Over the past 6 or 7 years our family has begun a tradition of hosting what we call as Stocking Stuffer Dinner.  It is really our version of a Christmas party.  We ask all of the guests we invite to bring an item to put into a Christmas Stocking, we explain that the stockings that we put together will be handed out to the homeless here in the Sacramento area by our family and anyone who would like to join us the following day.  This year we will fill about 40 stockings.  We include items such as food gift cards, gloves, Oranges, hand warmers, personal hygene items, cookies, etc.  This has really become a popular event among our friends, especially thoes with children.  We are really blessed so it really puts eveyone in the holiday spirit to really do a little something for thoes who might be forgotten during this season.  The people who receive these stockings are certianly happy and really seem to appreciate the thought, and frankly it really helps us all to reflect on the amazing gifts that we have been given, a warm place to lay our heads, good food to eat and a close family that we can rely on.

So my wife and I really go all out for this event.  this year we will host about 28 people, and we are doing an Italian themed dinner.

Stocking Stuffer Christmas Party

2008

 

Puff Pastry Pizzas

Fig and Goat Cheese ~ Pizza Bianco

Pepperoni ~ Alla Diavola

 

 

Cheese Board with fruit and toasted walnuts

 

 

Antipasti Salad

Prosciutto, Arugula, and Melon Salad

Caprese Salad

 

Seared Filet Mignon

Lemon Garlic Shrimp

Penne with Prosciutto

Penne with Spinach

Spaghetti Squash with Fresh Herbs

 

Desserts

Raspberries in Dark Chocolate cups

Peppermint Brownies

Espresso brownies

Sugar Cookies

Lemon Tartlets

Biscotti

 

And The wines:

 

2003 La Spinetta – Sassontino (IGT Toscana) 95% Sangiovese, 5% Colorino.

1999 Castello Di Brolio – Chianti Classico 96% Sangiovese, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

1999 Castello Dei Rampolla – Sammarco  95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Sangiovese

1999 Castello Di Ama – Chianti Classico  

2004 Fontodi – Vigna Del Sorbo – Chianti Classico Reserva.  90% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Homemade Lemon Cello courtesy of my wife for desert.

Good times will be had by all!

 

Cheers

 

 

Today I worked on building out this new site.  Very interesting for someone who really has very little programming or web experience.  I am relatively happy about the results so far. 

My inspiration for all of this comes from starting a Twitter account.  What a great site.  I can now easily read what many are saying about things that interest me such as wine, food and the like.  Crazy, I have lambasted my kids for years about going on social networking sites and now here I am doing just that.  I am sure that they will fire right back on me in the very near future.