Joyful Purpose

Holiday Book Club - secrets

Last night I had my annual book club holiday party which I have hosted for years.  It turned out wonderfully, if I do say so myself!  The book we read this month was "The Patron Saint of Liars" by Ann Patchett - I highly recommend it - it was a great book.

I thought I would share some of my party secrets with you.  After years of slaving away and making everything myself I now do what I call "Semi Homade a la Trader Joes".  If you don't have a Trader Joe's by you I am sorry - really I am .....  alas here are some of the yummies that I served.  Basically I called it heavy tapas and sweets.
prosciutto, red pepper spread, mozzerella roll
raspberry brie phyllo rolls, spanakopita, curried chicken rolls, feta and carmelized onion bites

Chianti salami

fruit and nut bread with goat cheese and cherry preserves - yummo!@!!

lemon tarts with huckleberry jam spooned on top
  It was a great night - still a lot of work but at least the majority of the time was doing the part I like best which is the presentation - really art with food. 

Christmas Tea at the Ritz

I started a new tradition this Christmas with my son Grayson.  Christmas Tea.  We went to the Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey for a Christmas Tea.

He was so excited and loved everything.  They served him sparkling cider in a champagne glass and the raspberries had gold leaf on them - which blew his mind! -
  He kept saying  - " I am so happy"  - It was such a special day for us.  One that I hope becomes  a tradition every  Christmas.

A Holiday Project

I decided that this year I would would make ornaments for gifts.  These started out as those clear glass balls that you get from Micheal's.  I filled them with glitter, fake snow, jingle bells, and some plastic snowflake confetti, put glitter letter stickers on and some self adhesive jewels and tied them up with seam binding.  I think they came out rather nice and believe it or not I made about 30 of them in a short amount of time.

The Best Hot Cocoa

In my opinion the best way to make hot cocoa is .... to start with whole milk which I heat in a sauce pan, once hot I stir in good hot cocoa mix and the key here is the WIRE WHISK - I whisk the cocoa til smooth and then to top it off peppermint marshmallows from Trader Joes. My Boys love it and it's made with whole organic milk so its healthy (a little bit?) right!

Silver Bells Are Ringing

Here are some more Christmas peeks of the house.  If you aren't into the holidays be warned there is probably more to come ... ;)

Gingerbread and a Picnic

Mom and I went to a gingerbread decorating workshop yesterday at the Solvang Bakery.  It was so much fun.  They provided all the stuff and we got to sit there and make it while carolers sang us Christmas songs!  It was so much fun.  Then we went to Sunstone vineyards and wine tasted and had a picnic outside.  It was a really lovely day.

My favorite picnic ...

Humboldt Fog cheese by Cypress Grove
Kalmata Olive bread
proscuitto
salami
pears
olives
dark chocolate
dried apricots