Bridging the Holidays

Every year, my extended paternal family (my Dad's family) gets together during the holidays to celebrate together. Rather than compete with Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, or Christmas, we invented something called 'Bridging the Holidays', which we usually have sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year, it turned out that we couldn't find a weekend during the usual period where everyone was free, so we decided on a post-holiday event. And this year, my parents hosted financially, while I hosted physically. My Mom and I decided to go with dinner at the house, rather than try to find a restaurant in the area (both for logistical purposes, and to help keep costs lower this year), and I suggested an Italian menu. With her okay of the menu and estimated cost, Dan & I made up a shopping list and he picked up everything, then we got to work cooking.

As our appetizers, we went with caprese (basil, mozzarella and tomato) skewers, and homemade olive tapenade on crostini (just some baguette drizzled with olive oil and browned under the broiler for a few minutes).



For the main course, we served some store bought garlic bread and caesar salad, with two lasagnas - one with spinach, and one with Italian sausage. Before and during dinner, my sister and I enjoyed a sweet, sparkly Italian wine she picked up for the occasion.



And for dessert, Dan made another Macadamia Nut Pie, I made our family classic - Happleberry Pie (Huckleberry & Apple), and my Mom brought a chocolate torte. We also put out some delicious chocolates that The Ja(y)sons gave us as a holiday gift.



It was great to see everyone together. It had been awhile, since we missed my cousins, aunt and uncle last year due to my cousin Jameson's aneurysm (he's okay now), and they also missed our wedding reception (except for Jackson), due to a scheduling mix up. My GranMarie and her partner Don made it from their home in Granite Falls, brought by my aunt Ellen and uncle Jim, who live up in the Snohomish/Lake Stevens area. Along with my parents, sister, and brother-in-law, that made 14 of us packed in our 50's bungalow - but it all worked out. I loved getting to show them all our home, and it was reassuring that we can do a sit down meal for that many people... since we signed up to host my in-laws coming up in February.