Another holiday in the books, and I must say I managed the food situation quite well. As with any holiday, early preparation is the key to not being frazzled at the last minute. Two months in advance, I had menus planned out (holiday meals do not change too much), and a month out I had confirmed all dinner guests, and made a shopping list.
The table set up took a bit of negotiation, but in the end, we set up tables in the living room so everyone could be seated together. It made me extremely happy.
The menu starts off the same both nights: gefilte fish (the un-traditional salmon and halibut version), chicken soup with matzo balls (made by my mother-in-law) and kreplach (made by my mother). The first night we enjoyed sweet and sour meatballs, chicken with dried apricots and cherries, lamb shanks with a pomegranate red wine sauce, as well as mashed potato kugel (mashed potatoes, with sauteed onions and egg baked to a state of utter deliciousness), and grilled vegetables. This was all followed up with a plum cake, espresso chip meringues, pistachio chocolate biscotti, schnecken (two kinds), brownies (three kinds) and a lot of overly stuffed dinner guests.
By night two, we were still enjoying the fish and the soup, but the menu also included a 16 pound brisket (perhaps I overestimated, just a tad), osso bucco with mushrooms and leeks, stuffing (because I will not be home to make it over Thanksgiving), fan potatoes, more grilled vegetables and a broccoli kugel (recipe on the blog next week. Stay tuned.) Desserts were exactly the same, and I somehow refrained from making additional fruit tarts. I was very proud of myself for exercising a tiny bit of restraint.
By Tuesday night, it was all leftovers all the time, and we managed to make our way through most of the remaining food. While I should be hunkering down on the diet, I am still enjoying the biscotti each morning with my coffee.
Happy new year, 5776.
