Baked Feta with Olives, Black Bean Cassoulet From Leftovers and Family

We are having fun with family in San Diego…eating way too much but getting in some long walks with our family’s menagerie of dogs. My brother chopped some tree limbs and bushes (and we helped clear) to expose my sister’s view again…

On one of our walks, I pulled some bark from a birch tree to make the place setting tags, along with boxwood from the garden and the luxe velvet pumpkins from this post.

Here my cousin teaches his nephews the names and order of the presidents with coins (and I think they hit the jackpot and got to keep them). The little one, Charles also found two forgotten Easter eggs in the yard filled with coins.  If you saw my husband’s Thanksgiving menu, you know that my sister and daughter were in charge of appetizers. I recommend this Baked Feta Cheese With Olive and Lemon from A View From The Great Island. Here it is prepped in advance and about to go in the oven.

I forgot to take an after photo but…here is Sue’s photo from The View From The Great Island.

After the Honey Baked ham dwindles down (this is before that)…

we traditionally make the Silver Palate Black Bean Soup with the leftover ham bone. The cooking scents fill the house with anticipation for dinner later in the evening (while we play games and this year we watched The Match–Tiger versus Phil–did you see it?). We served the black bean cassoulet with a simple green salad and toasted French bread.

On Saturday we went to the Del Mar racetrack. Here I am with my sister, Teresa…

And we celebrated Tommy’s birthday…here with his grandmother and sister…

Hope your holidays continue to be happy. I’m grateful for you stopping by CCH!

Mary Ann