Eve of New Year's Eve

How will you celebrate the arrival of not only a New Year but also a new decade?
I am still working out my exact plans but I found lots of helpful suggestion on the internet!


At

I found a great collection of recipes "Eat Yourself Lucky: Good Luck Foods for New Year's Day"

As a child I was forced to eat "Hoppin' John", I turned up my nose and squinted my face at every bite. Last year I realized it isn't actually that bad. I cannot say that it is that good either but definitely not worth any amount of fuss for just a bite or two to secure good luck in the New Year.

This article also include a paragraph at end about foods to avoid. Lobster, chicken - Who knew?

Snopes can be counted on for other New Year's Day traditions to uphold.

and
is also full of simple instructions on how to ring in the New Year with gusto.

Personally,
I think you should spend the first day of the New Year in the fashion you would like to spend the upcoming year. For me that means:
- In a clean house, everything picked up and put away. If you're really on track, all the laundry done
- With the person I love the most (and others too)
- Starting on the perpetual New Year's Resolutions to eat better and exercise my body and brain more

Oh, and I also like this article about how to make your New Year's Resolutions Stick

In an effort to...

to spend less time at the grocery store (and cooking in general), I have started planning out our meals for the week on Sunday night.

I know I am not inventing the wheel here but I am pleasantly surprised that everything that has been said/written about this habit is true. It has saved me a lot of time. Not only at that grocery store but also in meal preparation throughout the week and space inside my head. Also, I have spent less.

Now, you may say (like I did) that I don't have time to plan. That, that step will take too much time in and of itself. Seriously, I sat down on Sunday night with last month's Bon Appetit, my computer and a pad of paper. Even with distractions on the Internet it took me less than an hour to do the planning.

Now, you may say (like I did) that it is not as fun as going to the grocery store and just making it up on the fly. I don't think that has been true. It is just as fun. I feel charged that I know what I am doing instead of searching for what to do. And the things that inspire me, I file them away for next week or if reasonable incorporate them now. I don't think its drained my kitchen creativity. I think its made room for more.

All in all,
We have eaten just as well but its taken me half as much time and less money. AND it has been just as much fun.

It is not because...

It has been a long time since I posted anything here. A long time - months and months.

It is not because I haven't been cooking, I have been.
It is not because there haven't been other sources of sustenance in my life, there have been.
It is not because I haven't thought about it, I do.

Like everyone else my life is crowded.
Crowded with commitments to make a living, to take care of myself and others and the space that we live in, to keep in touch with my friends.
Just crowded... even if in a fun, joyful way.

I don't know if I'll post more.
I don't know if it matters.
I do know: I'll keep cooking, my life and the people and things in it will sustain me and I will keep thinking about it even if I don't write about it.

What's for Dinner? Week of June 15

Monday (6/15): Ginger and Honey Baby Back Ribs; Spinach, tomato, olive and feta bread salad
Why I thought these two dishes would be complimentary is beyond me? Both were tasty but not together.

From the cover of Bon Appetit. I doubled the amount of marinate and added more honey to the recipe. I also reduced the sauce after marinating and basted towards the end of BB-Qing. I did not make the dipping sauce, it seemed unnecessary and a little strange? In the future I would reduce the amount of salt. Very, very tasty but a bit salty.

Tuesday: Left-over Vegetable Chow Fun from Huong-Tra; Cherry cobbler

Wednesday: Gingery Pork Belly, rice and stir-fried veggies

Thursday: Something inspired by Emeril's Tangerine-glazed pork belly recipe. Given that tangerines are out of season, I suspect I will substitute oranges (or maybe even grapefruit) which are slightly more in season.
What's the story with all the pork-belly? I defrosted a large pieced of bone-in pork belly from the Mangalitsa cache, the piece was larger and more unyieldy than I suspected. So, I separated it from the bone (this piece will be used for Emeril's recipe tomorrow) and I used the boneless piece tonight.

Friday: "Everything dinner" heavy on produce. Produce, I suspect will be in the house come Friday - Potatoes, kale, left-overs from the pork belly extravaganza, avocados, cherries, peaches, and produce from this week's CSA box.

The What's for Dinner? post inspired by Chaos in the Kitchen. It seems to be a good way to both plan and re-cap the week's eating.

Sausage, Fontina, Bell pepper and Greens Strata

Traditionally thought of as a breakfast casserole, Strata is really appropriate morning, noon or night. It can be adapted to utilize what's available in your vegetable crisper, makes use of left-over (or over purchased) bread and reheats well. Inspired once again by this month's bon appetite.

I made it for dinner Sunday night.



Sausage, Fontina, Bell pepper and Greens Strata
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat saute until brown:
~1 pound of roughly chopped chicken sausage (I used pre-cooked Trader Joe's Chicken, spinach fontina sausage), about 7 minutes.
Remove from pan, place in large bowl and set to the side.

In pan drippings saute until translucent and starting to brown:
1 onion roughly chopped about 5-6 minutes
1-3 (based on personal preference) cloves of smashed garlic

Add:
2 thinly sliced red bell peppers
Saute until limp 5-7 minutes. Remove from pan and place in bowl with sausage.

Lightly coat skillet (the same one) with olive oil, wilt over medium heat:
1-2 pounds of greens roughly chopped
Remove from pan and place in bowl with sausage, onions and peppers. Stir well to combine.

In a medium size bowl combine:
3 eggs
3 egg whites
1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons of oregano
2 cups of low-fat milk
1/3 cup of whipping cream
Stir well to combine.

For the next step you'll need:
~1 pound baguette roughly cubed
1/4 pound shredded Fontina cheese

Spray a large square casserole with
Pam (0r other non-stick spray).
Place one thick layer of bread cubes in bottom of casserole. Pour ~1/2 of egg mixture over bread cubes. Mix to coat bread cubes entirely. There will be excess egg mixture in the bottom of the casserole. Layer 1/2 of your shredded cheese, and 1/2 sausage, onions and bell peppers. Cover with remaining bread cubes. Pour remaining egg mixture over top. Spread remaining cheese on top.

Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes. Allow to set for 5-10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Time: 1.5 - 1.75 hours (1 hour unattended)
Servings: 6 - 8 large squares