What's for dinner? #121 - 2012 Introductory Edition! [old]

[roxlet]

Time to move on to the culinary adventures of a new year!

We are preparing for our annual New Year's Day Open House, so dinner tonight consists of tastes of our preparations for tomorrow. Our menu includes:
Home made sausage and biscuits
Cassoulet
Rabbit Pate
Home Smoked Turkey
Home smoked Port Butt with home made BBQ sauce
Stuffed shells
A big old pile of meatballs
Rosemary rolls
plus
Pecan Tassies
Cheese Cake
Ginger cookies
Brownies
Coconut pyramids
There will also be
crudites with Green Goddess
Clam dip

I think that's it, but I may have left something out!

[LindaWhit]

Well, we're over 300 again, so we're gonna shimmy-shake over to a new thread here:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/826907

(Hey! I'm not seeing you shimmy-shake! Get your groove on, ladies & gents!)

[linguafood]

Have some beef tenderloin tips thawing, and will likely just sear and maybe add some maitake shrooms. Have some rice w/corn, peas & carrots leftover for my sweetie, and will find something green for the side.

Still none too excited about 'interesting' flavors & aromas due to stupid-ass head cold. It'd be a true waste. But I do need sustenance, as it will be a loooong night.... blurgh.

[mariacarmen]

THERE WILL BE FISH. not tonight, but soon. I asked the BF how it would be if I made fish a couple of times a month for myself while he ate something else. He said he was a team player, so we are GO! He was inspired by his oyster-shucking session to maybe learn how to properly prepare some other fish dishes, which may inspire him to actually like fish. Whoo-hoooo!!

tonight we're eating at a German place (one i've been dying to try - take a gander at this menu! http://schmidts-sf.com/menus/dinner-m...) with the boy's visiting family, Saturday I'll be at the Oldster's, making something bland and mush-like for him, and I think some type of smoked trout/fennel/apple salady thing for me and my sister with the trout i bought up north last weekend. and maybe some oysters, as she actually has a shucker at her place.

Sunday, it's all about pork Vietnamese tacos, courtesy of Ina's recipe! can't wait.

So shall it be written, so shall it be done.

[Harters]

Maybe cook one of the "meaty" fish - like, say, monkfish or swordfish - in as near a style to something he likes as you can get?

[mariacarmen]

good tip. i love monkfish.

[Harters]

Me too. Roast him a big fillet wrapped in proscuitto and serve with his favourite spuds and veg. He'll be a fish convert, or my name isn't Aristotle Harters.

[mariacarmen]

genius. when i buy the monkfish, i'm coming back to you for cooking tips.

[Harters]

It's veggie night at Ca'n Harters.

Chunks of butternut squash get roasted. Half goes into a casserole.

Meanwhile, onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and pimenton get fried together and a can of tomatoes, can of chickpeas and pomegarnate molasses get stirred in. Half of this goes into the casserole; then the rest of the squash; then the rest of the tomato gloop. Lid on, 25 minutes baking. Lid off - scatter of chopped parsley, mint and pomegranate seeds. Served with couscous (or I may use frikeh)

[LindaWhit]

Harters, that tomato gloop sounds GOOD! Is this a Harters-Own or a cookbook recipe?

[Harters]

Magazine recipe. First time try. Just had a taste and, truth be told, I'm not convinced by the pom. molasses (something I usually lurve) - I have a sense that this going to be yet another that isnt a keeper.

[LindaWhit]

Aww, bummer. :-(

[Harters]

On reflection (and after eating), it wasnt too bad. The sharpness of the molasses had softened so that there was just a little background sweetness which worked well with the rather fiery chilli.

There's leftovers, so a future brown gloop dinner, but still not a keeper)

[mamachef]

Tonight's Grand Culinary Got-To-Use-It-Up Adventure: Aushak!! I filled purchased gyoza wrappers with melty, soft leeks, and topped it with a fast, leftover-lamb Ragu, which of course is the wrong word being as this dish is Middle-Eastern and I guess we pretty much all know that Ragu........is not Middle-Eastern. But not knowing a better word, other than "sauce?" Ragu will have to do; made w/ tomato paste, diced canned tomatoes, leftover ground lamb, more leeks, garlic, a ton of warm spices and herbs. Tossed that stuff right over the dumplings, topped THAT off with yogurt/garlic sauce, and proceeded to couch-surf while I ate, pretending like that's well- mannered. And I tell you what; I think Aushak is the quintessential dish for watching re-runs of very, VERY bad television. It sure was tasty, and so were the programs, and I just might be able to salvage the t-shirt I was wearing, too.

[LindaWhit]

I have to say I *love* that your back amongst us, mamachef. And good luck with cleaning that t-shirt. :-)

[goodhealthgourmet]

oh no, dear Linda, what were we JUST talking about yesterday? please re-read "your" post...

;)

[mariacarmen]

gyoza wrappers with melty soft leeks - YUM! did you saute the filled dumplings?

are you back at work, MC, feeding the troops? or still on your much-needed-&-deserved sabbatical? Looking forward to hearing of your cooking adventures in that kitchen, too.

[GretchenS]

Mamachef, I too am very glad to see you back and eating one of my all-time favorites, aushak!! Must make aushak soon, she mutters.....

[mamachef]

Thank you, Gretchen S! It's nice to be here. And yes, you must make it. Was so so good, as you well know.

[huiray]

Chow Mei Fun.

with: shredded plain 4-egg omelette, julienned poblano pepper, chopped scallions, chopped Napa cabbage (wong nga pak), leftover salt-n-pepper shrimp (de-shelled) with ginger & scallion bits & drippings, leftover minced beef sautéed w/ sesame oil & fish sauce.

[weezieduzzit]

Well, after putting on a few pounds over the holidays my stomach has decided to revolt and will not tolerate bread, pasta, noodles, dumplings or anything of the sort (even injera last night and I thought I'd get away with that one!) They all cause extreme stomach pain for HOURS after I eat them. Being stubborn, and loving all of them, I had to try 'em all out.......

BUT... indian, thai and east african foods all have those herbs and spices that are good for your tummy so its hardly a hardship (as long as I avoid the above mentioned.) The bright side is that a few weeks off the starchy carbs and the cute vintage dresses won't be snug anymore. :)

Tonight will be chicken korma and chana masala with as many veggies and I can get away with adding. YUM!

[linguafood]

It's another piccata night @casa lingua. My sweetie came down with the cold I've been battling since last week, but we're a bit chicken-souped out. I think something lemony will be tasty and also give us a nice shot of much needed vitamin C.

Sides will be leftover rice from Thai takeout a few days ago which will be mixed w/some sautéed onion, frozen corn, peas and carrots and a knob of butter & fresh parsley, as well as my Belgian endive & tangerine salad. More sour stuff. Yowzah.

[roxlet]

Maybe out some red pepper flakes in the piccata? I always find that a good dose of spicy helps to clear out the snoot!

[linguafood]

Oh, we did the spicy route last night at our Sichuan jour fixe.

The piccata was more wine-y than lemony. Meh. Whatevs.

[mamachef]

The cold going around this particular Winter is a BITCH, lingua. I have known of her intimately.last year too. So sorry you have to go through it!! Is your man any kinda good being down with illness, or does he revert to veangeful toddlerdom like most? My ex-husband, when he was ill, was just fantastic about playing kleenex ball with the wastebasket by the bed, missing the rimshot and calling me: "Honeyyyyyyyyyyy. Please come get these." Well, okay. But watch your noon soup, big fella. So. Thought I'd brighten your day with that before I ask you about that piccata - anything special we should know about it? It sounds so good; not like sickabed food, either, but a badly-needed shot of protein and sourness that will do you a world of good. Feel better soon, please!!

[linguafood]

He doesn't revert to a baby, thank heavens.

And he may even stay for the first part of my gig (in a SMOKING bar, cough, cough, UGH) -- which also may be as long as I stay, depending on how rusty my vocal chords are.

Better start warming up pronto with lots of hot tea. Poor audience '-)

[LindaWhit]

I have finally cleaned out most of the fridge shelves of leftovers. Tonight is going to be simple - a mega-monster baked potato, topped with butter, sour cream, chopped chives, salt, pepper, and shredded English Coastal cheddar cheese. And a large glass of wine. And probably TJs Triple Gingersnaps for dessert.

Yeah. I'm PMSing. Wanna *make* something of it? ;-)

[rabaja]

Now that is embracing your monthly curse. I will have to remember this. I just keep eating the Lindt chocolates I brought back from New Hampshire. Your baked potato sounds much more satisfying.

[LindaWhit]

And as I was driving home, I remembered I have pancetta! So that will be fried up and sprinkled over top as well.

I bought chocolate this morning at Whole Foods in addition to my lunch. So my chocolate craving was sated. For a little while. :-)

[mamachef]

Sure, LindaWhit, I'll box with you!! Hey, for next time or anytime? Those gingersnaps, crumbled, and tossed with a little butter, melted, make a wonderful apple and/or pear crisp topping. I've done it with canned peaches dolled up with a litle clove, cinnamon and cardamom in Winter, too. And it's mighty good. Then, when you get to crumb? Stuffed cabbage or S&S meatballs, using those crumbs will thicken a sauce for either right nicely.

[LindaWhit]

LOVE the idea of Triple Gingersnaps as a topping for crisp - thanks!

[BananaBirkLarsen]

We've been craving vegetables lately, so last night was steamed broccoli with a touch of butter and spinach salad with tomatoes, radishes, apples, olives and a balsamic vinaigrette. Petite sirloin steaks and rice on the side (something called "green jade pearl rice" that I got from the bulk section at the grocery store).

Tonight will be the previously discussed carne adovada with beans and rice. The red chili sauce is made and sitting in the fridge to allow flavours to combine (it will be used to braise the last of the petite sirloins later on). Pinto beans are in the slow cooker with onion, garlic and beef broth. We're still in vacation mode and debating whether we want beer or margaritas with dinner. I think it may depend on whether the lime tree up the street is still producing limes.

[mariacarmen]

tough choice, BBL! enjoy either one!

[BananaBirkLarsen]

We decided to go for the margaritas after finding a really good deal on tequila and remembering a well-endowed meyer lemon tree a short walk away! They should be good (and I'm hoping that cups of lemon juice will do away with the cold I've been fighting the last three days).

[GretchenS]

Wow, away for a couple of weeks and miss 2 1/2 threads, a lot to catch up on. Your meals over the past couple of weeks have, as usual, been inspiring and drool-inducing. Happy New Year to all!

[huiray]

Dinner last night and lunch today:
Soupy beef stew –
Seared then simmered beef shanks w/ sautéed smashed garlic, sea salt, bay leaves, carrots, white onions, destringed celery, cinnamon, cloves.

[Cherylptw]

Last night's dinner for the bf was blackened skirt steak, pan sauteed potatoes & onions and green beans. I had a scrambled egg sandwich with crispy bacon. Tonight the leftover steak will be thinly sliced and served with flour tortillas. I'm making pickled onions and charred tomato salsa to top. To go with, Mexican rice and black beans seasoned with oregano, jalapenos and cumin. It'll get a crumbling of Queso before serving.

[Berheenia]

Last night was part 2 of the Costco Rotisserie chicken. It made a lovely stir fry with a pre cut up veg combo from Whole Foods and bottled stir fry sauce over TJ's frozen jasmine rice. My idea of a quick meal on a night when I work late. Today I'm running the loss leaders from our local store through Foodily to come up with a decent meal for a womens day center we cook for once a month. I love Foodily for this kind of recipe search. I used to go to AllRecipes but this is a superior search and hope to find a winner to cook tonight - they reheat it and eat it tomorrow.

[Harters]

Shortly off out for artery blocking lunch in country pub. Therefore some restraint with dinner required.

Prawn salad.

Cooked prawns, marinated overnight in cold pressed "extra virgin" rapeseed oil, lemon juice, spring onions, grated ginger, fennel seeds. Drained and mixed with mayo and a good shake of Tabasco. Dumped on top of salad leaves (we've got cos lettuce and rocket) and scattered with chopped black olives and tomatoes for a bit of colour.

(Originally a Delia Smith recipe from "One is Fun" that we've been doing regularly since the book came out in 1985)

[mamachef]

So do you just double her recipes then, Harters, so that the good Mrs. Harters gets some too? :)

[Harters]

Yep, the recipes are easily doubled.

It's quite a good book for a singleton as it does give some recipes where you can make a base meal and then split into two and develop each separately.

Good to see you around, Marci.

[mamachef]

Thank you, Harters (and all the other people who welcomed me back here!). Good to feel like writing/cooking, for sure. I hope your holiday season was wonderful and heartfelt and every other kind of good thing, and that this year will be likewise. I wonder if I could find an edition of that book - it's right up my alley. Just last night I made a mashed-potato base and used half of it as a potato casserole (for breakfast, w/ eggs) and the other half into a broth-based chowder that I'll reconstitute with cream later. So convenient.

[mariacarmen]

Not a lot of actual cooking, but i paired pre-cooked duck confit (just heat and crisp) from Costco with an Israeli couscous dish - a pseudo WW recipe called for apricots, but i thought i only had dried cherries. upon pouring some from the bag, it turned out they were fresh frozen cranberries. I had already put some aleppo and dill in the pot, and some pine nuts, but it all worked out ok. The duck was tasty tho a tad dry. I made a slaw of leftover cabbage, iceberg lettuce, shallots, celery seed, and an orange/pomegranate syrup dressing. The BF had also made a zucchini potato dish that was exceptionally tasty, and I just ate the zucchini out of it. The boy's plate is pictured here.

[mamachef]

Girl!! From where do you know the kind of restraint necessary to leave the potatoes alone? One of my favorite combos, that: the 'taters and zooky. So, what did the boy do to them that made 'em special? And special, too, would be your confit. Have you got some leftovers for a decadent salad? Speaking of which, what proportions did you use on that there dressing?

[mariacarmen]

the dressing was a splash of this, a drizzle of that. not as exciting as i thought it would be, but i think it just needed tweaking. no leftovers, i had one little leg, as did the boy (the 2 on the plate were for the pic's sake.), and he polished the other two off for Dinner Part 2 after i went to bed! his support only has to extend as far as i can see him.

the restraint comes from jeans splitting me in half. the boy said all he did with the taters and zukes was saute onions, garlic, boil potatoes, slice, threw them in, added Better Than Veggie Broth, sauteed the zukes separately then added them in... some herb or other.... they tasted amazingly complex, i don't know what voodoo he did! he's just good that way. (actually, i think it was the Better than VB.)

[mamachef]

That voodoo what he do, right? :) Sounds delicious!!

[mariacarmen]

yep, thanks, corrected!

[goodhealthgourmet]

did i read that correctly? duck confit from *Costco*?? adding it to the list right now...

[mariacarmen]

you did! like i said, a TAD dry, but that may have been user error, tho i followed instructions. but again, good flavor. i got mine right before NY weekend, so may be seasonal.

[suburban_mom]

I made a skillet pasta dish that I found on a blog. It was based on a Cooks Illustrated recipe. Turkey Italian sausage, garlic, sundried tomatoes, penne pasta cooked with wine. Stir in cream, spinach, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts at the end. It was a definite hit although my family voted down pine nuts in the future.

I see this being a recipe that we can use when we are traveling because you can buy the ingredients and pretty much use them all.

[Berheenia]

My husband would love this and we happen to have pine nuts and lots of Italian sausage left from the holidays. Could you post the link?

[suburban_mom]

Here you go: http://smells-like-home.com/2011/11/s...

[Berheenia]

Thanks!

[mamachef]

My dearie me goodness. May we be bffs, please?
Nothing fancy here, ma'am. Cream of broccoli soup, pulled chicken in bbq sauce on buns with pimento cheese, and one big enormous bloody Mary. Perhaps two of those. Apple galette that I didn't make. Whoopee!! Dinner's on and poppin'!

[buttertart]

Yee haw, look who's here! Big ol' hugs.

[rabaja]

Hey pretty lady, you've been missed!

[goodhealthgourmet]

welcome back, love :) so happy to see you!!!

[LindaWhit]

mamachef!!! Welcome back!

Oh and "fancy"? Isn't always the best dinner on the table, you know. Sometimes simple is the best way to go. :-)

[gingershelley]

Agreed, not fancy is fine sometimes - actually, often, on a weekday!
Tonight is leftover delish' slow braised short ribs in red wine sauce, with fennel-blue cheese polenta and some sauteed spinach. Will be good with a SMALL glass of red wine. Small glasses - and only 1 or 2 are the NY plan. And, easy on the 'making dinner' glass of wine too. NY resolutions!

[nomadchowwoman]

+++++
however many we need to keep you with us for a while! HNY, MC--bound to be better.

[mamachef]

Linda, ghg, rabaja, mc2, roxlet and Ms. Mary Contrary (are you, really?): Aww. Biggest grin on my face right now. I feel so welcome here, I really do. Happy happy New Year's, everybody; you've certainly been on my mind after a spectacular, ass-over-teakettle mindflip that took me a minute to pull out of. But out I am, and must stay, so I can hang out w/ y'all and talk about food food food. That's right; food food food. And then we can all talk about it again!!

[mariacarmen]

She lives! She breathes! She COOKS! hell-fire, mama, welcome back! glad to see you have your wits about you and your appetite.... we've missed you so.

[roxlet]

Love me my mamachef! Welcome back!

[MaryContrary]

We HAVE missed you a lot!

[buttertart]

One more time...
PS the pan is a rectangular Scanpan - I love it, wonderful heat distribution.

[gingershelley]

Buttertart, can you post the recipe or a link to the dry-fried chicken? Sounds delish, and love some asian flavors to kick start the taste buds which are kind of tired of the holiday flavors! Thanks:)

[buttertart]

Will do. Meantime it must be discussed at length on the poultry etc thread when Fuchsia Dunlop's books were COTM. As I ardently hope her new one will be this fall sometime.

[Rubee]

That looks so good! Love that dish, one of my favorites. I think I'll be cooking Sichuan next week.

[nomadchowwoman]

What's a Scanpan? (Or maybe I don't need to know . . .)

[buttertart]

Oh but you do, my darling. Gorgeous heavy non-PFOA nonstick skillets. The rectangular one is a CHEF's exclusive. Check them out...

[LindaWhit]

Enabler. ;-)

[roxlet]

I love Scanpan! I have two skillets that I adore.

[buttertart]

Last night, this little number from Fuchsia Dunlop's "Land of Plenty" - dry-fried chicken. The chao tian ("facing heaven") chilis pack a wallop and the celery is crisp and juicy in a perfect counterpoint to the firm, well-done chicken. With rice (hotted up leftovers from one or another Chinese restaurant here), a quick and delicious meal. (Oh Fuchsia, I cannot WAIT for your new book!!!)

Tonight, warmed-up venison osso buco (previously frozen), fried-up mashed potatoes, and an endive salad or something along those lines.
Hmm, what the hey on the pic?

[mamachef]

My WORD. I think I could eat that chicken every day for a very, very long time. Did you make the osso bucco by your ownself?

[buttertart]

Yis I did. The shanks were thrown in with a venison order certain folks thought would be a good Valentines Day gift. Mirepoix, vermouth, chicken broth etc.

[JungMann]

Where are you getting your chao tien chilies? I've purchased them in Chinatown and from Penzey's but so far, they haven't quite lived up to their reputation.

[buttertart]

Me too. Fishwell brand? Hot as bastards.

[JungMann]

No time for dinner, so a common meal of spaghetti with morcillas with a side of stewed okra and cucumber salad. To switch things up (and use up leftover ingredients), I varied my pasta slightly, adding a diced green pepper, celery and a bit of habanero pepper to the aromatics, and seasoning the sauce with Worcestershire and oregano. When that didn't quite suit me, I just covered up my mistakes with harissa.

For the okra, I did a typical spice mix: allspice, cumin, coriander and black lime, but I finished the stew with a new ingredient: Urfa pepper. The pepper's flavor was as deep as its violet hue: a raisin-like flavor overlaying a rich clay background that blossoms into a sharp heat, bursting like fireworks in the back of your throat and fading just as quickly. I can see this quickly becoming a staple.

[JerryMe]

I have so many questions but the description is lovely - Black lime? Urfa pepper? Not a fan of okra but the rest sounds delicious!

[JungMann]

Drying limes until black mellows out their flavor so that they are still sour and sweet, but not aggressively so. The traditional process of boiling in salt water and drying under the sun also introduces a funky almost winey flavor that adds layers of complexity to sauces, stews and rice dishes. It also makes a delicious tea (which I made with the half of the lime I didn't use).

But while I like black limes, Urfa pepper (my jar calls it Isot pepper) is the real treat. They are a Turkish ingredient I only recently discovered. Like black limes, they develop their flavor under the sun. They taste of an olla rubbed with raisins, the scent of working the garden on a hot summer day with a bright heat that lasts as long as a sparkler on the Fourth of July. I am a fan. If you don't like okra, I use similar spices for stewed green beans so there are alternatives, although I can also see this being great on pasta, garlic bread, squash or even sweets. I will definitely be experimenting over the next few months.

[rabaja]

re-purposing the pork loin from New Years day. It's pretty moist, thankfully, but I don't want to muck it up with the re-heating/re-cooking thing. I read the thread on what to do with a 12lb pork loin, some good ideas there.

Thinking I will just gently re-sear the outside and serve slightly warmed slices with hot sides. I have green cabbage and a butternut squash, along with some acorn puree. Maybe a veg extravaganza with a chicken stock redux sauce.

I'm tempted to dice it up and fry it with some cubed potatoes and serve it with an egg on top. The other half is leaving home before dawn these days, just to beat the commute. I need to keep him happy once he returns at night, again after dark. Something tells me pork hash would help in doing that...

[mariacarmen]

pork hash would do it for me...

[Harters]

As we speak, Mrs H has just finished kneading the pizza dough for the Silver Spoon calzone. I love pizza - I judge all of them against a "gold standard" of one I had in a little back street place in Bardolino on Lake Garda. That said, I don't think I've ever had calzone - this one has salami and ham in it.....so, two meats.....gotta be good.

[buttertart]

When I was growing up, a pizzeria in my home town had calzones - and they were deep-fried. Just sayin'...

[Harters]

Deep fried anything sounds good. I think I must have Scottish genes in there somewhere.

[buttertart]

I sure as hell do.

[JungMann]

Sounds like a Chicago specialty, locally called a pizza puff. I haven't seen them out East, though.

[buttertart]

This was a little place in London, Ontario - don't remember the name.

[mariacarmen]

a completely thrown together dinner that was nonetheless delicious. i'd bought some smoked duck breast over the weekend, and i heated it, crisping up the skin, and served slices of it on hawaiian bread rolls cut in half at my dad's house, with a smear of hoisin and another of gochujang. that was it! i wolfed it down so fast i didn't have time to take a pic - wasn't all that pretty anyway. but man i wish i'd bought some more of that duck....

and because i used such small portions, believe it or not, it was pretty WW-friendly!

[ChristinaMason]

Mmm, that sounds pretty good!

[ChristinaMason]

Last night I made Hazan's tomato, butter and onion sauce (reducing the butter to 3 Tbsp.) served over capellini with a dusting of Parm. Regg. A salad of mixed greens, cukes, blanched asparagus and diced tomato on the side, with a very odd-sounding but delicious dressing DH dreamed up: syrupy aged balsamic and red wine vinegars, olive oil, mint, marjoram, parsley, a small chunk of Parm. Regg., blanched cherry tomatoes, ketchup, dab of sour cream, garlic and onion powders. You can't even make this stuff up. Surprisingly...it was *really* good.

Tonight we had a primary-watching -party, and since I think voting Republican is nostalgic and backward-looking, I made retro party food: lil' smokies in a doctored chili-grape-bbq sauce, baby carrots and grape tomatoes with dill dip, tortilla chips with two kinds of salsa, homebrew, and sherbert-ginger ale punch (w/ bourbon, gin, and the like available for mixing). A little leftover hoppin' john for those who wanted. Chocolate mint cookies and decaf coffee for dessert.

[mariacarmen]

love your primary-watching party idea, CM! agree with the sentiment too. love that punch!

is that the trick to the Hazan tomato sauce, reducing it way down? because of all the people i've heard rave about that sauce, the BF and i were not all that impressed with it.... and i used the good canned tomatoes and everything....

[ChristinaMason]

Oh, sorry, I think what I wrote may have been confusing. The original recipe called for 5 Tbsp. of butter, and I "reduced" that amount to 3 Tbsp. I think it would have been better with all 5, but hey, this was slightly less evil for the arteries. I thought the sauce was OK---I used very good canned tomatoes, and a pinch of red pepper flake, but it was still quite "plain". I enjoyed it, especially for how easy it was to make, but in the recesses of my mind, it kind of reminded me of Spaghetti-O sauce (creamy, bland, no herbs whatsoever). I'll probably make it again when fresh basil is in season and I can top the whole shebang with some chiffonade.

[mariacarmen]

oh, got it. i agree - it's nice, but really pretty bland to me.

[nomadchowwoman]

Couldn't face any more leftovers so I sauteed some drum and squeezed lemon over it. We had it along w/some quinoa I cooked with sliced scallions, garlic, mushrooms, and lemon thyme; brussels sprouts steamed and then quick-sauteed and dressed w/orange OO and sherry vinegar. Sort of healthy.

[huiray]

Feeling OD'ed on lots of stuff, esp things with high-powered tastes. So - tonight: sliced plain green cabbage + water + 2 chicken legs + a little oil + sea salt = cabbage soup. That's it.

[BananaBirkLarsen]

Just got back from our 5 day Southwestern road trip at 2:30 am last night, so I haven't been cooking much through the New Year. We were on a shoestring budget, so we had a lot of pre-packed salami sandwiches and bagel-chips-with-hummus at roadside rest stops and dollar menu items at mediocre fast food places. We did get at least one decent restaurant meal in at each place we stayed however -- $10 casino prime rib in Vegas, some good pizza in Flagstaff and some truly amazing enchiladas, green chili stew and carne adovada on New Year's Eve in Santa Fe.

Today I'm still recovering and can feel myself coming down with a cold, so it's a pot of yellow split pea soup with bacon on the stove.

We brought 3 lbs of dried New Mexico chilis back with us, and I am very much looking forward to experimenting and trying to recreate the carne adovada we had in Santa Fe.

[Chocolatechipkt]

Roasted chicken thighs with apple slices, roasted butternut squash and carrots with maple syrup and cumin, and Israeli couscous with apples, dried cranberries, and toasted almonds.

[nomadchowwoman]

Love the sound of that couscous.

[Chocolatechipkt]

It's SO good. The recipe is from Giada on the FN. Basically you toast the couscous, cook it, and then put it in a bowl to cool somewhat. Fluff with a fork Then you make and add an apple cider vinaigrette (w/a touch of maple), and toss with a diced tart apple, dried cranberries and toasted sliced almonds. Serve slightly warm or at room temp.

[Chocolatechipkt]

Forgot to add: parsley, thyme, rosemary and salt and pepper.

[nomadchowwoman]

Taking notes. TY!

[Barbara76137]

I may have to excuse myself from WFD for a while since my 15 year old cat is extremely ill. Started early Sunday morning, took her to the vet yesterday and today as well. We're thinking renal failure so not much in the mood to cook for me. Right now my kitchen counter looks more like a veterinary lab than a kitchen. Subcutaneous fluids and oral steroids are WFD for her.

[L.Nightshade]

Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry. She's part of your family, take care of her and come back to WFD when you can.

[Cherylptw]

So sorry to hear about your cat, best of luck to her and you...

[linguafood]

That's awful, Barbara. Take care of your kitty -- here's hoping for a good outcome...

[nomadchowwoman]

Oh, Barbara,hope things improve. Take care of your kitty--and yourself.

[weezieduzzit]

:(. We'll be thinking the best for your sick baby.

[mariacarmen]

oh barbara, so sorry! sick kitties are so heart-wrenching, especially when they've been in your life so long.... i know how much it hurts.

[LindaWhit]

Oh Barbara, I'm so SO sorry. {{{gentle hugs to you}}}}} :-( Take care of her and yourself and family and come back when you can.

[buttertart]

Poor dear. Take heart, though, we had our dear boy Milan until he was 19 1/2 due to subcutaneous fluids for the last 5 years. He was fine until the very end. Some kitties thrive on the stuff, surely hope your dear girl does too.

[rabaja]

Sending healing wishes to your kitty and a big hug to you. It's so hard to see them in pain, I hope you are both feeling better very soon!

[Barbara76137]

Wow, thank you to EVERYONE here!! I should post a picture of WFD here tonight, since it is the "kitty buffet". Right now I have at least a half dozen "small plates" on my kitchen rug ranging from chicken broth to crab meat to crab salad to rotisserie chicken. I'm just putting anything out there that normally would get her stampeding to the kitchen. At lunch today she ran to the kitchen when she heard the can opener for the crab meat. She isn't really eating but I'm just trying to keep her comfortable.

As for me, I think a simple, boring salad will do. Baby greens, lots of grape tomatoes since they were on sale and very tasty, probably some of the rotisserie chicken, red onion, slivered almonds and the last of my balsamic vinegarette. See.....boring.

[buttertart]

She should feel better and start eating once the fluids kick in, We've had 2 kitties with this problem (the other one had an additional comfortable 8 months).

[LindaWhit]

Awww, I hope all of the floor goodies helps her get her appetite back! I like hearing that she ran to the kitchen with the noise of the "kitty caller". :-)

[goodhealthgourmet]

aw, Barbara, i hope kitty recovers her appetite and health quickly. sending both of you a big cyber-hug!

[L.Nightshade]

Here are the options I'm offering Mr. NS tonight:
1. Leftover chicken and noodle casserole or
2. Chicken tetrazzini with porcini mushrooms baked in a sherry cream sauce
Hehehe...

[ChristinaMason]

LOL. Those wouldn't happen to be the same dish, now would they? ;)

[L.Nightshade]

Only the voter knows. Or does he?

[ChristinaMason]

yum!

[roxlet]

I have most of a turkey breast and some gravy that I am going to repurpose and turn into turkey pot pies. I bought this nifty little individual pie maker tin, and I will make 4 pies with this the top AND the bottom crust. Do you hear me, DH? He's been making our pot pies for years, and NOT that I am complaining, but his have biscuit on top, and sometimes I like me one with crust. These will have crusts!!

[linguafood]

Well, well, well. Managed to "dump" about 3/4 of what was left of my NYE chicken liver mousse at a brunch yesterday, which was very much appreciated, because there's only so much liver mousse one can eat (before deciding to just massage it directly into your thighs & ass, that is), and also managed to get rid of a plate of deviled eggs.

With the leftovers gone, and the Thai takeout leftovers finished yesterday, I'm going to have to make something tonight.

Alas, my head cold decided to stay with me into the new year, so I can't taste much & have little interest in food -- 'twas nice to have some very spicy stuff as in 'my eyebrows are sweating-spicy' -- tho my insides were not amused.

Being that I still have some carrots & fresh parsley leftover from last week's chicken noodle soup, it is likely that I'll make one of those again. Boring, but I can't be bothered right now. Meh.

[rabaja]

My goodness, the eating we have been doing since the week before Christmas. It's been insane, yet madly adored, and now, must really come to an end.

I had a last bite of my Mother's pecan pie this morning with a cup of black coffee before pitching the rest into the dishwater. She has recently improved on her recipe and it took a bit of willpower not to just shove it down my throat.

We managed to eat all that was bought and planned for, in no particularly organised fashion, but very much enjoyed anyway. The crab, the mussels and clams, the Wagyu new york strip, the pork ribs from the freezer, the truffled cheese from Boston and lots of prosciutto and nuts. I'm scared to even put on real clothes, and today the binge must end!

I am about to head into the kitchen to make a pot of soup. The kind I love and which usually loves me back. I have a poultry stock I made over the weekend (with both the Tday carcass and two pounds of chicken wings -we really are cleaning out the freezer;)) and I will sautee up the usual mire poix and add in some chard, cabbage, a few cranberry beans, maybe a delicata, some shrooms, and add either barley or farro or bulgur, who knows. I'm tempted to go to New Mexico and use some Hatch chili and chicken thighs, but that may be better for later in the week, as I still have beef scraps to use up.

Here's to more work outs and less couch-potato, more fruit and fewer Xmas cookies (those can stay in the freezer, if only someone would hide them from me) and lots and lots of water.

Happy 2012! It's going to be a good one, I can feel it!...knockingonwood, knockingonwood...

[nomadchowwoman]

You are good, rabaja. I have yet to start de-toxing or calorie-cutting after the holidays. I find myself craving comfort food, of the fatty, creamy variety. Or really good Chinese food, which can't be found in these parts.
Sigh.

[rabaja]

Oh, I am still craving all of the decadent treats we've been enjoying in the last month, I just have to say no at some point.
I lost 28 lbs. in 2011, and I worked too hard doing it to undo it in a matter of months. Besides, I'm loving my new wardrobe enough to visit the land of fatty and creamy only occasionally, but I will enjoy those visits!
Good Chinese food, now that I could justify...maybe Thursday I can get the better half to pick-up some in the city....not to be found in Sonoma either.

[mariacarmen]

Here's to your "Here's to more work outs, etc."!! FIVE POUNDS since mid-October, people, FIVE. i'm confessing it here, to be held publicly accountable.

i'm with you. I will eat well, but eat less of it, and work out more!

[mebby]

I'm with you...I lost 20 lbs in 2011, thanks in no small part to the inspiration of you and rabaja and others on the WW thread. But in the last month, I've gained back 5 lbs (!), despite working out. It can't have anything to do with short ribs, salami, cheese and copious amounts of wine, can it?

So WFD tonight is Vietnamese steamed chicken with tomatoes and shitakes and a side of nuoc cham, along with some steamed snow peas (kids will get jasmine rice, while I will be pretending white carbs don't exist). Lunch was a big pile of sauteed/braised kale spiced with smoked paprika, cumin and cinnamon with just a bit of spanish chorizo for porky goodness and a sherry-honey vinaigrette over the top.

Delicious AND healthy -- those are the words I'm trying to live by. Happy new year everyone!

[nomadchowwoman]

You folks are making healthy eating sound pretty delicious!

[JungMann]

When I am eating Asian food and absolutely need a "starchy" side, I reach for the Dreamfields pasta. Don't ask me how the low carb aspect works, but when used for bun, the angel hair pasta still works on my diet.

[mariacarmen]

i'm going to find some of that stuff - Whole Foods, maybe?

[JungMann]

I haven't seen it at any Whole Foods, but I can usually get it at a supermarket chain.

[mebby]

I didn't know about Dreamfields, so thanks. And if you recommend it, I know it must be good. The danger is, however, that I will rationalize and eat twice as much and find a way to add a goodly bit of cheese and a side of wine -- my diet-busting trinity!

MC, they have a store locator on their web site -- and down here it seems to be at all the Von's and Ralphs:
http://www.dreamfieldsfoods.com/find-...

[JungMann]

If cheese and pasta is your weakness, maybe switch to shirataki noodles. They are relatively mild-tasting on their own, but don't do so well with dairy which will save you the temptation. With Asian sauces, though, they sing! The konjac-based noodles are also non-caloric, though the texture is admittedly different from Western noodles.

[mebby]

Thanks -- great suggestion! That sounds right up my alley, as I definitely want to not only lose weight, but eat lighter and easier to digest and there are so many great asian dishes that provide big flavor without making me feel weighed down.

[mariacarmen]

thanks!

[mariacarmen]

(mebby, i just did the calc. on WW - it's the same 5 pts. as regular pasta.... so, maybe healthier, but doesn't buy you anything pts-wise...)

[mebby]

Ah well, probably for the best anyhow, as me and pasta have a decidedly unhealthy relationship. But I am going to try those shirataki noodles, as they sound like a different animal altogether and could be fun to experiment with. Plus I just found a link that suggests they carry them at my nearest grocery store.

Mind you, I am meeting a bunch of girlfriends at a wine and small plates bar tonight, so best intentions and all that. The funny thing is that they are the girls in my workout group and yesterday only four of us could make it to workout, but miraculously, with only a day's notice, 10 have found a way to make it for drinks!

[nomadchowwoman]

I have to laugh. I went to a few water aerobics classes last fall, and every time I went the class was making plans for group lunches at the various temples of haute Creole cuisine.

[buttertart]

Ah Louisiana. :)

[goodhealthgourmet]

mebby, the shirataki noodles you're likely to find at standard supermarkets are usually the "House Foods" brand, and most of their products are made with a combination of konjac *and* tofu. if you want traditional, pure konjac (konnyaku) noodles you can get them at Asian markets - i used to buy them at Mitsuwa & Nijiya.

just be forewarned that the texture is VERY unique, and straight out of the package they require a thorough rinse because they're preserved in a rather odorous calcium chloride solution.

more discussion here:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/761330
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/433886
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/279975
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/282223
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/481934
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/539873

[mebby]

Thanks as always, GHG, for your generosity and exceptional search skills

[LindaWhit]

ghg is our CH Search Queen. :-)

[goodhealthgourmet]

@mebby, i'm always happy to help. i hope some of the links are useful to you!

@LW, and you're Her Royal Highness of Recaps ;)

[mebby]

Thanks, GHG and JungMann, for the tips and links. I did a stir fry of the tofu shirataki the other day with a bunch of veggies and an improvised sauce of kecap manis, sesame paste, sambal oelek, ginger and scallions and it was delicious. I rinsed the "noodles," then boiled them briefly and then dried them in a skillet over low heat before stir frying with the sauce and veggies and had no problems with odor or texture. Definitely not real fettucine, but I thought of it as a new experience rather than a substitute for italian-style pasta and it worked out well. (But that Hungry Girl recipe for fettucine alfredo on the back of the package looked seriously disgusting.)

[goodhealthgourmet]

but I thought of it as a new experience rather than a substitute for italian-style pasta and it worked out well
~~~~~~~~
yep, that's the key :) i'm glad your first experience with them was a success! and don't get me started on any of HG's "concoctions" (i can't bring myself to call them recipes).

[Harters]

The Harters cookbook of the week is the Italian classic - Il cucchiaio d'argento. Albeit the version in English, published in the UK in 2005 as The Silver Spoon. For such a classic (and for a cookbook that clocks in at over 1200 pages), it's going to make two appearances in our WFD in the next day or so.

Tonight, a simple costolette al burro e salvia. Easy peasy dish - melt butter in pan, add sage, add pork chops, cook till cooked. We've veg to use up - carrots, parsnips, celery - dunno what we'll do with but it'll probably something very simple.

Later in the week, Mrs H is doing the recipe for calzone. Only because she has some live yeast left over from bread making that needs using up.

[Cherylptw]

I was just thinking of making calzone sometime this week as well...great minds....

I've got a large hen simmering on the stovetop for chicken & pastry ("pot pie" as they call it in my neck of the woods although as a NY girl, pot pie to me is in a crust, which I prefer but my man is a native from these parts so when in Rome...) I'll add chopped celery, onions and carrots (carrots are probably heresy) to the pot while cooking and enrich it with chicken base before allowing it to cool then I'll remove the bird & pick the meat off while cooling the stock. Stock gets de-fatted and I'll make rolled dumplings, which will get simmered in the stock along with the cooked meat. I'm thinking about adding peas to the mix. Perfect cold whether food ;-)

I'm going to make some yeast dinner rolls to sop up the juices with and I'm not sure what else as a side right now...don't really nead a starch since it'll have dumplings so maybe some green beans simmered with bacon dripping I'm leaning toward.

[nomadchowwoman]

Just finished a batch of chicken pot pies, Cherylptw--or that's what Ah, Suthunuh, call them ; )
The mix goes in the individual pie tins and is covered w/a crust. Yours sound like what I would know as chicken and dumplings. Whatever you call them, they sound good. I agree--fantastic cold weather food. Mine are probably headed for the freezer as we've had both duck pot pies and turkey pot pies a good bit in the last month or so.

[LindaWhit]

Hmmm....individual chix pot pies. Perhaps another item to make for Mom's freezer. Thanks for the idea, ncw! Will have to buy a small package of the small single serving foil pie tins.

[nomadchowwoman]

LW--this is one of the few things my mom lets me make for her. (She even loved the duck ones though I didn't tell her they were duck until afterwards.) I do it often as they are perfect for solo meals.

[Cherylptw]

Your pot pies are what I'm used to, when I moved to NC and had "pot pie" I didn't expect chicken & dumplings (or what I call pastry, since they're rolled out and cut). My dish came out very good, but I miss having the crust on a pie, which is the best part of the whole thing.

[nomadchowwoman]

Cherylptw--It is funny, the different names we give dishes in different parts of the country. Chicken and dumplings, when I've had them, have almost always been a disappointment (always seem like blobs of biscuit dough dropped in that come out too heavy, white, and doughy), but I know if I had your chicken and *pastry*, I'd be one happy woman.

[mariacarmen]

As mentioned earlier, on our trip up north we bought 6 kinds of smoked sausages in Fort Bragg, and on the way home stopped and got some oysters locally, which the boy shucked himself (first time, good job!) and had ourselves a feast. a selection of mustards, good bread and butter on the side, and a retro iceberg/blue cheese salad with plenty of cracked pepper.

[L.Nightshade]

Nicely done mc! Welcome back.

[linguafood]

gorgeous.

[huiray]

Looks very good!

[buttertart]

wantwantwant...oysters please...

[nomadchowwoman]

So mc, your man doesn't like seafood but shucks oysters??? Wow, you've got yourself a winner!

[mariacarmen]

oh no, he EATS RAW OYSTERS, isn't that weird? he wouldn't like them cooked. he also "claims" he loves shrimp scampi, but anytime i've offered to make it, or we see it on a menu, he gets meat. when we go to sushi, he eats a bento box that usually has no actual sushi in it. he will eat bites of my sushi (especially unagi! and sometimes yellowtail, tuna, or escolar, but never salmon, in any form) and he'll eat ceviche or tuna tartare. and he says he has had halibut that he loved. i think it's all a big fat lie! i made myself fish tacos once while he ate carne asada, and he tasted mine and said they were "ok." he doesn't like crab or lobster, tho he will eat scallops, on a rare occasion. he's told me he hates tuna fish (as in canned) but when i make my special tuna "ceviche" for parties, he'll eat it. and then he'll tell people in public that he doesn't hate fish. he's a weird one, my boy.

[L.Nightshade]

That's completely weird maria! I can't even figure out what the common thread is in those declared tastes!

[mariacarmen]

there is no rhyme or reason to it!

[nomadchowwoman]

Well I have to cut him some slack now that I know he likes (and shucks!) raw oysters ; )

My husband loves oysters in all ways. But once I suggested we get a sack of oysters and have a party, eating some raw, and grilling th rest, and he asked me "who's going to shuck them?" When I replied that "we" would, he looked at me like I was nuts. (The oyster party never happened.) One of my favorite food memories is when my parents and their friends would get together, buy a sack of oysters. The men would shuck and slurp and send a few raw ones in for the ladies to have with cocktail sauce. The rest would get fried or wrapped in bacon and broiled. Heaven.

[mariacarmen]

oh that sounds so wonderful NCW!
i do feel lucky that the BF likes raw oysters and now is adept at shucking 'em.

[lunchslut]

We definitely overindulged these holidaus and are back to work tomorrow. Tonight's meal was a spinach salad topped with julienned roasted beets, julienned apples, toasted walnuts and crumbled goat cheese. The vinaigrette was made of walnut oil and balsamic vinegar.

[suburban_mom]

Porterhouse steaks - pan seared and finished in the oven. It is 14 degrees here so we decided using the grill would be a challenge. Loaded baked potatoes. Green beans sauteed in bacon drippings and then "steamed" in the skillet until tender.

[huiray]

Kon Lo Mein, inspired by Kuching Kolo Mee.
Salt & Pepper Shrimp.

[huiray]

Bowl of soupy wonton noodles the next day for lunch - w/ salt & pepper shrimp w/ julienned ginger, garlic & scallion pieces; minced beef stir-fried w/ fish sauce, sesame oil, pepper; thinly sliced pork tenderloin flash-cooked in the soup stock; blanched choy sum; fried shallots.

[whitneybee]

Tonight's dinner was Enchilada Casserole with Spicy Black Beans from the Jan/Feb 2012 Cooking Light. Not the most authentic, but it hit the spot and will give me leftovers for lunch for the next few days, which is all I really wanted.

[roxlet]

"spicy" and "black beans" are music to my ears! How were they made?

[Breadcrumbs]

Happy New Year Everyone!

Reading your enticing posts has made me very hungry and, wishing I'd joined you at the table for your wonderful-sounding meals!!

Let's hope 2012 is a happy, healthy and prosperous one for all of us and, that we are blessed with the company of those we hold dearest at our tables (virtual or at home).

With my NY Strip Roast still frozen mid-day yesterday, I had to move to plan "B" and decided to re-purpose the black-eyed peas I'd soaked overnight. After reading some of your posts I decided to make some Hoppin' John for luck and, a side of Collards stewed w Tomatoes and Onions. Happily both dishes turned out well and we definitely felt lucky (even if just for the fact that there was a plan B!!!)

The roast is marinating on the counter-top now and will definitely make it to the table tonight along w some black Kale prepared from a COTM recipe and some garlic mashed potatoes.

Wishing everyone here a year of remarkable dining, thanks for all the inspiration you provide!

[goodhealthgourmet]

nice save! if that ever happens again, you can speed up the thawing process by placing the roast in a well-sealed plastic bag and immersing in cool water.

[jenscats5]

BC - looks great!!! I got my NYD collards from a local BBQ joint.........YUM!

[Breadcrumbs]

Thanks ghg & jenscats! The roast turned out great tonight and was well worth the wait. Here's a link to the Epi recipe (a first attempt for me...I did need to add 20 mins to the cooking time for a 4lb roast med-rare):

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[gingershelley]

Looks delish!
I am done with cooking for a couple days.... going to get a good take-out pizza and watch movies tonight. Even a chowhound has to take a day off.
But cold roasted rare beef with a horsey sauce sounds great for a sandwich tomorrow:)

[mariacarmen]

that looks scrumptious. thanks for the link!

[LindaWhit]

I want a roast beast sandwich right around now after looking at that picture. :-)

[jenscats5]

Got myself a new Calphalon wok this weekend and today was my first opportunity to use it. So today was a BIG stir-fry of various veggies along with jasmine rice. Chicken and shrimp added for me....it was a hit!

[LindaWhit]

It's LEFTOVER Night! And I have choices. Because I can't fit anything else into my fridge, it's time to eat from the fridge:

1. The last of the chicken & orange-clove rice.
2. Pizza.
3. Spaghetti & meat sauce.

I think I'll have the last of the chicken and rice, and make some peas to go-with tonight. The pizza will be brought in for lunch tomorrow, and I'll have spaghetti on Tuesday night for dinner. That should open up a little bit of space (especially after I put the 4 containers of meat sauce in the downstairs freezer).

I'll cook Wednesday before Top Chef, said Scarlett. :-)

[Berheenia]

I have really missed Top Chef! I need it to focus! This a.m. I found a Costco Rotisserie Chicken we bought Saturday and totally forgot in our holiday stupor so it's WFD with some potatoes - mashed I think- and chunks of green and yellow squash from the same shopping trip. I think it may be time to lay off the Sauvignon Blanc - sniff.

[mariacarmen]

that's right Linda, keep your strength up for our Top Chef recap!

[vafarmwife]

Country style steak with gravy baked in cast iron skillet, baked potatoes, and a green salad.

[MaryContrary]

VAFM, do you make a water gravy for that? One of my favorites. If not, what kind of gravy is it?

[vafarmwife]

Plain ole brown gravy- I drain off the excess drippings, bring the pan up heat again, pour in some beef stock (or bouillion cubes with water if no stock) to deglaze the pan. Couple of splashes of Worcestershire sauce or rinse out the A1 bottle, throw in some sliced onions, salt and pepper to taste. Put the meat back into the pan with the gravy and put into the oven for about an hour or so. The pan juices reduce to a thick gravy in the oven.

[MaryContrary]

I love the way the gravy thickens in the oven. You could make a meal out of the gravy and some good bread.

[Cherylptw]

Happy New Year everyone! I've gained pounds already just by reading posts from the last couple of days (lol)...We've been painting the last two days so because we were going out on NYE dinner had to be quick dinner was shrimp scampi and micro baked potatoes with leftovers to accompany, which was mixed veggies and a salad.

NY day's dinner was slow oven roasted pork ribs with a vinegar/brown sugar bbq sauce, potato salad, black eye peas simmered with tomatoes, onions & jalapenos and leftover collards from Christmas.

Tonight the ribs will be making a reappearance to be served with corn pudding, leftover sweet potato hash and a mixed salad of iceberg, romaine, red leaf, cukes, roasted cherry tomatoes and caramelized onions. I've got to clear out the fridge.....

[Harters]

Even though it's a holiday today in the UK, at Casa Harters we've pretty much declared the end of the midwinter festivities. So, it's back to "normal" cooking.

And that's going to be a quick and dead easy curry. Onions get softened; garlic is briefly fried; so are spices (coriander, garam masala, fenugreek and chilli powder). Tin of tomatoes goes in. Everything simmers for a few minutes. Three tins of beans go in (butter, red kidney and chickpeas). They warm through. And it gets eaten with flatbread and the homemade mango chutney. Simples.

[mariacarmen]

roxlet, i am most jealous of: your rabbit pate, your pork butt, the cassoulet, green goddess, and clam dip.... and the fact that you do this every year. what an embarassment of riches. one of these days, i'm turning up at your door - and don't take this as an idle threat - i am not afraid to fly!

[Redstickchef]

Happy New Year to all! Dinner for New year's day this year was sort of thrown together last minute but was still pretty good overall. We started out with Spinach and Artichoke dip while the guys were grilling steaks outside. And then with the steaks we had Tyler Florence's ultimate potato gratin (which was amazing! and incorporated cabbage in the recipe), black eyed pea salad and Brussel sprouts a la Guy Fieri. For dessert I made a rum cake and we had various other sweets. I had a hankering for a strawberry cream cheese king cake but due to the holiday my king cake supplier was unfortunately closed. I will just have to wait until the next party I guess.

[mariacarmen]

oops, reposting here from the old thread, just because i like to be in with the In Crowd....

No cooking yet, still on vaca - Ft. Bragg, Mendocino & Gualala, driving home tomorrow. Absolutely lovely time away. Ate like the proverbial pig all weekend, some good, some just so-so. I did manage to purchase some wonderful looking and much touted smoked sausages (habanero, duck, cajun, garlic, etc.), smoked duck breast, a smoked cotswald, and a couple other things. they're sitting in the motel fridge right now, and we'll probably break them out sometime this week, as a sampler.

[nomadchowwoman]

We spent NYE w/our closest friends--a quiet little party w/ lots of nice hors d'oeuvres. Our host handed me a French 75 as soon as we walked in, and oh how I adore that cocktail. I could have drunk those all night, but stuck to the one and managed to pace myself w/the subsequent bubbles so that I could wake up fresh-headed this morning as we were hosting a small NYD post-football game dinner here.
So today we had some bubbly and nibbled spiced pecans before sitting down to a baked ham (w/an orange marmalade-dijon-brown sugar-coffee glaze), lentils (Madhur Jaffrey recipe), braised cabbage and carrots. My mom surprised us with some stuffed cabbage rolls, which was a nice addition since DH loves them and is not a fan of the braised cabbage. Dessert was cherry-studded bread pudding w/a bourbon caramel sauce, for those who could manage it. (I'm happy to report that I couldn't.)
The ham was good, but I guess I will never be a fan of baked, smoked ham. I will love using the leftovers and bone in soups and beans, but sliced ham on the plate just doesn't do it for me.
HNY All!

[mariacarmen]

French 75! swooning.....

[weezieduzzit]

After a very late sushi lunch, black eyed peas and greens are on the stove for a late dinner. Maybe some spicy shrimp with that.

Wishing everyone a happy, safe and prosperous 2012.

[huiray]

Tonight:

Lentil soup - soffritto of celery, onion, carrot in olive oil; bay leaf, dried oregano, dried basil, saute; red lentils, french green lentils; cubed tomatoes w/ celery & green peppers; sea salt, simmer; rice vinegar at the end.

Agedashidofu - generous portion, entire tofu block used (cut up); used 1:1 wheat/corn flour. No mirin around, just used diluted shoyu + kikkoman. Dispensed w/ the grated daikon etc, just scattered chopped scallions over it. Ate it all. :-)

Monteverdi - L'incoronazione di Poppea.

[mariacarmen]

damn huiray, you really do mix things up! love that.

[linguafood]

Whoa. This thread is filling up quickly! Happy new year everyone!!

Most of today was spent cleaning the crime scene that was our house after a 50+ people dance party (only one broken glass, if you can believe it) which went until, oh... I don't know -- 3:30 AM. Add a bit of cleaning up afterwards, and bed time was closer to 4:30. Ugh.

Even though we had quite a bunch of leftovers, we didn't feel like shrimp, chicken liver mousse, sandwiches or deviled eggs *again*, so went the lazy route and got some Thai takeout with some friends who came over to watch the Giants/Cowobys game (yawn).

We're invited to a brunch tomorrow (bringing along the mousse & deviled eggs), so I doubt dinner will be a big thang then either.

I realize this all sounds incredibly boring. Pardon the interruption '-)

[LindaWhit]

A 50+ people dance party? Dancing until almost dawn? Not boring at all. :-)

[gingershelley]

Today started, after picking myself off the couch of my dear friend who's home I went to for NYE, with me RAVENOUS! headed home and made delish eggs benny with ham and spinach, and a cheater that was delish - TJ's hollandaise (who needs to work that hard on NY's day?), and after a lovely sunny day in SEA,
Short ribs in red wine sauce in the pressure cooker, to be served with a blue cheese polenta and bitter greens braise. A great start to lovely meals in 2012!
Love and NY wishes to all my admired poster's on CH! Wishing you the best meals of your lives so far in this new year....

[linguafood]

Well, boring in the "WFD sense", I s'pose. It was quite a blast. Glad the fuzz didn't show up...

[nomadchowwoman]

That's what I'm thinking.

[mariacarmen]

as much as i had a fabulous time on my weekend, i'd have given anything to be at your "boring" dance party!! one of these days..... Happy New Year Lingua!

[linguafood]

i think you were able to share *some* of the experience on the other coast :-D

[mariacarmen]

( ;

[wineos]

Tonight's dinner was individual filet wellingtons with a side of sautéed brussels sprouts and blanched green beans tossed with lemon zest and toasted almonds.

[suburban_mom]

Honeybaked ham (my 12 yo son's favorite), hoppin john, cheddar biscuits, salad.

[Chocolatechipkt]

Dinner last night was sushi, followed by champagne, cheese, and chocolate at midnight.

Tonight's dinner party was cancelled due to a guest's illness, but we're still having the meal we'd planned: beef bourguignon, wide egg noodles, green beans, and a baguette. Key lime meringue pie, with mixed berries, for dessert.

[LindaWhit]

Superb meal to start off the new year, Chocchip. :-)

[RUK]

Dinner on New Years Eve was a sort of Fondue/hot pot for 2, inspired by the Shabu Shabu station at H Mart on Friday. Surely there are lots of variation on the subject and I did mix cultures a bit. We enjoyed it.

[L.Nightshade]

Very tasty looking spread RUK!

[RUK]

:-) :-)

[huiray]

Looks very good!

I assume this is the spread of ingredients, the cooking was done in a pot of water/stock close by? It's a little hard to tell but I suppose the plate towards the back has beef slices? What're on are the two front plates?

[RUK]

The pot sits next to this on the table plugged in.
And yes, the thinly sliced rib-eye is at the back.
The two front plates hold dumplings from the Hmart freezer - one with kimchi, the other with some green vegetables. And - I was "asking" the fishmonger how to prepare those Shrimp balls they sell, he said Shabu shabu, so I picked up some of those too.

[L.Nightshade]

It's going to be something simple for the first dinner of the new year. I'm thinking salad, peppers, and Italian sausage. We indulged last night in a restaurant meal lasting over four hours, described here if you are interested:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/826004

[LindaWhit]

Something simple after that wonderful repast last night is definitely in order, L.Night - it reads as absolutely delicious! Enjoy the simplicity tonight - there are 364 more days to get indulgent again. :-)

[Rubee]

Happy New Year! We ended up skipping the salad and the dessert, so started with vodka martinis and the buckwheat blini with caviar, red onion, creme fraiche, and dill. Dinner was pappardelle with lobster in a Newburg sauce (butter, shallots, lobster stock, cream, and pineau des Charentes).

My first time making blini, but E decided he doesn't like buckwheat and so we'll do the same on potato pancakes next year. I also bought Vermont Creamery creme fraiche. Just a reminder of how good it is. We both agreed it's not worth buying the other brands that are easier to find out here in AZ.

[MaryContrary]

My goodness, Rubee! That lobster dish! I see what you guys mean about hanging around and drooling.

[LindaWhit]

Told ya. ;-)

[nomadchowwoman]

Yep, serial droolers, many of us, Mary. The front of my shirt is permanently damp.

[L.Nightshade]

Spectacular Rubee! What a perfect NY eve menu!

[LindaWhit]

Oh MY that lobster pappardelle looks heavenly, Rubee! You and E dined sumptuously last night!

[nomadchowwoman]

A perfect NYE spread, Rubee. Those martinis look gorgeous!

[mariacarmen]

rubee... lobster pappardelle... kill me now....

[Rubee]

Thanks all! Turned out to be a very relaxing celebration - simple but NYE decadent, even without dessert ; )

[sunflwrsdh]

Last night we celebrated my son-in law's birthday; I baked a spiral ham, with sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, spinach, and Paula Deen's corn casserole, and Emeril's chocolate covered peanut butter pie for dessert. Tonight will be split pea soup and home made rye bread.

[MaryContrary]

Mmmm. Homemade rye.
For us, it's blackeyed peas, cornbread, ham and spinach sauted w/ with onions and mushrooms.
Happy New Year to all.

[MaryContrary]

Er, sauteed.

[LindaWhit]

Mary, for about 45 minutes after the original post, you can click the Edit button and fix the spelling. :-)

[MaryContrary]

Thanks, Linda. Still feeling my way around.

[LindaWhit]

It's a fun place - and the WFD thread gives lots of great ideas for future dinners! Or just drooling over what others make that you know you'd never make but would love to taste (meaning *I* drool a lot! LOL)

[Jen76]

That's me on a regular basis!

[sunflwrsdh]

Your open house menu sounds wonderful, Roxlet!

[Floridagirl]

Friday I made chicken cacitorre so last night I made baked ziti out of the leftovers. Today, for New Years Day I have to have Polish food so it is pork butt and Polish sausage simmered for hours in my Babcha's sauerkraut recipe and mashed potatoes and homemade rye bread.

[SparkleKristy]

Oh Floridagirl - I am a Polish girl form Florida now living in VA. Reading your dinner rushed me with thoughts of My Granny making this for us, right down to the rye bread. Wow! I haven't had it in so long. It might be time for me to make it myself. Thanks for the memories!

[Jen76]

Anytime I feel a little too proud about my menu, I just read WFD to feel completely inferior! Ha. All your menus sound amazing, as usual, and Roxlet's is particularly stunning.

We are hosting family and having bruschetta, braised short ribs (made yesterday and finished today), risotto, sauteed chard with shallots and pancetta, and apple strudel (kind of the odd-ball desert with that menu, but I had filo dough and apples on hand, so strudel it is!). Happy New Year to all!

[huiray]

What's wrong with apple strudel with that meal? Sounds nice. :-) Mix-n-match is a perfectly respectable thing to do. I often go cross-continent with cross-cultural meals. ;-)

[Harters]

Not at all an odd desert. The meal's got a good north Italian ring to it and strudel's bang-on for the region.

[Jen76]

Well, that's good! I didn't know that, Harters. It's actually more of a Romanian style strudel (not sure what they actually call it). My MIL's recipe.

[LindaWhit]

BTW, Jen - your avatar photo - are those your own? Lovely preserves and canned fruits!

[Jen76]

They are indeed. Thank you! I love making jam.

[Harters]

There's a lamb loin that's going to get a brief roast and then sliced into noisettes, by way of poncy presentation. There'll be spuds and veg. And gravy.

[ChristinaMason]

You are making me very hungry. Brunch time.

[LindaWhit]

I don't do the black-eyed peas/Hoppin' John thing on New Year's Day - never have as I'm not sure I'd heard about it before coming onto CH 13 years ago. Or because it's never been a tradition in my NY/NJ-raised family. But maybe that's why my luck sucks. :-/

Anyway - I'll be keeping it rather simple and cooking to feed the freezer - I'm making a meat sauce with a pound of ground beef and a half pound of sweet Italian sausage, lots of diced and sauteed mushrooms, onions, and red bell pepper all mixed in with canned crushed tomatoes, various herbs and a bay leaf or two, and simmered it on the back of the stove for several hours. Served over spaghetti, and I'll have some rosemary-olive oil garlic toast alongside with a small salad.

[Berheenia]

What's wrong with your luck Linda? Your meat sauce sounds scrumptious.Think I might dump the left overs and go Italian tonight. Even if my wine is from New Zealand.

[LindaWhit]

My last post on the previous thread explains, Berheenia. And wine from New Zealand is always a good thing. :-)

[Berheenia]

Wow - what a difference a day or 2 makes on WFD - I had no idea. I think the beau is the unlucky one. And my husband owes you because I'm not making him eat left overs after all - we're having meat sauce too!

[LindaWhit]

Enjoy the meat sauce and spaghets, Mr. Berheenia. :-) (Psst...chocolate is always a good "owe" payback! LOL)

[rabaja]

So sorry to hear about your break-up, LW. Hope you are being most kind to yourself and feeling all the love and support that is around you. -both here and in your real life, I'm sure.

[LindaWhit]

Thanks, rabaja. I do feel the support and it is much appreciated. Still sucks tho.

So I'll have to live vicariously through *your* relationship, 'kay? ;-)

[ChristinaMason]

Yesterday we had hoppin' John for NYE lunch. I made a hybrid of several recipes, and even included some savory ground beef, an addition I saw in a few recipes. Rather than just boiling the rice with the peas, I sauteed it in bacon drippings and then cooked it in strained bean liquor. When the rice was tender, I combined everything and served with scallions and Tabasco. It was great and will be our New Year's tradition. :)

I made chocolate cookies (CI recipe) with Andes mint chips for dessert/dinner. Rich but delicious!

[Gio]

Hmmm... Christina, you've just given me an idea regarding your black-eyed beans and rice. I made the BYP on Friday and had some then but was going to make a recipe from Nigel Slater's Real Fast Food using savoy cabbage and BEP today. I saved the bean broth and now think I'll follow your sketchy description of the bacon drippings et al and make the cabbage a different way. The main will be a roasted small-ish turkey.

Beans and rice is not a traditional meal on NYD in my family either. In fact. my mother used to simply make a chicken soup to help recover from NWE's over abundance. Obviously we've changed that and NYE's dinner has been Asian food for years... with bottleS of champagne or prosecco.

Happy New Year everyone...! Cin Cin.

[Gio]

Just popping in here to say that I sauteed Carolina rice in applewood smoked bacon drippings, diced onion, and minced garlic. Bean liquor was added and the rice was cooked till tender. I did add a little home made turkey stock as I felt the bean liquor was a bit thick. I served it with scallions, Tabasco, and wilted Savoy cabbage on the side. Not totally authentic but delicious nontheless.

[ChristinaMason]

Sounds great!

[mariacarmen]

cm, that sounds wonderful. completely foreign to my palate but so intriguing.

god i love this thread.

[JungMann]

My hoppin John was also a hybrid, though of several ethnicities rather than recipes. I sauteed the Cajun trinity in bacon fat for some extra flavor, added pimenton in place of a ham hock, added diced tomatoes for acidity and used Calasparra rice in place of Carolina. For meat I used crumbled bacon and the diced leftovers from my Christmas ham. The fob in me could not help but also toast the rice at the bottom of the pan after finishing up the rice: these stovetop rice casseroles always taste better with a bit of a nutty socarrat/tutong/crust. On the side I had the obligatory collard greens.

I've been experimenting with the right hot sauce for this delicious concoction: someone recommended Pickapeppa, which I have yet to try, though cilantro chutney is surprisingly delicious with just the rice. Laoganma is good, particularly for the crunch it adds, as is a sweetish Caribbean-style sauce with habaneros, but I am definitely loving Sriracha on this. I didn't add enough acid to the hoppin John, so the combo of collards and Sriracha really makes it come together. Dessert has been eggnog, which has been gloriously aging since Stir Up Sunday in November.

[vafarmwife]

Spent yesterday cooking to feed a neighbor's family after a funeral yesterday. Made a huge chicken casserole, a meatloaf, a pot of green beans and taters, broccoli casserole, and strawberry pretzel salad.

Today is traditional New Years- country ham, fried taters, fried cabbage, black-eyed peas, and cornbread.

[roxlet]

We're with you on the black-eyed peas, which are cooking now.

[Berheenia]

You are a good woman!

I have to man up to my leftovers but wish my friend who had open house with black eyed peas every New Years had not moved to India.Happy New Year!

[LaLa]

How do you make your pretzel salad? Please ;)

[gembellina]

That sounds fab Roxlet, but today is the first day of the 2012 diet so I'm glad no-one has invited me to a party as good as yours!

A whole month of fried food, pork and booze has left me almost permanently nauseous so tonight is seared beef with green beans, sugar snap peas, baby sweetcorn and a mandarin orange and sesame dressing. Back to the lower-carb, high-veg diet that I had managed to get the hang of pre-Christmas. Left to my own devices there's be very little meat during Jan but the boy is back from his year in the Middle East and does not respond well to veggie food!

Happy New Year everyone :)

[bitchincook]

Tonights' dinner will be Jambalaya made from ham left over from Christmas, andouille sausages, chicken thighs, bacon, onions, celery, red bell pepper, smoked paprika, chili powder, thyme, cayenne pepper, tomatoes, beef stock, brown rice and shrimp. This will be washed down with some innocuous red wine from Trader Joe's.

Later, there will be bubbly and chocolate cherry tart.

[Terrie H.]

Wow rox! What a lovely feast you all will have! Happy New Year!

[huiray]

NYE Dinner:

• Chicken broth with mushrooms.
Chopped up chicken legs, chopped celery (lots), sliced white onion, bay leaf, EVOO, sea salt; simmered for a while, dash of thyme towards the end; poured through sieve. Broth returned to pot, finely sliced plump button mushrooms tossed in, reheated briefly.

• NY strip loin, simply grilled with salt & pepper.

• Klondike Rose & Russian Fingerling potatoes.

• Greenish Salad.
Chopped Belgian endives, shredded Romaine lettuce, chiffonaded Napa cabbage, Italian parsley florets, sliced blanched Gai Lan tips, artichoke hearts.
Tossed with a vinaigrette of whole-grain Dijon mustard, fresh lime juice, sugar, sea salt, ground black pepper & Alziari olive oil.

• Chocolate ganache tart.
• Marzipan cookies.
• Glenlivet 12 year Single Malt.
• Taylor Fladgate 10 year Tawny Port.

[goodhealthgourmet]

sounds wonderful, huiray! though i must confess that i couldn't possibly eat that much food at one meal so i might just go straight to the dessert and after-dinner drinks...chocolate, marzipan, single malt & tawny port? yes please :)

[huiray]

Heh. Well, c'mon over. :-)

There wasn't that much food, really. The soup was just the strained broth plus the sliced mushrooms tossed in, after all; then a steak, some potatoes and a salad. Then dessert + the spirits. ;-)

[buttertart]

Did you make the marzipan cookies? If so, recipe please...

[huiray]

No I didn't. They were home made, though, part of an Xmas gift from a good friend. She makes them every year and they usually disappear at great rates of speed every year. :-)

[huiray]

buttertart, actually she did post her recipe here on CH - she just reminded me. :-)
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7755...

[buttertart]

And I commented on them! :-) Must make.

[goodhealthgourmet]

first NYE without Dad, so it was a simple & quiet dinner w/Mom & Sis. i made his favorite - chicken parm - and some creamed spinach. comforting & really delicious.

i hope everyone had a safe and joyous evening, and that 2012 is a year filled with delicious chow shared with good people.

[LindaWhit]

{{{{hugs}}} buttertart.

[goodhealthgourmet]

hugging me while saying BT's name? if you were having an affair you totally just would have gotten busted ;)

[LindaWhit]

OMGoodness - I meant {{{hugs}}} ghg! LOL

And I'm blaming it on 2 snifters of Cuarenta y Tres! That's my story and I'm sticking to it! And I'm going sleep now. ;-)

[goodhealthgourmet]

i just thought it was really funny :) YUM on the Cuarenta, and i hope you slept well!

[LindaWhit]

It was funny. I'm telling ya - Licor 43 does that to you. :-) And I did sleep - for a half hour until the local fireworks went off (I woke up at 12:10am) and then woke up again at 4:22am (yes, I looked at the clock). And after that, not so much. Couldn't turn off my brain due to recent events. :-(

[buttertart]

Must have been interference by the hug waves I was sending your way, LW!!!

[LindaWhit]

Hug waves always accepted, bt. Thanks. :-)

[gingershelley]

"like' button pressed again. You guys are so funny. I have had the best time this year spending time on CH boards after discovering you all.. SO super, so informative, so fun.

Thanks for all the 2011 memories, and kudos to us all for our new foodie obsessions of 2012:)!

[mariacarmen]

ghg - heart goes out to you.... love that you made his favorite. my mom's bday (she died late 2010) was 12/29, and we took my dad out for dinner, because my mom loved, almost literally, anything, as long as it was with her two girls. i hope 2012 brings an easing of sorrow for you, and peace for your family.

[goodhealthgourmet]

aw, thanks mc. the holidays were really hard, particularly since Xmas day would have been a milestone birthday for Dad and we were supposed to be in a villa in Italy celebrating with the entire family. i couldn't quite bring myself to make the chicken parm that day, but i wanted to do something in his honor for the final meal of the last year we had him with us. let's just say we're very glad to be putting 2011 behind us around here! looking forward to a new round of wonderful discussions and exchanges here on CH, and hopefully i'll get back into cooking regularly now so i can participate in the WFD threads more often!

[buttertart]

Late dinner tonight, after stuffing ourselves with Shanghainese food in Chinatown today...will be cold roast breast of goose, slivered and dressed in a Sherry vinegar dressing with some green onions, on top of watercress, garnished with previously-frozen sour cherries (also local, Harters). Some buttermilk biscuits to go with. A bottle of Bordeaux, and something fizzy at midnight!
Happy New Year/Bonne année/Glückliches neues Jahr/新年快樂, everybody!

[huiray]

HNYTYT!

More details about your Shanghainese feast, please!

[buttertart]

Old Shanghai, Mott at Bayard - xiaolongbao (steamed soup dumplings - nice and soupy and thin-skinned), zha shuang wei (fried two flavors, fish "fingers" in crisp batter with seaweed powder, thin pork chops cut up and fried in salt and pepper style), xue cai mao dou bai ye (doufu skin "fettucini" with salted/pickled red-in-snow mustard green and green soybeans - this is a killer dish, the essence of umami), and jiao bai rou si (vegetable shoot with pork strips, no slouch in the umami division either). No pic of the jiao bai rou si, sorry.

[nomadchowwoman]

Wish I had you to guide me when I'm in a good Chinese restaurant, bt. That looks great.

[buttertart]

You know where to find me if you're up here!

[huiray]

Very nice! Thanks for the pics and descriptions of a great meal.

[mariacarmen]

ah buttertart you never fail to stun, whether you're eating at home or out.

[JungMann]

We keep missing each other during our Shanghainese outings. I was invited to an impromptu gathering at Shanghai Deluxe Cafe to recover from NYE and could have used your guidance to steer us right. XLB were fantastic, but with my limited knowledge, I could only further recommend shengjianbao, string beans and con you bing.

[buttertart]

Keep these other dishes in mind, and always happy to have more eaters at the table! We'll even throw in all you ever wanted to know about Jiangnan (and Chinese in general) history fer free, courtesy of my man.

[Rubee]

That sounds fabulous roxlet!

Tomorrow it's just the guys watching football later in the afternoon so I'll be making something Mexican for brunch - either chilaquiles rojo or tamales topped with a fried egg.

Tonight I'm looking forward to a relaxing night just the two of us. Appetizers at 8 - buckwheat blini with caviar (paddlefish), creme fraiche, and dill, with something-involving-vodka cocktails. Our main dish is lobster over pappardelle and a salad. Right now I'm leaning towards a Lobster Newburg sauce. A bottle of Veuve rosé champagne is also part of the menu. I ran out of time so no Meyer lemon panna cotta for dessert, but I'm sure E will make a decadent liquid adult beverage.

Already prepped this 3-pound bad boy: Shells are simmering for stock for the sauce, and meat is in the refrigerator.

[LindaWhit]

Your main of pappardelle with lobster Newburg sauce sounds wonderful! Enjoy it and whatever decadent liquid adult beverage E creates.

[Rubee]

Thanks Linda! Happy New Year to you : ) We ended up too full and lazy and cognac became the dessert of choice ; )

[LindaWhit]

None too shabby a choice on the dessert, Rubee. :-)

[JoanN]

It was ages ago, Rubee, that you made me aware of Jasper Whilte's "Lobster at Home" and his recipe for Baked Lobster Stuffed with Crabmeat. Don't know why it took so long, but that, with a bottle of champagne, was last night's dinner. I made the stuffing with oyster crackers and can't for the life of me imagine that it could possibly be better with Ritz. A very belated thank you for the recommendation and for one of the best NYE dinners ever.

[roxlet]

That looks so delicious! Forget New Year's Eve -- I would eat that any day of the week!

[Rubee]

So happy you loved it as much as we do. It looks amazing. I used his recipe for Newburg as the base for our pasta dish - can't go wrong with Jasper White and lobster. Happy New Year!

[gingershelley]

Really, can't we get a 'like' button for 2012? Please Chowhound admins? :)

[mse924]

Well sheesh, my dinner sounds so boring in comparison :)

Honey soy glazed baked salmon served over noodles tossed in peanut sauce. Blood orange sorbet for dessert. And a nice big glass of wine. Maybe even a whole bottle if I'm feeling crazy.

Rest of the night will be spent making preparations for Rose Bowl-watching on Monday and struggling to stay up until Midnight. :)

[Barbara76137]

I just looked at the clock and I don't think I'll last another 4 hours either!

[nomadchowwoman]

Now THAT is impressive. You sure know how to ring it in, roxlet.

[roxlet]

Thank you all! It's quite exhausting, I must say! I started with the baking at 10AM, and just put the stuffed shells in the fridge. The DH is making his sausage now, cassoulet is in the fridge, and the rabbit pate is baking in a water bath in a slow oven. Tomorrow morning I will make my rosemary rolls (adapted from Carol Fields's The Italian Baker), and then it is just a question of getting my house -- and myself -- ready to receive company. The last thing to be done will be my husband making biscuit at about 2PM, anticipating the first guests at 3 or so. No milk punch this year, though, since the party has been drifting later and later, and milk punch is apparently a NYD morning thing down south, which is where the the DH was raised. The only thing that is not made by us is a ham, which I don't think we need, but my husband insists it is necessary...

[mcel215]

Sounds like a great party roxlet, I am sure your guests will be thrilled with all of those great dishes. :)

[roxlet]

Yes, and HOW could I have left out the most necessary dish of all -- black-eyed beans and greens! Gotta get some luck this year!

[buttertart]

Yeehaw!

[L.Nightshade]

That menu is amazing roxlet, you must be exhausted. But I bet you knocked everyone's socks off!

[gingershelley]

You go girl! Or, er, you went? I am sure it was an amazing par-tay! The menu is fabulous, and you and DH sure worked hard ( I am guessing you were in bed before the ball fell at midnight?) to finish up prep for the guests to arrive today...
Many happy wishes for a great, delicious 2012:)
You are an admired hound...

[roxlet]

Thanks all! It was fantastic, and we actually waited for the ball to drop last night, and so to bed!

[gingershelley]

Good for you Roxlet! YOu got your midnight groove on, and then the whole party too - you rock!

[Barbara76137]

What time is Open House? And what are the directions to your house? :)

[roxlet]

Too far from Texas, I fear, though we are having a friend who is a Texan :)

[foodie06]

Wow! That sounds amazing! I'm under the weather so its take out Pho for us tonight. Had to scrub our plans for a prime rib dinner.

[LindaWhit]

Awww...sorry you're not feeling well, foodie06. I hope the new year rings in lots of health and you're able to have that prime rib tomorrow for dinner. :-)

[roxlet]

Thanks -- and feel better!

[jenscats5]

Roxlet - everything sounds AWESOME! MMMM

I am WORN out by rich holiday food......so I had a salad for dinner with a lemon vinaigrette....

[roxlet]

Salad? What's that? Oh, yeah, I remember, green stuff. Not much of that here, I'm afraid!

[LindaWhit]

Oh my. Oh my my my my MY! roxlet!

Mmmmm.....would you mind passing a virtual plate of cassoulet, "port butt" :::grin::: with homemade BBQ sauce, meatballs, stuffed shells, rosemary rolls, and then pecan tassies, cheesecake, ginger cookies (GINGER???), brownies, and whatever it is you're drinking?

[roxlet]

Your virtual plate is on its way!