Creating the Perfect Meal

One of the things I love most about hosting the holidays is putting together a most splendid meal. I love experimenting with flavors and trying my culinary talents (however untalented I might be ... ) And could I be any happier that Top Chef has been all about the holiday meals this season (it's like the producers just knew how to speak to me!)

However, this poses a problem. D appreciates my desire to experiment and put together a perfect meal, layering salty and sweet, savory and succulent ... but he has told me that my attempts this year may be a little too "fru fruy" (I am using his words here, because I think that it just provides the complete experience -- and I won't tell you how hard it was not to bust out laughing when I saw "fru fruy" come through on my email at work today.)

This also comes from the man who selected the holiday cookie recipes for me to execute this year. With the exception of our standard Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie (from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook) every single recipe he asked me to make this year was beyond complications. We are talking about cookie recipes that had 10 steps, and took me hours upon hours to complete. While I enjoy the flavor of many of them ... I will need to forget the labor involved before creating them ever again. (Seriously, I think I own every flavor of jelly known to man because I had to buy so many different flavors due to the many that required jelly.) The list included Stoplight Cookies (they look like stoplights with strawberry, apricot and apple jellies making the different colored lights) Black and Blueberry Rugelach's, Pecan Caramel Surprise Clusters, Raspberry Pinwheels, and Cornflake Christmas Wreaths.

Back to dinner ...
While my secret desire is to be like Martha Stewart I do understand my limitations, but epicurious.com just has so many fantastic planned out menus. I cannot control myself. I sent him a list of about eight. I've decided to go extremes -- let's pick a menu or it's "Hello, Target, I'd like the $69.99 holiday meal, please." I know we'll narrow it down and probably end up mixing and matching, but I just realized, I will need to be preparing this feast in exactly seven days. The palms are starting to sweat. Oh, well, it's really the meal that I enjoy, it's where everyone gathers around the table and shares stories, laughter and a little gentle ribbing. It's what the holidays are really about.