Happy New Year in deed!

Our new year is off to a great start and I hope yours is as well!   This year felt a bit like the way we welcomed 1999- the year we were married (February 20th will be 14 years!).  December 31, 1998 we worked on Joe's darling house in Granview- getting it ready for me to move in and making it more homey than bachelor paddy.  ( Imagine the three  mix matched couches (one a futon), scratched wall paper, green felt on the dining room table, oh yes the living room had a pool table too!)  Joe took down wallpaper that was very frustrating, I cooked food I had never made before and took some time and  eventually we had a great late dinner!

This year I took girls to a fun overnight experience with cousins in Columbus, taking a break from the task of taking down bathroom wallpaper!  Joe and Peter finished up and when I came home I put together the menu I selected from my new cook book- Julia Child, Louisette Berthole and Simone Beck's Mastering the Art of French Cooking!!  I have a great JC cook book from my mother- this is going to be a great one for my collection.  So here was the menu:



-Beef au Poivre- Joe's favorite, he calls it his "death row last meal"  You can find the recipe in here.  I make it the way my mother make it and she has a very french was of cooking.  Sure enough it is just like it is described in this cookbook! FYI- we used fillets last night as I wanted that look on my plate and portion. It is better with a bone in steak- usually I'll do Rib Eye- Joe's favorite or Porterhouse- mine!  Also last time I did it I didn't do the pepper prep ahead of time- it does make a difference. I added the artichoke bottoms this time to the presentation and it was a good touch- learned that from Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  Please don't be intimated by this title- I find cooking from JC cookbooks "easy" and fun- she gives lots of tips and "why" you do things and the steps are laid out well!  I also love how she gives ways to correct things at the end of the recipe.

- Potato Gratin- with Anchoiveis and Onions- page 154!  We all loved this- it was relative simple- a new way to enjoy the flavor of anchovy in subtle way- Peter ate several servings!!

-Asparagus- prepared the bundled and peeled way as described in both JC cook books I have.

Our dessert was simple Whit's chocolate custard with yummy cherries from the gift of Cherry Bounce (bourbon) and cookies.  Appetizer was crackers with my favorite cheese spread from Gordon's Grocery- Hagerstown store I adore!!

We set a pretty table- putting it by the tree, bringing out the silver and china and enjoyed the time together.


So New Years Day is here and it is another day that begs the question- what do you eat?  I grew up having to have pickled herring and pork and sauerkraut.  I've found all sorts of ways to prepare the pork- brats with sauerkraut is easy and good.  I love a good roast.  This year we were able to join a fun annual party and loved the slow cooked recipe that has been in the family for years!  I also added Black Eyed Peas - the southern tradition years ago and it has stuck!  I found a good dip that is a favorite- black eyed peas, white cheddar cheese, green chillies- or a hot pepper optional.  I serve this with corn chips.

So we're ready for this exciting new year.  2012 had all sorts of fun and learning and growing for us- we hope the same is true for 2013!!  I look forward to sharing it with you here on my blog as I experience Life on Newark-Granville Road.