Christmas Eve menu & Proscuitto Fig Tart

Last night Mr Right and I bought a Costco membership so we could get a few things for our company on Christmas Eve. Love the prices at Costco. Between the time we purchased the membership and got into the car, four different people tried to pitch us to upgrade to the Executive Membership for another $50. Ick. Felt like I needed a shower. Hate upselling.

After we got home, neither of us wanted to go back out so we sent Super Nanny to do battle at the grocery store. Now we are ready for company.

Christmas Eve menu:

appetizer: Proscuitto Fig Tart
Beef Tenderloin
Roasted brussel sprouts and parsnips
Garlicky parmesan cauliflower -- They used to try to fake mashed potatoes with this; I find people enjoy it more if you just call it what it is - cauliflower. Almost anything tastes good with garlic and parmesan cheese.
Cheese Tortellini with pesto and red peppers
Mac & cheese for kids (and probably some grown-ups)
Mr Right's famous cilantro-lime sweet potatoes
dessert: a small cake from Andres, chocolate-covered almonds from Andres, killer cupcakes from Cupcake Ala Mode.
Yumm.
I can't wait.

You HAVE to try the Proscuitto Fig Tart. Get a refrigerator pie crust and roll it on a cookie sheet. Spread spreadable cream cheese on it. Top with Fig preserves. (Sometimes I buy a can of figs, drain them, and stir them into the preserves for extra figgy-ness.) Turn up the edges of the pie crust, make your way around the tart. Then take extra-thin sliced proscuitto and twirl each piece. Put the twirled slices on the tart from the center outward -- like spokes on a bicycle wheel. Bake according to pie crust instructions. Yumm.