It’s hard to believe this is the last Pinning and Planning dinner menu post of 2014! I said it last week and I’ll say it again.
Where the heck did the year go?
Between our two families, we basically celebrated two Christmas Days and it was wonderful. Two days filled with lots of laughter, toasts to health and happiness and of course, good food.
The Mestanza-Johnson Clan on Christmas Eve
The Taylor Clan on Christmas Day
I probably had waaaay too much good food and now it’s time to get back into routine of healthy good-for-me food and marathon training again. After all, it’s only eight weeks until A1A Mararthon!
With tons of leftover Christmas lamb, plus my mom’s birthday and New Year’s this week, we’re not quite done with the celebrating or over-eating just yet. Iron Chef Allan and I have been raving about this new Italian place Nabruzzi Trattoria and I’m excited to share it with my parents for my Mom’s birthday. From pastas and wood-fire pizzas, this little spot in Tampa makes everything from scratch and it is outstanding! I know my parents will love it!
Thankfully, New Year’s Day is traditionally a meatless day for us as we eat lentil and greens for good luck in the New Year. Of course, no New Year’s could be complete without our Spanish tradition of twelve grapes at midnight. As the ball in Times Square drops, we gobble down twelve grapes in the last twelve seconds of the old year to bring twelve months of good luck in the New Year.
For something different this year, we will be snacking on our twelve grapes on Fort Myers Beach to watch the beach ball drop in Times Square. We wanted to take the kids to see snow in the North Carolina Mountains but sadly, there is no snow in the forecast. So, we had a slight change in plans. Instead of powdery snow in the mountains we’ll enjoy some powdery white sand on the beach.
How do you plan to ring in the New Year?
As silly as it sounds, one Christmas present I can’t wait to crack open is my new Veggetti. With one little twist, this handy dandy gadget turns vegetables into noodles. For months, I’ve been pinning zoodle and veggetti recipes to my Meatless Monday Pinterest board in the hopes of getting my hands on a zoodle maker and now I can actually try my hand at them or even creating my own! I’ll let you know how it works. (I’m always a little suspect of the As Seen On TV gadgets.)
Here are some other meals we’re planning for our dinner menu this week:
Sunday – Lamb Curry
Meatless Monday – Roasted Grape Tomatoes and Garlic Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles)
Tuesday – Mom’s Birthday at Nabruzzi Trattoria
Wednesday (New Year’s Eve) – Sandwiches for a Picnic on the Beach
Thursday (New Year’s Day) – Iron Chef Allan’s Vegetarian Lentil Soup with a Spinach Salad
Friday – Leftovers
Saturday – Pizza
What’s on your New Year’s dinner menu? What recipes are you pinning and planning?
I am so ready to get back into a routine as well. Friday (Jan 2nd) is MY bday and then of course NYE, so I have a loose meal-plan this week, lol. Lutz isn’t super close to me but this new Italian place sounds delish! I may need to make a trip. Merry (belated) Christmas! xoxoxo
Nabruzzi is AWESOME! You would totally love it. Next time you are over this way, let’s meet there. Happy early birthday!
Beach picnic for New years?! OMG I should do that in Auckland! What a fantastic idea! 🙂 THANK YOU!
I think Auckland would be a perfect place for a New Year’s Eve picnic! Have a happy one!
Not sure about the NYE menu yet. It’s so hard to believe 2015 starts this week.
Have a wonderful day Denise!
I am intending to work with a lot more fresh fruits and veggies this year.
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