Well, we got through the holidays once again. Whew! It's always a pretty busy time here, the few days leading up to Christmas Eve. We usually have quite a gaggle of people for dinner, but this year Mama put the stops on things and insisted that only family be present for dinner this year. Well, plus one couple that I really really like, so they don't count. All together, only 14 for dinner. SCORE!
As I said, we get a bit crazed in preparation for Christmas Eve. I do all the baking and Jimmy does all the cooking, including a bazillion appetizers.
But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. He waited till the very last moment to take pictures of the girls so we could sent out Christmas cards. But he did it and did it well. Here are some of my favorites.
And the one we chose for the Christmas card. I love this!
So, as I said, Jimmy and the girls do all the cooking for our big party. Here are some of his appetizers.
7-layer Mexican dip. Hey Sue, look at those adorable place mats!
Crab (at first I accidentally typed crap) dip and Mikayla's ants on a log.
Veggie crudite
White pizza dip and artichoke spread in the background.
There were plenty more, but it was kind of hard getting near the food when people were swarming to it like buzzards to road kill.
I was feeling silly, so took a picture of myself.
The sisters
The sisters being goofy. Okay, so only one of us was being goofy.
Madison and Alexa were having a blast!
This is Gianna's "pretty" smile. Errrr... try again, Poopy Pants.
Dinner was another success this year, with basically the same dishes as always. Eggplant parmesan (made with my sauce, which is why it's so damn good... ahem. And which is now entered into John and Tracy's Super Bowl party in an eggplant parm cookoff between Jimmy and Kristen. Jimmy asked for it by delivering trays of it to some of the neighbors and bragging that his has got to be better than Kristen's.)
Now where was I? Oh yeah, dinner. Spiral ham, shrimp scampi, scallops, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes a'la my mother-in-law (sooooo good!), and cornbread and a veggie casserole made by Jill.
And just when you thought you couldn't eat another bite...
We had lots of desserts too, and all homemade with sweat and cursing love by me!
Italian rainbow cookies
Sugar cookies that were so good that I caught a neighbor sneaking out of my house with them stuffed in a napkin. I shit you not.
Chocolate peppermint bark
Cheesecake (although this is the only picture, and this is before it was cooked.
Italian cream cake which actually wasn't very Italian cream- cakey
Not pictured, there was also a fudge cake with white chocolate peppermint mousse and Italian (are you sensing a theme here?) butternut cookies.
A great time was had by all, I forgot to take pictures of the kids opening gifts, Rudolf was spotted in the sky and I went to bed much too late, Amen.
Next up? Christmas day at my brother's house!
Did I steal cookies??? I can't remember. No, I wouldn't have "snuck" I would have just said I'm taking these and scooted across the street.
Pretty sure I would have taken more than a few cookies in a napkin!!
Love your Christmas card photo, Michaela is becoming such a gorgeous young lady. Madison is so cute, and congrats to Strudel for sitting still!!
Great post... ya gonna give out any of those lovely recipes..?
Anyone do a calorie count on that lot?
I was feeling peckish until I read that post - now I feel as if Ive eaten a full meal - yummy!
I wish I lived on your block, you all have way to much fun. Great great photos of the kids. I like the one you chose for the cards too.My only complaint...I didn't see any recipes for any of those dishes.
Happy New Year,
Chris
Great pics.......the girls (all 3) look so adorable! WOW, talk about a spread. Too bad you live all the way in FL, I would have come for the great food!
Happy New Year,
Kiki
The pictures of the girls are amazing! They are beautiful and so is Strudel. The picture of yourself is very cute too. And add another 3 to your table for next Christmas Eve because my girls and I are coming! That's what you get for posting delicious pictures!
Ahem....guess my invite was lost in the mail....
Morning, Justiney! Oh, look at our girls and Strudel! What precious pictures and they are just darling, Justiney! You and Jill are pretty gorgeous yourselves. What gorgeous tiny peepers you gals have!
Now on to that lovely food! Oh, my goodness! I wanna come to your house - can I pass for an Italian long lost relative with a little Irish thrown in? :)
Take care, Dear One, as we're off to sail the Atlantic on the Queen Mary 2 in the morning! Shh...don't tell.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
I LOVE the pictures of the girls.. and the last one is the one I would have picked as well.. such a gorgeous candid shot.. lurv those. The food looks amazing!
Holy cow, you guys know how to party. I've never had that much good food at a single party. YUM!!!
I've missed you, my friend. Happy New Year!!!
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the photos of the girls!
That food looks amazing. I would have needed a very LARGE napkin to take all that to my house and eat in secret.
Pretty cookies :) Will you share the recipe or is it secret? I like how they retained their shape, which is unusual for most sugar cookies I've ever made.
Loved the Christmas card! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Beautiful pics of the girls, Justine! The last one is my favorite, too. :)
Loved the Christmas photos of Strudel with the girls. Cute, cute!! Loved my Christmas card too, thanks!! I feel guilty for not sending any out this year but I'm poor. I may send out Easter cards instead. Or Alien-no-holida-necessary cards. :o)
I want to come to your house next Christmas! lol Everything looks so yummy and just perfect!
Love those pics of the girls and you picked a great one for the card. I like the first one the best though. It was also great to see pics of you and Jill and of her girls too! I understand why she hasn't been blogging as much, but I sure do miss her.
Kady
OMG you had some delicious looking food. And the fact that you got Jimmy to help is really neat.
The pictures of the girls and Strudel are adorable. Jill and her girls look cute too.
sure look like you were having a great time. I don't know why, but every picture I take of the kids here at Christmas there is a mess in the background. Didn't see that on any of yours
That does it, I'm coming to Florida to party with you next year. ;)
LOVE the pictures of the girls! LOVE!!
Happy New Year, Justine! :)
why does it always take me 30 tries to find the damn comment link? *sigh*
pizza dip? um, YUM! The pics of the girls were sooo cute.
love ya
chessie
Y~U~M~I~E!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your daughter's, are breathtaking btw <3
Cute photos - I love the dog's Christmas collar! Happy new year :)
I love those pictures of the girls. They are fabulous.
Whoa, you did a lot of cooking. I am REALLY impressed!!
I'm so glad to see a picture of Jill. I worry about her.
LUV the pic chosen for your card!
Ohmygosh, those desserts look fantastic! You are an amazing baker!!!
Happy New Year!
I love the pics of the kids...they are adorable...and that cheesecake is so pretty!
I originally read this post from my phone but it didn't show any of the pictures. So I'm back today to check it out and I'm glad I did. Those pics of your girls and Struddle are DARLING!!!!
And you seriously know how to celebrate! Me want food. All of it. Num, num, num...'
Plus it is so refreshing to see a picture of YOU on YOUR blog. Even if it's some sort of goofy kissy face. ;o)
You two sisters are beautiful!
Did you guys really cook ALL that food? including dessert? wow!! I would have had a hard time choosing the Christmas card photo! they are all soooo super cute! what beauties.
Now Tiney you have to be careful with all those pics of food with me in my condition, it's just pure torture it tell you!
I exepected you too look exhausted in your photos after all that cooking, but you look great, happy new year!!
OMG Justine -- I am stuffed just reading this post and on a sugar high. They would need a fork lift to get me out of your house after eating all that glorious stuff.
Hey, how do you make those cute rainbow cookies??
Love the photo you choose of the girls with the dog.
sounds like you had a wonderful Christmas --just as it should be
Beautiful you, Beautiful girls and the food, oh the FOOD! Yummo looking :)
Yummy yummy! I am so coming to Florida for dessert next Christmas!
P.S. Love your CHristmas card pictures!
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, with sugar on top the pictures of your girls and Strudel. Wow they are amazing. And, the pictures of you and Jill as so great too. You always look like you have so much fun together. Next time you have a party of that proportion, I want to be there. That food looks amazing.
WHOA....I'm tellin' you, girl...ya'll sure know how to give a party and fix a dinner...wooo, some mighty fine lookin' food here!
I want some of that shrimp!!!!
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it
J~ this made me sooo hungry I had to get breakfast/lunch before I could continue....Those Christmas card pics of the girls and Stru came out great. It would make a cute mosaic photo. I could have never gotten my boys to pose like that. They would have been playin' with the dog in the dirt before I could say...cheese!
I'm afraid if I were at your house with that spread, I would have been front row and center with all the other "BUZZARDS!" "GOOD EATS!"
Sweet wishes,
Sara