If you’re reading this after Christmas whilst you await the New Year then welcome to Week 52 of 2009. Cleaning, visiting relatives, thinking up ever inventive ways to use up the turkey leftovers, hitting the sales - what do you do in week 52?
This week can be a bit of a ‘dead week’, somewhat of an anticlimax after all the rushing around and excitement of Christmas. We’ve spent too much, eaten far too much and the sales aren’t what they used to be. With Christmas Day and New Years Day acting as the ultimate bookends, the intervening days are spent vacuuming up needles from the Christmas tree, worrying about how much weight we’ve put on and deciding on New Years resolutions.
But it’s not all gloom and doom as it’s New Years Eve soon, the biggest party night of the year and Cinderella, you shall go to the ball!
Since I left home there’s been an unwritten rule that Christmas is for family and New Year is for friends and we’ve had a fair few memorable New Years celebration over the years. Maybe I’m getting old, but this year I’ve decided to give the crowds a miss and spend New Years Eve ‘partying’ (and I use that phrase loosely in case my neighbours read this) at my house. Money is always in short supply after Christmas, especially in these ‘credit crunch ‘times, and partying at home can be a lot cheaper than going out … and hopefully just as good!
For me, the key to a good party is how good the nibbles are. But life’s too short to stand over a hot stove and besides heat does terrible things to sequins so a buffet it is. I love buffet food and it’s also one of the easiest ways to feed lots of hungry friends. Most of it can also be done well ahead of time so I won’t be missing the party! The other great thing about buffets is that they’re ‘vegetarian friendly’ which is a real bonus as I’m a veggie myself. My menu will consist of lots of basic buffet food - lovely breads, colourful salads, cheeses (if you’re catering for vegetarians do check for vegetarian cheese) and jacket potatoes. A party isn’t a party without some cocktail sausages on sticks and sausage rolls and happily the festive party range from Quorn includes both of these - the sausage rolls are a perfect size for buffets and to die for!
I’ll also make some quiches and home made pizzas with a range of toppings. Pizzas are an absolute doddle to make and so much nicer than shop bought. I admit that I cheat and use a packet mix for the dough or even ready-made bases. I usually make several large pizzas with different toppings on each quarter for variety. The tomato sauce for the base can be bought ready-made otherwise it’s simply a case of cooking onions, garlic, oregano and a tin of chopped tomatoes, which couldn’t be easier. Add your toppings (and the choices are limitless) top with mozzarella cheese and pop in a hot oven until the cheese is melted and the base crispy.
Even after that feast there’s always room for dessert! The shops are full of scrumptious pavlovas and roulades, gateaux’s and tortes and with a bit of luck there’ll be plenty of leftovers!
New Years Eve is the night for party dresses and sparkle so what better than a few cocktails to add even more glamour to the evening? Alcohol free cocktails are a must for any drivers of course and happily, easy to do – and surely all that fruit juice must count towards my 5 a day? Thankfully supermarkets have fizz (real and otherwise) on offer at this time of year so at midnight we can sing Auld Lang Syne and drink to 2010!
So Happy New Years everyone and may 2010 be all that we want it to be.
What do you get up to in week 52? Be sure to share your thoughts here.