vicious sweet tooth

Here’s a recap of our day/evening…    

Workout: I did make it to the gym that morning, although, I was kind of sore from my run the night before. So, I just walked on the treadmill for 40 mins and read my sister’s Real Simple Magazine   

Breakfast: Toasted Cinnamon Raisin Bagel (200 calories)    

Toasted Cinnamon Raisin Bagel

 Lunch:  Leftover roasted veggies (75 cal) and 1.25 cups of lentil soup (225 cal)    

Snacks: 2 mini Reese’s cups (92 cal)    

Dinner:  We really didn’t have dinner, we just prepared a ton of appetizers for everyone. We had:    

• Spinach & Artichoke Dip w/ Homemade Pita Chips + Ritz Crackers
• Hummus w/ bell pepper, baby carrots, broccoli and zucchini
• Baked Pretzels
• Grilled Brie + Fig Preserves + prosciutto Finger Sandwiches
• Muddy Buddies
• M&Ms – Holiday
• Triscuits + Cheese
• BBQ Chex Mix
• Wine
• Bubbly
• Mock Champagne

New Year's Eve Party

Condo - New Year's Eve

Me and Jana

Kitchen - New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve - Chattin it up

Setting the board games up

New Year's Eve - From the Clubhouse Balcony

New Year's Eve - Fireworks

New Year's Eve - Fireworks

Me and My sister Before everyone arrives

We played several board games through out the night – Like Minds and Scategories.  It was a lot of fun.  We talked a bunch and munched on some goodies.     

Around 11:30 we headed up to the balcony to get a spot to see the fireworks go off at midnight from Channelside.  When we got up there, there were several people up there watching the countdown.   

At midnight, we popped the bubbly, cheered everyone, kissed/hugged our loved ones and blew our noise makers.  Then watched a beautiful fireworks show.  As you can tell, I couldn’t get too many shots of the fireworks with my camera, but I did capture it on video and it looks awesome.  It was a lot of fun.  Then the boys played some pool and the girls chatted.  We headed back to our place a little while later and ended up talking for a little while longer.  We probably didn’t go to bed until 2:00am – I haven’t been up that late/early in forever!   

We slept until around 11:00am on New Year’s Day and then watched the Outback Bowl w/ Auburn v Northwestern – War Eagle!!  Auburn won…just barely, but they did win.  

Recipes:  

Spinach & Artichoke Dip – Adapted from Cooking Light, September 2000  

• 2  cups  (8 ounces) shredded Colby/cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 3  garlic cloves, crushed
• 2  (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 2  (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 1  (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, and next 5 ingredients (through spinach) in a large bowl; stir until well blended. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup shredded.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve with homemade pita chips.  

Pita Chips  

• Whole Wheat Pita Bread – cut into triangles, and then cut edge so you have 2 pieces
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray.  Lay pita bread evenly accross cookie sheet in a single layer. Brush with olive oil mixture evenly.  Bake for 7 mins.  Let cool.  

Baked Pretzels  

One box of Hanover salted hard pretzels
1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil (either one tastes
good, but different, see which you like better)
1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning
1/2 Tbsp Dill
1/2 – 2/3 package of Hidden Valley Ranch Powdered
salad dressing mix (I use closer to 2/3 of the package
for more flavor)   

Pre-heat oven to 350. Break up pretzels into pieces spread out in 13×9 glass baking dish. Mix oil,
seasonings, dressing mix and pour over all pretzel pieces. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, tossing every five
minutes to make sure seasoning has coated the pieces well. Let cool in glass dish and then store in
tupperware   

Grilled Brie + Fig Preserves + Proscuito Finger Sandwiches – Adapted from Rachel Ray Magazine, March 2007   

• 1 pkg brie cheese
• 1 jar of fig preserves
• 1 pkg of Proscuito
• French Bread (or any bread you prefer sliced)
• Butter or Margarine

First, take the round of brie and slice into smaller pieces.  I also trim up all pieces taking the rind of around all edges. To make sandwiches – take 2 slices of bread, spread fig preserves on both sides, add a few pieces of cheese and proscuito to the sandwich.  Put together and butter both sides.  Complete for however many sandwiches you wish to make. Once all the sandwiches are together heat a pannini press, George Foreman, grill pan or skillet (whatever you have on hand).  Grill until both sides are golden brown.  Remove from pan/grill and let set about 5 mins or so – so it will be easy to slice without all of the cheese oozing out.  Cut into finger or bite-sized pieces for your guests.   

Mock Champagne - Adapted from Allrecipes.com  

• 1 – 2Liter of Gingerale
• 1  46 oz can of pineapple juice
• 1 64 oz bottle white grape juice

Make sure all bottles are well chilled.  Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher or punch bowl.  *We made about 1/2 this recipe.   

It was a great way to ring in the New Year – great friends, hubby, food and bubbly…what more could you ask for.    

Peace out….