Do you know how many times we’ve stayed home on New Year’s Eve, watching Times Square on television as each time zone rings in the new year?
Plenty.
This year we were invited to a friend’s in south Austin, quite a hike for us on the opposite side of the city. I got all girly and put on a dress (not noticing I haven’t shaved in about 3 months but it’s blonde so no one should see it). Little Sister was just gorgeous in her holiday dress, I took a stab at trimming her fine baby hair that was growing haphazardly at the back of her head. You can’t really tell any hair is missing, it’s still fuzzy.
Our friend made a simple cracker spread out of smoked oysters and soft cream cheese. She just mashed it up and sort of made a mold with the mixing bowl and inverted it on a platter for crackers. Along with the oyster spread was cream cheese doused in what tasted like mango chutney. Very simple and very easy to eat.
Hubby enjoyed the oyster cheese dip so much that he wanted it again for dinner today. The inaugural trip to the grocery store was full of bleary eyed shoppers, who probably just woke up to make it to the store before dark. Night had fallen while we spent the better part of an hour gathering essentials for the house, and the smoked oysters of course. Little Sister partied as hard as we did, she passed out in the bumper car themed cart for kids (Not the best idea when you know there are loads of groceries to pick up, the actual cart volume is smaller than the regular carts!).
Dinner was a thick steak seasoned with Worcestershire sauce and Montreal Steak Spice, left to marinade and adjust to room temperature on the counter for 20 -25 minutes (the time I took to make rice). I also sautéed mushrooms and yellow onion for the steak. The cream cheese (2 – 3 oz) and smoked oyster (3 oz can) was a strong compliment to the beef. You’d think we were in fancy rotating restaurant in downtown Calgary!
midnitechef 
Oooh, cream cheese and smoked oysters!! YUM! Everything sounds wonderful, really. I wish I was more adventurous about putting ingredients together. Thanks for some great ideas!
I was a bit worried about the smoked oysters but hubby is nuts for seafood 🙂
Sounds like you had a grand old time, we are so boring we never even thought of staying up, off to bed we went.. Wearing a dress sounds like a good idea! c
A dress is a very rare thing for me… seeing as I grew up on a farm and my job does not require super fancy clothes 🙂 I like to dress up to help lift my mood sometimes
Loving the sound of that oyster cheese dip. Must investigate the make-ability of this! (Never seen smoked oysters I don’t think here)! Thanks for dropping by my site earlier 🙂
Try looking for Ocean Prince, a Canadian brand.