Fondue Update
Last night was the fondue dinner, and it was absolutely perfect! We started with a brie cheese fondue with some fresh tarragon in it.... sooooo yummy!!! Colin (my sister's husband) never had fondue before and really seemed to enjoy it. The meats were delicious with several different marinades and five dipping sauces. We also had beer batter that we used on the veggies and shrimp. Again.... YUM. Before dessert we gave Tina & Colin the gifts that we had gotten for them. They seemed to like them, although I had a small bag of candied ginger from the Spice House in Chicago that I don't think Colin liked... but it was only a few dollars and a bit of an after thought really. The chocolate fondue was rich and delicious, I added a little Baily's to it for some extra flavor and it really turned out well. We dipped fruit and pound cake until we were ill.
After dinner we went to my parents house, where we recieved gifts from Tina and Colin, and they opened up all their Christmas gifts. I recieved two pair of fuzzy angora socks from the Gap that I LOVE. Sooooooo soft! I also recieved a new cheese grater from Williams Sonoma. Those of you who have eaten pasta at my house in the past few months have had the pleasure of dealing with my very broke cheese grater with a handle that falls off! Getting a new one is great. I think I will throw out the old one today and get the new one into the cupboard. Erik was not able to open his gifts because they go with his big gift which he is not getting until tomorrow. He instead opened a gift from Mandy (or so it said) that was a Christmas ornament, and my parents gave him an Elvis calendar. My mom got a bunch of things from my sister, my favorite being Vogue Knitting Magazine subscription (I can read it too until I move). My dad got a new shammy (he is a car washing nut) and a clock for his desk that looks like a car tire. He seemed to like both.
Finally, Erik hung up a stocking for me two days ago which appears to be the "never ending stocking". He keeps insisting I reach in and take something out, several times a day. It continues to refill itself when I am not around. So far I have recieved a $25 Starbucks gift card, $25 Panera gift card, several lottery scratch off tickets (won nothing so far), a little bottle of Absolute Mandarin, and a beautiful Christmas tree ornament. Soooooo fun!
Today I have to run out and pick up the last things for Erik's stocking, a gift card I have been meaning to get for him, and finish wrapping the last few gifts. After that we are hosting dinner, yes again, at my house. I have a ham to cook and a raspberry tart to defrost.
Happy Holidays everyone! For those of you who I do not see often because of distance or laziness..... I MISS YOU!!!!
After dinner we went to my parents house, where we recieved gifts from Tina and Colin, and they opened up all their Christmas gifts. I recieved two pair of fuzzy angora socks from the Gap that I LOVE. Sooooooo soft! I also recieved a new cheese grater from Williams Sonoma. Those of you who have eaten pasta at my house in the past few months have had the pleasure of dealing with my very broke cheese grater with a handle that falls off! Getting a new one is great. I think I will throw out the old one today and get the new one into the cupboard. Erik was not able to open his gifts because they go with his big gift which he is not getting until tomorrow. He instead opened a gift from Mandy (or so it said) that was a Christmas ornament, and my parents gave him an Elvis calendar. My mom got a bunch of things from my sister, my favorite being Vogue Knitting Magazine subscription (I can read it too until I move). My dad got a new shammy (he is a car washing nut) and a clock for his desk that looks like a car tire. He seemed to like both.
Finally, Erik hung up a stocking for me two days ago which appears to be the "never ending stocking". He keeps insisting I reach in and take something out, several times a day. It continues to refill itself when I am not around. So far I have recieved a $25 Starbucks gift card, $25 Panera gift card, several lottery scratch off tickets (won nothing so far), a little bottle of Absolute Mandarin, and a beautiful Christmas tree ornament. Soooooo fun!
Today I have to run out and pick up the last things for Erik's stocking, a gift card I have been meaning to get for him, and finish wrapping the last few gifts. After that we are hosting dinner, yes again, at my house. I have a ham to cook and a raspberry tart to defrost.
Happy Holidays everyone! For those of you who I do not see often because of distance or laziness..... I MISS YOU!!!!