New Years & Beef Bourguignon

Since this blog is really like our little sister/family journal we snapped a few (iphone) pics that I want to record from New Years if you're interested.  I've mentioned that we didn't really do much for New Years.  Since we traveled for Christmas, J.D. and I really just wanted to stay put and have a quiet night.  I knew I wanted to make something really yummy (always thinking about yummy food!) especially knowing that I had a little more time on my hands with it being the holidays.  Heath ended up sneaking out of work early that night (by early I mean 7) so she and Andy came and joined us. 

I ended up making Ina's Beef Bourguignon and guys I HIGHLY recommend it if you're looking for a not-too-difficult, elegant, feels special make ahead meal.  Beef Bourguignon is basically French beef stew, but something about the bourguignon makes it seem so much more elegant.  Maybe because of the wine??  Not sure, but we all loved it.  It takes a little while to make, but it really is easy - just ask your butcher to cut the piece of meat into chunks for you.  (That will save you the most work.)

My little French menu in case anyone is looking for make ahead dinner party ideas.  (The stew is best if made a day in advance.)

Cocktails with French Gruyere and Parmesan Cheese Straws

Beef Bourguignon with toasted garlic bread

Warm Goat Cheese Salad, plus a cheese plate with blue cheese and brie

I served the stew with just garlic bread, but people also love it over a bed of mashed potatoes or with noodles.  I served the salad and a cheese plate after the Beef Bourguignon, as apparently the French do which is kind of fun.  For dessert, I just picked up cupcakes because I used all my cooking energy on the beef, but instead this Chocolate Mousse could also be done in advance, and it would be so much better and tres French! :)

Hope everyone had a Happy New Year, cheers to 2015!
~Mary Keller

Happy New Years & A Delicious Menu

Happy New Years everyone!  As I mentioned yesterday, I absolutely LOVE New Years Day.  It's a close third behind Thanksgiving and Christmas to me.  I love everything about it - the tree is still up, but the holiday travel and stress is over.  I love setting resolutions, I LOVE a day filled with football, and I really LOVE the traditional southern New Years Day meal.  Do you guys cook the traditional southern meal on New Years Day?

According to tradition, the traditional New Years Day meal will bring you good luck and fortune all year long.  The meal always includes Pork, Collard Greens, and Black Eyed Peas (or many include Hopping John).  For me this combo is soooo good.  We've gotten into the tradition of always cooking barbeque (for the pork) served over white rice with mustard bbq sauce (my South Carolina roots), collard greens, black eyed peas, cornbread and of course a bloody Mary.  It's seriously the best to have football on and all of these simmering away on the oven...mmm....

Southern Living and Cooking Light have a round ups of their menu ideas.  We use our go-to-pork recipe, Tyler Florence's Collard Greens and (sadly) black eyed peas from the can. :) 

Happy New Year everyone!  We're signing off to enjoy the last few days of the holiday break, and we'll see you back here Monday when it's back to the real world! :)

~Mary Keller

Image via Cooking Light

Happy New Years Eve

Happy New Years Eve guys!  Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!  Did everyone enjoy?  I have been LOVING the slow pace of things lately and it's going to be tough to get back into the groove of the new year.  I love everything about New Years Eve and New Years Day.  It's not that I love going out and doing big fancy plans on New Years Eve (we actually have nothing planned this year, lame!) I just love the extension of the Christmas spirit right on into a new holiday, and I love thinking about exciting plans for resolutions and plans for a new year. 

Hope everyone has a magical (and safe!) New Years Eve.  We're lighting as many candles as we can find, and sitting down to a late, cozy dinner of Beef Bourguignon and Champagne.  Can't wait!  (Our across the street's neighbor's New Years Eve tradition is fondue, I think that sounds fun too!)

~Mary Keller

image via Elizabeth Messina

Perfect Parties | Last Minute New Years Eve

 

We're not doing much this New Years Eve, but I'm OBSESSED with this clever New Years Eve party.  I think something similar could be pulled off so easily with just a quick trip to the grocery store.  This party was by Martha Stewart's Living editor Kevin Sharkey and it looks like so much fun.  All you need are TONS of white balloons, lots of oreos to make a clever cake, and big ice buckets full of bottles of champagne.  Seems so glamous and cheeky at the same time with the dining room table turned into a ping pong table.  I love how dressy every one is playing rounds of ping pong.  So much fun, and I love the lipstick score card too. :)

~Mary Keller