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Ringing in 2018!

We rang in the new year with three of our best friend couples! The night was perfect and I couldn’t have imagined kicking off 2018 any other way. As soon as we got the kids down for bed (and blasted their powerful sound machines), we got the party started. Thomas slept soundly through the festivities and Caroline woke up once to tell us to quiet down.

For dinner I served traditional New Year’s foods for luck, prosperity, gold, progress and love in 2018!

 

A breakdown of the meaning behind the foods:

PORK

The tradition of eating pork on New Year’s Day is based on the idea that pigs symbolize progress. The animal pushes forward, rooting itself in the ground before moving. This moving forward is seen as a symbol of moving forward in the New Year. 

BLACK EYED PEA SALAD

Legumes including beans, peas, and lentils are also symbolic of good luck. I also incorporated tomatoes as  as a symbol of love!

KALE SALAD

Cooked greens such as cabbage, collards, kale, turnips, etc. symbolize wealth, prosperity and good fortune because their green leaves look like folded money. It’s widely believed that the more greens you eat, the more prosperous you will become during the year ahead. I picked up this pre-made salad from Harris Teeter.

CORN BREAD

Corn bread, which symbolizes gold, completes the traditional Southern meal.

Wyn, Lisa and John all have birthdays on and around New Year’s Eve so for dessert I had a birthday cake made!

We had various beverage stations stocked with wines, beer, prosecco, etc, but what stole the show was the champagne punch! It was SO (dangerously) good. The jello shots were also a big hit among the entire crowd and were the first to clear out.


Inside the girls were busy popping bubbly, clinking glasses and dancing! Lots and lots of dancing.

 

In preparation for the night Matt built a “man tent” for all of the guys outside. He left one side open and built a fire just outside the tent to give them some warmth in the 27 degree temps.

Game time. I love these people!

 3-2-1!

 Happiest New Year!

RECIPES

Carolina Style Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

  • 4-6 lb pork shoulder
  • 2 white onions, diced
  • 4 cups apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp liquid smoke
  • 1.2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • BBQ sauce, optional
  1. Place onions in the bottom of crock pot.

  2. Blend together salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, paprika, garlic powder and sugar; Rub over roast and place in crock pot.

  3. In a small bowl combine apple cider and liquid smoke. Pour half of the mixture over the roast. Set the timer to cook on low for approximately 8-10 hours. The roast should be ready to fall apart when you stick a fork in it.

  4. Remove meat and onions. Discard onions and shred the pork. Pour remaining juice mixture over meat before serving. Serve alone or on a bun.

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

  • 2 cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • 1/2 large red onion, diced
  • 1 large bell pepper, diced
  • 6 green onions, sliced
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 tsp organic cane sugar
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  1. Toss to combine black-eyed peas, tomato, red onion, pepper, jalapeno, and green onion in a large bowl.

  2. In a small bowl, dissolve sugar in vinegar. Whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper.

  3. Pour dressing over bean mixture. Toss to coat. Stir in cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve (the longer it sits the better the flavor will be).

Corn Bread Mini Muffins

  • 2 boxes Jiffy Cornbread
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 can Creamed Corn
  • 2 tbsp Sugar
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients until combined in a medium bowl.

  2. Scrape mixture into a mini muffin pan that has been sprayed well with cooking spray.

  3. Bake for 20 minutes or until center is just done.

 

Champagne Punch

  • 1 cup St Germain
  • 3 bottles Champagne
  • 2 cups Vodka
  • 3/4 cup Lemon Juice; fresh
  • 2 cups Pom Juice
  1. In a large pitcher mix together all of the ingredients. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and fresh Pomegranate Seeds.

    Optional: Use a muffin tin to freeze large ice cubes with lemons for the punch.

 

Champagne Jello Shots

  • 2 4 oz boxes of pineapple Jello
  • 1.5 cups boiling water
  • 2.5 cups champagne
  • 1 cup strawberries, sliced
  • 20 2 oz clear plastic shot glasses
  1. Mix your pineapple jello and boiling water in a medium sized bowl, stirring until jello powder has all dissolved. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

  2. Stir in champagne and refrigerate for another 30 minutes or until jello has just slightly thickened.  Set aside about 3/4 cup of your jello and champagne mixture for creating the foam top and put it back in the refrigerator.

  3. Pour jello and champagne mixture into your shot glasses, then drop a few sliced berries in each glass. Refrigerate overnight.

  4. Before serving, whip {with a high speed hand mixer} your 3/4 cup left over jello until it becomes white and fluffy and resembles foam. Spoon "foam" on top and serve.

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Owen Davis @ Davis Duo

Saturday 6th of January 2018

HOTT mama! What a fun night!! Happy 2018 lady!

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Saturday 6th of January 2018

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Katie

Wednesday 3rd of January 2018

You are quite the party planner!! All of your parties look amazing. Do you do it all yourself?!! Party planning is not a strong trait for me. I want to like it. I want to be good at it. I just dread it so much!

Caley-Jade Rosenberg

Wednesday 3rd of January 2018

What a fabulous new years evening!!! So much fun - and happy 2018 gorgeous friend x

Laura Darling

Tuesday 2nd of January 2018

What a fun way to ring in the new year! Love the meaning behind all of the food! I hope you and your family have a truly wonderful 2018!