot of work!

    Year on the Grill--Yours sounds like a great party, too! Making it easy is definitely the way to go.

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  5. Riley, sounds lovely. Just my kind of meal. Avery!

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  6. Cleo--And appetizers and tapas can be really filling! You don't think they are until after you've enjoyed this huge meal. :) The trick will be to stay awake until midnight after having such a full tummy.

    Avery--We're Riley and Avery this year! We'll make it a resolution.

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  7. Riley, I love this idea. I'm all for easy entertaining. On Saturday, I'll be posting my solution for New Year's Eve entertaining, which I'm preparing right now. Better get the camera out!

    Happy New Year to all my friends and followers at Mystery Lovers Kitchen! May 2010 bring you good health, good friends, good food, and lots of laughter!

    ~ Krista

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  8. Happy New Year to the fabulous ladies at Mystery Lovers' Kitchen! I'm looking forward to all of the wonderful recipes in 2010 :)

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  9. What a wonderful idea! I love this. Great pictures too!

    Happy New Year to everyone! Hope all our New Years are filled with fun and happy surprises!

    Best to all!
    Julie

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  10. Krista--I'm looking forward to your post on Saturday! And hope you all have a happy, successful 2010!

    Janel--Thanks...and the same to you! I'm really looking forward to everyone's recipes, too!

    Julie--Thanks! And Happy New Year to you, too!

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  11. Lovely post, E. I love the simplicity and
    yumminess -- all in one!

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