Happy 2017! How was your New Years Eve celebration? Ours was low-key, with visits to two friends' houses throughout the day, then we fell asleep at home before midnight. It was relaxing and we woke up today feeling great. We have been relaxing around the house all morning. We've made it to day 18. It's officially time for questioning why did I ever commit to 25 days of activities and posts!? It's been mostly fun doing this Advent calendar/Christmas countdown but I'm feeling a wee bit like a South Pole elf as I'm taking food photos in the 7 am hour... Regardless, here we are! Day 18 included making chocolate saltine bark. I'm too impatient to bake so this recipe for melting things is a winner. I made two pans: one with mint chips and chocolate chips, another with butterscotch and chocolate chips. The mint chocolate bark turned out great, while the butterscotch chocolate bark was a total bust! You'll see that we still picked at the butterscotch mess, despite it being a wreck.  Last night we invited friends to our house and got busy testing a recipe for Christmas dinner. I learned the basics of ravioli making in Sorrento, Italy, earlier this year. Thankfully my friend Resham is an experienced dough maker and has her own pasta machine.  Last summer I found this recipe in a Bon Appetit magazine and I made it no less than 5 times! It keeps very well and tastes even better a day or two after its made. I made a double batch and it quickly became our favorite meal on a long weekend of camping. The grilled Halloumi cheese and fresh corn take this salad to the next level. If you're unfamiliar with Halloumi, "the grilling cheese," this is a great way to try and fall in love with it!  |
