Early Christmas Dinner

Since Chef and I don’t plan on going back to Minnesota for the holidays, Chef’s parents decided to have an early Christmas dinner (and a surprise birthday cake for Chef’s mom). Presents! Food! Cake!

I think Chef (who needs a new nickname on this site) was really looking forward to the dinner because he was doing most of the cooking: fish, fresh green beans, cheesy mashed potatoes (mashed and made by Chef’s dad), cranberry-walnut salad with freshly sauteed and honeyed walnuts, fresh lamb from Ottomanelli (roasted and seasoned by Chef):

I also took the annual family portrait:

Mother knows best when it comes to looking good in a family portrait. At least the kitten sat still.