the holidays are an excuse to have elaborate get togethers with lots of food and laughter. this was the case on the evening all the ladies of the travelling crockpot got together to do a collective feast. the men in our lives were invited – not to cook (crazy talk), but to dine with us. we reminded them of how completely lucky they were to be taking part.
all appetizers provided by marisa included – crusted brie with apple and brown sugar. a cheese platter consisting of raw milk organic old cheddar, applewood smoked cheddar (she knows it’s my favourite and i love her for that) and french stilton. twice baked potatoes stuffed with crispy bacon, sour cream, rosemary & thyme. phyllo-wrapped asparagus with prosciutto.
adrienne provided a couscous salad laced with pomegranates and delicious dill. she also panfried up oyster mushrooms and scallops in a brown butter and white wine sauce. i brought a plate of smitten kitchen’s sweet potatoes with pecans and goat cheese as well as some celeriac root which had been sautéed with fresh thyme and olive oil. nikki also baked those lovely acorn squash halves with raisins, brown sugar and cinnamon.
our main star was cooked by nikki – the two juiciest birds i’ve ate in a long time. so succulent with crispy skin – heaven! one was done with lemon and sage and the other with orange and allspice. finishing off the night with a pomegranate panna cotta made by yours truly and dutch style rice pudding with raisins and cinnamon from marisa.
we drank wine, sangria and mulled cider.
we roasted marshmallows over the fire.
and we laughed – alot.
i’m certain this will need to be an annual thing. come to think of it – it’s coming up on an entire year for the crockpot! how exciting!
eat and be well over the holidays my friends – wherever you are!
