Nothing impressive to share . . .

Last night, our neighbor made basic lasagna with garlic bread and some snacky foods as well. We all drank different wines - my favorite these days is a Silver Oak cab, but last night I enjoyed a $10 Lan Rioja.

This morning we had breakfast at the diner up the road. Tonight I'm trying a new-to-me chile from Fine Cooking - Quick Beef & Black Bean Chipotle Chili. We're feeling sugared out from the holidays and are keeping it simple.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Quick Beef & Black Bean Chipotle Chili from Fine Cooking

Last night we attended a party here on the lake. It was nice to see all the "cottagers" we haven't seen since Labour Day now that we are "locals" ! LOL

It was a pot luck which I usually don't enjoy and this one was no exception! Don't get me wrong, all the food was delicious, I just don't like such an eclectic mix of food on my plate especially when they each have a sauce of some sort.

There was Lasagna, Chicken Tikka Masala with Basmati, Cabbage Rolls, Chinese style rice with Sweet and Sour Pork and Swedish Meatballs. I brought homemade dinner rolls and an antipasto plate served before dinner.

Tonight I'm making what Ann had last night, prime rib, Yorkshires , mashed potatoes, gravy and likely beets or maybe squash or maybe both.

I'll try and remember to take pics!

Nothing fancy here either. DH went clamming with our neighbor & we had whole wheat linguini with white clam sauce for dinner using the Cherrystones he brought home. Just had a roll along with it to dunk in the extra sauce. Simple, fresh, & delicious. Before bedtime we had a cup of Sleepy Time tea & a plum.

Today, it's clean out the refrigerator day after having DS & family here until Thursday so we can start fresh with a produce shopping tomorrow. Currently, I'm munching another plum, half a peeled apple, a couple cubes of cheese, & a stale gingersnap & watching the Pats (they look worse than terrible).

/tricia

Last night we went to a local restaurant with friends. We are not big New Years Eve celebrants.

Today, I am trying a new recipe, Pork Ragu (recipe link below) using pork shoulder country style ribs instead of pork butt. A pork butt is just too big for us. Instead of semolina gnocchi, I'm going to make cheese grits. Or maybe polenta.

In keeping with Southern traditions, we are also having black-eyed peas and cabbage. I may throw some small purple carrots into the oven to roast just before we eat.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Kitchn Pork Ragu with Semolina Gnocchi

bbstx - Please let us know how that dish turns out. It sounds divine and I'd love to try it if it's not too difficult.

Sue

Will do, Sue. It is cooking now and smelling fabulous!

I have a stinkin' cold so cancelled out of getting together with the other single women. But about 7, 2 younger couples ( well younger than I am!) called and asked me to join them. They had been through some gut wrenching stuff in the past week and needed to decompress. A mutual friend of the 2 couples, but not of mine, had died and they needed to talk. There were 3 lobster, a couple pounds of scallops, lots of shrimp and crab and a 3 pound chunk of beef filet.
I intercepted and talked them out of cooking the beef too long and boiling the crab to death.....
We had a cabbage casserole, foccacia and home made angelfood cake with frozen strawberries......
What a lovely surprise!.....but upon further thought....I'm thinking they might of thought...."call Linda....she'll know how to cook this stuff" LOL!

Pizza extraordinaire (see other thread) last night. Today, black-eyed peas are cooking (for good luck). We also have a kale/broccoli salad, crab legs with hollandaise sauce, pesto flat bread and champagne.

Last night we had chips and hummus, with some slices of cheese - just snacky stuff. Our bubbly was Buffalo Butt Beer (I kid you not!) I wimped out early, but was woken up at midnight by all the fire crackers and gunfire. I mumbled happy new year, and went back to sleep. What a foagy I am.

Today we're having black-eyed peas, brown rice, buttered cabbage, and DH is doing something with ham on the grill. We'll see how that goes, as it's fully cooked ham. I haven't had cabbage in a long time. I'm looking forward to that the most!

Sally

Last night we went to a friend's house for potluck. It certainly was eclectic. Appetizers included stuffed clams, buffalo wings, baked Brie, lasagna rolls and cheese and crackers. Main meal consisted of crown pork roast with wild rice, chestnut and apple stuffing (my contribution), mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, green beans and a caesar salad.

The roast was one DD got from the butcher shop where she works. Someone ordered it and did not pick it up so I got it on a discount. It was a 17 lb. behemoth.

We didn't partake in any festivities last nite. Had pasta puttanesca......that's one of hubby's favourite dishes.

I marinated a steak in hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger, hot chili sauce, rice vinegar and minced garlic. Grilled it in my le creuset grill pan. Sliced it thin with rice and sauteed cabbage, carrots and onions.

goldgirl (Sue) check over at the New Recipe thread. I've posted about the Pork Ragu. Here's a hint: KEEPER!!

Last night we just grazed on appys...Shaun's chicken wings, chips & Annie's salsa, a black bean dip that I will not make again (it tasted fine, but looked like poo...) crackers and salmon spread, etc (the usual suspects).

Had the neighbors over for a fire, it was a beautiful night even though 3 inches of snow fell on us! But we are hearty Minnesotans and enjoyed being outdoors watching the flakes come down.

Today I made a ham and mashed potatoes & gravy, buttered peas and tried a new recipe, Onion Pudding from my "to try" file. Not a keeper as it's written. Flavor was good, but needed some major tweaking. Not sure if I'll bother.

Linda

Wow, sounds like everyone had a great New Year's meal.

Lovely prime rib, Ann.

Great looking steak, jasdip. That's a very nice sauce to marinate the steak.

I had a few friends for dinner. I didn't cook as much as last week, but still a few. Too many pictures to post here. I will post in a different thread.

dcarch

Sharon, I feel the same way about pot luck.

I like the idea of a meal made up of mostly appetizers.

Jasdip, your steak looks good. Like the seasonings you used.

Go ahead and post them here DC. There aren't many pictures on this thread so it won't matter how many more you post.

Ann

We had a simple dinner for News Years day, a Spiral Ham from the grocery store that I added a topping to, creamed peas and potatoes, Pineapple Scallop and Kim made sauerkraut but it didn't make it on my plate...
There were Cream Puffs for dessert.

Dcarch, I just saw your NY's pics, they would have been fine posted here. You really don't need to start a new thread everytime.

Nancy

Dcarch, if you keep having friends for dinner, you're gonna run out of friends! lol

Looks like some good food, everyone!

Sally

For New Year's Eve we had spinach ricotta stuffed shells, salad and bread. Later we had Champagne with creme brulee for dessert. And for New Year's Day we had spiral honey baked ham, Italian-style risotto cooked the slow way, and fresh green beans. For dessert we had chocolate chip panettone.
Clare

Posted by wizardnm, " Dcarch, I just saw your NY's pics, they would have been fine posted here. You really don't need to start a new thread everytime. "

Thanks. I seem to remember there was a comment (complain?) that I post more than three pictures. Very good looking ham, BTW.

Posted by sally2 "Dcarch, if you keep having friends for dinner, you're gonna run out of friends! lol ---"

LOL!
To make Holiday dinners pleasant; When I have friends for dinner, I always butter them up well. :-)

dcarch

Dcarch, that comment may have been made because you post numerous shots of the same food. Just a guess on my part...

Nancy

Posted by wizardnm "Dcarch, that comment may have been made because you post numerous shots of the same food. Just a guess on my part... Nancy"

Good guess, but obviously not the case.

My typical posts: Two shots per dish, one from the top view, and one from the side, that's all.

I will have more than two if the post deals with mutiple steps of a method of preparation.

dcarch

Ann_t,

Forgot to apologize for going off topic.

Sorry.

Happy New Year.

dcarch

Dcarch, no need to apologize, ever, for going off topic. I've never had a problem with people going off topic.

Ann

I never had a problem with people going off topic either. It happens and if it does not interest me I just scroll.

I like when DCarch has a separate thread......I can decide if I want to open it or not.

I do open them, but if he gets a little "off the wall" instead of having to scroll by them to get to the rest of the dinners, I can just choose not to open it at all.

Sorry DC ;-)

Dcarch, off the wall. No, you must be mistaken, LOL. i really don't mind either way, a new thread or not. And it never bothers me if a poster goes off topic or hijacks one of my threads, it's like regular conversation, it just goes where it goes.

OK, so back to business. New Year's Eve Elery and I had some duck breast that he marinated and grilled and I made a side dish of gnocchi, white beans and swiss chard. I used the red stemmed variety, so it was pretty. I had one glass of hard cider and fell asleep, Elery had two glasses of wine and was asleep in the chair before I was, LOL, we are such party animals.

New Year's Day we had black eyed peas, shrimp and greens, then I had to drive back home.

Happy New Year!

Annie

Ann - will you share your recipe/method for the potato pancakes? I've tried to make them a couple of times and they either fall apart or get too done because I'm trying to get them brown enough to not fall apart when I turn them.

Angelaid, I love potato pancakes but I would say that is is my favourite version.

There is no secret to making these pancakes. I've made them with mashed potatoes that I made specifically for making these pancakes and I've also made extra mashed potatoes for dinner and saved the leftovers for these pancakes. When I make them with the leftover mashed potatoes there is also butter in the mix.

This is not a stiff or thick batter. I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop up the batter.

Mere Blanc's Potato Pancakes
From:www.thedailyspud.com
with very minor changes.

2 small baking potatoes
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup All-Purpose flour
2 eggs, separated
1-1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
Pinch of salt
Pepper
Fresh chives (or green onions)
Butter for frying

Cook potatoes until tender
Mash with a little milk. Let potatoes cool before adding the remaining
milk, cream, flour, egg yolks, salt, pepper and chives.

Beat Egg Whites until stiff. Fold into potato mixture. Do not over
mix. This is a light but thick batter.

Heat a griddle or skillet. ( I used a rectangle electric frying pan) .
Brush with butter. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup drop batter on to
griddle. Cook until pancakes are brown and then flip. Serve with sour
cream.

Here is a link that might be useful: Potato Pancakes

We didn't do a special New Year's Day dinner, since we were on the road traveling that day. We stopped and had a great meal at Golden Corral.

For New Year's Eve, though, we were at my parents' home in Arizona. Hubby got them a new barbecue grill and then treated all of us to a steak dinner, with baked potatoes. I think they were boneless New York steaks. They turned out yummy, but hubby rarely does a bad steak!

Donna

Looks like everyone is starting off 2012 with some good food.

New Year's eve dinner was nothing special - sausage - eggplant soup. We also went to our neighbors' house who served a nice breakfast buffet at 11 P.M.

New Year's day dinner was the traditional pork & sauerkraut, mashed potatoes and applesauce but we had kielbasa instead of a pork roast and also baked two stuffed pig stomachs for guests who hadn't had them for a while. Dessert was cherry crumb and lemon sponge pies.

New year's eve was foie gras followed by salmon en croute with an assortment of veggies, cheese then caramel and vanilla ice-cream "buchettes". New year's day, we had oysters, then I did confit de canard in the slow cooker and tatoes cooked in some duck fat.

Ruthanna, what a cool idea....a nice breakfast buffet at 11 P.M..

I may have to plan that for next year!

Linda