Happy New Year! (Not Too Late I Hope? It's Still January...)

It's 2010... wow.  And my New Year resolution is - Not To Get Lazy With This Blog And Keep Up With Posting As Much As Possible...!!  Hahha, I have a feeling I will fail at this resolution, by like, next week...

I have ate so much, had much fun, and it had been quite insane for the last two months of 2009.  Most importantly, I made two "important" holiday meals that I am quite happy with the results.  The first is Thanksgiving, which was our very first Thanksgiving together with both sides of the family, so a total of 16 people were together inside our house!  This dinner was also the first time I cooked a big 'ol turkey, and I am glad that it turned out... edible!  Since it was a crazy busy day, I barely got any food pics because my camera ran out of juice just as we started snapping pictures of the turkey.  The menu for the night?  See pictures below (courtesy of L):

The star of the night - 12 lb Turkey stuffed with Chinese Sticky Rice

Cutting the turkey (see the steam??)

Jalepeno Cheddar Biscuits

Sides: Creamy Garlic and Chive Mash Potatoes (pictured), Mushroom & Cilantro Gravy, homemade Cranberry Sauce, Green Peas, Creamed Corn, French Green Beans with Shallots

My sister L's (aka Dessert Master) famous Pudding Cake (SOOOO GOOD!!)

The other important  meal I made was for the "Annual Holiday Dinner" with my friends held on New Years Eve.  I think this tradition started about 4 years ago in 2005 at my husband's old condo, and although back then the menu was quite simple, just spaghetti, veggies, and garlic bread, it was so fun that we kept doing it year after year.  I look forward to this meal every year!

Standing Rib Roast with Thyme and Garlic, wrapped in Bacon
Figs and Shallots (stole picture from EH)

Sides: Green Beans with Shallots (I loved so it much during Thanksgiving, I cooked it again!)

Butternut Squash, Apples, and Cranberry Bake

Pesto Mac and Goat Cheese

LL's Crab Empanadas
Not pictured: Creamy Garlic and Chive Mash Potatoes, Mushroom and Parsley Gravy
The dinner spread!

Last but not least, EH's almond tart with fresh whipped cream (I think it was almond...?  Sorry if I got it wrong, but I was pretty much drunk by then that I just remembered yumminess, and forgot the name of the dessert.  Heh ^_^)

If it wasn't for the evil mango vodka with Sprite and evil Nicaragua rum with Squirt (a total of 6 drinks all together... oops) and combining with red wine, I would have enjoyed (and probably remembered) this night a bit more!  A good way to end the year of 2009, but not so good for my liver... oh boy.

A happy and much luck for this new year!