Whilst I love celebrating New Years Eve and the fresh start to the year etc, I am not a lover of crowds and the thought of going into the city is a complete turn off.  So now, and for quite a few years past, my NYE celebrations traditionally involve a three course meal cooked at home and of course, had with champagne – a meal on my own.  This year though, Karinda joined me – it was lovely to have company!

Nibbles
Aldi’s Trio of Olive Dip with Feta and Oregano, with Lavosh
Served with Taittinger Champagne, kindly brought by Karinda

Entrée
Haloumi and sliced Christmas Ham on a bed of rocket with lemon
Served with Champagne

Main
Prawn and Spring Vegetable Risotto
Served with Champagne – probably Veuve Cliquot by this time, a Christmas gift from a friend of mine

Dessert
Didn’t quite get there, so let’s just say more Champagne!

I know not everyone likes/loves Aldi (who doesn’t love their Wednesday and Saturday sales though?  S0 many things you can buy that you just didn’t know you needed.  A little bit like when I go into Kmart!), but there are just some things that Aldi has that are pure yumminess.  One of these things is their Trio of Olive dip with feta and oregano.  It is just so damn tasty, and the creaminess is more like a mousse almost – quite light and fluffy – and a complete bargain at $2.50.  Quick, run and buy yourself some, if you’re a lover of olives that is.  So keeping in mind that there was more food to come, I decided to keep it simple and serve just the dip with lavosh to nibble on whilst we had a glass or two of champagne.  A delightful way to start the evening.

In years gone past, I’d made the haloumi from scratch in the microwave, but it was only decided on the day that Karinda was joining me for dinner, and I already had haloumi in the fridge.  Waste not, want not so best to use what I already have.  Now haloumi is delicious on it’s own with rocket and a squeeze of lemon, but I had Christmas ham in the fridge.  Ham is never quite as delicious as the ham one has at Christmas – can anyone please tell me why that is?  Mmm hmmm, what an entrée.  Can’t beat ham and haloumi, yum.  With another glass or two of Champagne.  I really can’t think of anything champagne doesn’t go with, can you?

The prawn and spring vegetable risotto is something I’d first made years and years ago, 2006 in fact and whilst I’ve made it a time or two over the years, hadn’t done so for a really long time and it really is a yummy risotto.  I stood in line at the fish shop for about half an hour to buy these prawns!  But boy was it worth it.  The crispy cooked texture of the vegetables, with the yumminess of just cooked prawns complemented by the creamy risotto, oh yum.  Think I’ll need to cook that again soon – who would like to join me? Ha!

Whilst I’m sure I had dessert planned, I can’t for the life remember what it may have been and, we were too full from everything else, so didn’t quite get there.  Champagne is a great dessert, so we’ll just stick with that!

Happy New Year Everyone (even though I’m posting in March, oops), let’s make it a damn good one, shall we? xx