I hope this post finds everyone in good cheer and looking forward to a new year. Christmas time and the Holidays can be such a tough time for people, and I am sorry about that. I sincerely hope something comes along to make you smile.
This time between Christmas Day and New Years is a little strange. The kids are home, work schedules are moved around and the days seem long. During this time between, we have been cleaning up holiday leftovers and cleaning out the fridge. Making a hot brunch most days has been at the top of my list. This way I'm only making two meals everyday, but everyone feels a little spoiled. We've had waffles, frittata, potatoes, eggs, muffins, even deviled eggs! And lots of sliced oranges from a fruit basket we were gifted. I have stretched the leftover Christmas ham we brought home into a scalloped potato dish. We used the leftover mashed potatoes to make shepherds pie made with the leftover vegetables from the veggie tray. There was cherry pie and chocolate cake leftover from Christmas with my mom and we had small pieces with breakfast one day. We kind of let the rules slide a little and ate a lot of queso, haha. Leading up to New Years Eve, I am trying to plan so I buy as little at the store as possible. My list involves dishes using foods we brought home from the pantry at the thrift store we've been volunteering at, leftovers, and things from my freezer and pantry. We will use the leftovers to eat with turkey on New Year's Day and I'm making a great big batch of refried bean dip to be used in the following days to make burritos, rice bowls and nachos.
- BBQ Meatballs- sauce from my pantry, meatballs from freezer bought on sale
- Potato Skins- potatoes I already have, shredded cheese from freezer bought on sale, green onions I'm regrowing in a windowsill, will have to buy sour cream
- Refried Bean Dip- made from dried beans I already have, will have to buy chips
- Deviled Eggs- will have to buy more eggs
- Pigs in a Blanket- little smokies from freezer bought on sale, will have to buy crescent rolls but they are on sale
- Pinwheels- made from lunchmeat and cheese on hand, will have to buy tortillas
- Vegetable Tray- will need to buy carrots, celery and whatever else looks good and cheap
- Pretzels and Popcorn from gifts
So my shopping list consists of vegetables for the tray, Tortillas for all week, a package of crescent rolls, eggs, tortilla chips, and sour cream. Not too bad for a fancy night of finger foods for my family plus leftovers.
We don't have company on New Year's Eve, it's just us, but we really like the fancy feeling of snacking all evening, so I am mixing some foods that cost more (meatballs, and pigs in a blanket) with more inexpensive foods like potato skins and refried beans. By also leaving the vegetable tray out all afternoon, hopefully no one will be starving when snacking time comes so that the foods last all evening.
I am setting back a few of the sausages for breakfast the next day to have with scrambled eggs and the potato pulp removed from the potato skins turned into potato cakes. For dinner, we will have baked potatoes with the leftovers filling in around the edges. Everyone seems happy with the menus and I am able to spend an amount that fits into our budget while still feeling special.
I hope this week is a good one for you and that wonderful things are in store for you next year!
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