OK, so I left off yesterday with holiday waistline concerns. So I tore out a delicious-looking - but light and nutritious - recipe from the December '07 issue of Self magazine, Dates wtih Goat Cheese Wrapped in Prosciutto, fun for a cocktail party, I think. I'm a big fan of savory-date tasties - the date-sausage tapa at Solera is deadly - and this one looks easy, gorgeous, and fabulous as well, hitting on all the right levels : creamy, sweet, salty, chewy, rarrr... Check it out, let me know what you think. (Recipe posted in comments, below.)

I say check it out because I'm not actually doing much hosting this holiday season (although yes, I'm clearly doing plenty of celebrating, ha, in fact I'm out the door again tonight, but more on that later). Or nothing huge anyhow. Christmas Eve for just a few of us, a holiday brunch for a few girlfriends, that's about it. Mellow. Nice. For some reason this has been one of the most enjoyable, festive-yet-relaxing Christmas seasons - probably because I got organized earlier than usual, spread out the wrapping and shopping and decorating... I, uh, tend to put things off a bit. Right.

Moderation? Mwahahaha...

The day started nicely - I dropped Nathan at golf, then went for a lovely walk in the North Tyrol Hills neighborhood of Golden Valley (I walk all sorts of cool Minneapolis-area neighborhoods, especially the hilly ones; much more interesting to me than walking around the lakes and more potential for torching cals). Then off to Byerly's for a few tasties in preparation for a Golf-Moms-and-Kids lunch and swim here at the hacienda, with Kris and her boys Nick and Andy, Suzanne and her boys John and Tommy, Susie and her kids Sam and Jane, and of course Nathan. Another great day for a swim - hot and sunny, but not humid at all, so we moms had a lovely chat while the kids swam and played. We had a very simple lunch - salad and hot dogs and chips and fruit, all anyone wants on a summer afternoon. After everyone said their good-byes, Nathan and I had a nice game of volleyball in the pool, and I thought I was heading into a light dinner and early bedtime. But no...

...I "let" John talk me into (twist my arm, yeah, ha) heading out for tapas and a glass of wine at Solera. So I put on some makeup, and a cute top, and heels, and a little bling, and off we went, back downtown (for him), and enjoyed a fabulously not-moderate dinner. Ham & manchego on tomato bread...shrimp croquetas...potatoes in spicy tomato sauce...braised green beans...chocolate cake... It was all absolutely delicious, particularly the potatoes and green beans, eaten together, rarrr... Quite filling, uff. We worked it off with a lovely drive home around Cedar Lake - so idyllic, with the windows rolled down, man it smells like summer tonight and I will miss that smell in just a few short months. Damn, but it goes too fast.

So now, yawn, it's definitely bedtime. Unless I motivate for a dusky walk, hmmm, that might make me feel better about all those tasties. We'll see how loudly that bed calls my name as I walk by to get my walking shoes...