'Tis the Season for HOMEMADE Food!

Jennifer and William's cozy apartment :)

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is the food. Last week, my cousin generously invited the family over to her place for a small foodie gathering. Needless to say, the meal was delicious!! I thought it would be too much of a waste if I didn't share it with all of you. Enjoy!

Arugula Salad (w/ apples, marcona almonds, currants, and lemon vinaigrette): I was beyond ecastic when I saw this dish! I'll be honest, working and going to school in NYC has not allowed me to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. The greens paired with the apples, currants, and lemon vinaigrette was refreshing and added a bit of tangy + sweetness to the overall salad. The lemon vinaigrette was so fresh and light, and it suited the Arugula Salad perfectly. Not to mention, the marcona almonds added an extra 'crunch' to the dish.

Leek Bread Pudding: Oh my. So good. I could eat this forever! This is definitely what I call comfort food or "I-deserve-to-eat-this-because-it-is-exam-week-and-I-deserve-to-be-treated" food : ) I've never made leek bread pudding before, but I'm pretty sure butter was involved in the making of this dish. The bread pudding tasted very rich, but wasn't overwhelming.

Orange Braised Fennel: Another delicious and seasonal dish. Slightly sweet and zesty - a great dish to start off with.

Brussels Sprouts (with bacon and parmesan): I've never had brussels sprouts with bacon and parmesan, but it turned out to be a great treat! I didn't feel guilty about eating those bacon bits and parmesan cheese...I mean, they're mixed with brussels sprouts! Brussels sprouts = veggies = healthy! It might be the bacon or cheese, but surprisingly I didn't taste the bitterness that I usually taste in brussels sprouts that night. Score!

Crown Roast of Pork (with herb and garlic rub): YUM. The meat was so juicy and tender - it was beyond words! The roast pork was flavorful and the herb and garlic rub really topped it off nicely. The dish tasted as good as it looked. We also had the pork with red pickles - a first for me!

Strawberry Cake (with cream cheese frosting): Artificial strawberry cake with homemade cream cheese frosting and strawberry jam. The cake was mini-sized, and oh-so-cute! It tasted really good, too! The cream cheese frosting paired nicely with the jam and strawberry cake.

Matcha Cake from Lady M: Once again, Lady M hit it right on the spot! The cake was very nice and airy - not too sweet or rich in flavor! The perfect way to end the night :)