A Little Holiday Cheer with my Girlfriends

Last night, I hosted a Christmas gathering for my favorite girls, the Romancing the Home gang!  I tried to make it a simple meal, charcuterie and cheeses and a great hearty soup!  My friend, Mariterese,  sent me her Wild Rice Soup recipe to prepare for the party.  I made the soup in the morning and put it in the slow cooker on the warm setting.  As a finishing touch,  I added a little sherry to the pot  (per Mariterese's instructions!) when the girls arrived.

As I had prepared my mom's apple cake the night before, all I had to make was a lemon pie.  Easy, breezy recipe from my mother in law in the 70's-  6.5 oz. can thawed frozen lemonade, 1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk and a tub of Cool Whip.  Mix together and pour into a graham cracker crust.
My favorite part is the garnishing, so I added mint, lime slices and pomegranate arils to make it festive.  Completed the complete pie in 20 minutes and put it in the frig.

 

Light and airy, a perfect dessert after a hearty meal. 

 

Had to run to Twigs to pick up flowers- look at these ruffled roses that she used! 

 

Next a little bit more fluffing- add the boxes to the table scape on the kitchen table.

 

Find Rudolph in the basement and bring him out for the season.

  I love this little deer with his red nose and fur collar!

 

Fluff the wreath on the mirror.

 

Find a Santa that can ride this wooden horse for the season!  The horse needed some

holiday pizzazz-

 

And in the midst of all of this, my new dining room chairs arrived around 11 am! 

Black leather and gilded frames-

can't wait to enjoy them- but later- I have a party to get ready for in just a few hours.

 

Start staging my cart in front of the fireplace for the charcuterie and cheese course.  I pull out

3 silver stumps from year's past and decide to use them as the risers.

 

Brought some of these votives home from the last Romancing the Home sale-

love the way they look when lit.

Start layering in the cheeses and meats, along with pickles, olives and breads.



 

Light the candles.

 

Turn on all the Christmas lights and it's time to party!

 

It is now Wednesday morning.  The dishes are washed and put away. The kitchen is cleaned up!

I have time to sit in my new chairs.  I pull out my new tartan Ralph Lauren chargers

(a lavish, wonderful gift from a friend!!!!!) and ponder how I am going to set

my Christmas table.  Black and gold and Tartan! Plus a few rhinestones-   I can't wait!

 

 

Here is Mariterese's Wild Rice Soup Recipe!  It is a wonderful soup- hearty and flavorful.

I found this recipe great because I could make it ahead and keep it warm in the slow cooker.

I doubled the recipe for the party of 12 and had plenty of leftover soup. 

 My husband can't wait for dinner tonight!

 

 

 Wild Rice Soup

 

1/2 c wild rice

1 LB bacon

3/4 c chopped celery

1 c chopped yellow onion

1 1/2 Pepper

2 -14 oz cans chicken broth

1pkg sliced mushrooms

3 cans Campbell cream of mushroom soup

 

Wash & boil wild rice according to the package directions.

Fry bacon till crisp

Save 3-4T bacon fat to sauté veggies and saute the onions, peppers and mushrooms.

 

Add soups to veggies.  Add rice and bacon

Cook low heat for about one hour.

Add sherry to taste at least 3 T

 

The wild rice is measured before cooking I usually use one packet of wild rice. Cook according to instructions on back of box-set aside

And - I do 1cup celery and 2yellow peppers or orange or red and orange for the holiday!! Just sauté veggies until onion is translucent add mushrooms all in the bacon fat. Add soup broth  and cooked rice and cook for at least one hour salt / black pepper and then add sherry towards the end as much as you like

I like the sherry taste it finishes the dish so I add at least 3-4 T

It's yummy!!    MT