Year of the Snake & Lettuce Cups with Shrimp & Noodles

I send you all best wishes for an auspicious New Year of the Snake. Yes, in case you missed the memo, the Chinese New Year celebrations begin this coming Sunday. The Chinese or Lunar New Year starts with the first new moon of the ancient Chinese calendar and the celebrations continue until the moon is full. The holiday does more than mark the arrival of the new lunar year; it celebrates luck, happiness and prosperity. This year’s lunar celebration is a welcome relief. With all the cold and dreary weather we have been having, any excuse to celebrate is a good one.

According to Chinese custom, the New Year calls for a new look and a clean sweep. Tradition demands that we welcome the New Year with new clothes. If you are a shopaholic, feel free to shop ‘till you drop. In the days leading up to the new moon, Chinese families are also busy with mops and brooms. House and hearth are given a good going-over to sweep away any bad luck and clear the way for a bright future. Windows and doors are thrown open to welcome the New Year and the luck it brings. It’s pretty chilly in New Hampshire in February so I think I’ll keep my windows closed.

With clean houses and a great new look, the Chinese celebrate for fifteen fun-packed days. There are dinners with family and friends, special services to honor ancestors, gifts, parades and fireworks. Through western eyes it may look a bit like Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Christmas, Mardi Gras and the 4th of July all rolled into one.

Many of today’s Lunar New Year traditions developed in ancient China. According to legend, a Nian comes out of the mountains during the winter to hunt for humans. Fortunately, the ancients discovered that this man-eating beast is sensitive to loud noises and the color red. To keep the Nian at bay, the celebrations are packed with noisy fireworks, drums and cymbals and red is everyone’s go-to color.

Unlike western New Year celebrations, gifts are a big part of the festivitiesand children traditionally receive red packets of money. Amounts are carefully chosen since certain numbers reflect good luck and honor. Even numbers are generally considered lucky, but beginners beware. Eight is very lucky but four is associated with death and funerals.

But the most important gift of the Lunar New Year is time spent with family and friends. Special holiday dinners with dishes symbolizing wealth, happiness and good fortune are shared. Whether you decide to throw a big party or meet a few friends at your favorite Chinese restaurant, put on your finest red sweater and gather around the table for a festive meal. Have a wonderful celebration and,

Bon appétit!

Lettuce Cups with Shrimp & Noodles
A great choice for a New Year celebration! Lettuce symbolizes prosperity, shrimp signifies happiness and good fortune, noodles represent long life and water chestnuts denote unity. Happy New Year!
Serves 8

About 2 1/2 pounds shrimp
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced peeled ginger
2 teaspoons minced jalapeno pepper
Juice of 1 lime
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup diced water chestnuts
Romaine leaves

Prepare the noodles (recipe follows) and set aside.

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper.

Put the rice wine in a bowl, whisk in the hoisin sauce, honey and soy sauce. Whisk until smooth and well combined.

Heat a little oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger and jalapeno, and stir-fry for 15-30 seconds. Add the shrimp and stir-fry about 2 minutes. Add the hoisin mixture and toss to combine and cook 1-2 minutes more or until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Remove from the heat, drizzle with lime juice, sprinkle with water chestnuts and scallions and toss.

Set out platters of romaine leaves, shrimp and noodles and let everyone assemble their own lettuce cups. To assemble: place a small mound of noodles on a romaine leaf and top with shrimp and water chestnuts. Roll up the lettuce leaf and enjoy.

Chinese Noodles
About 4 ounces vermicelli rice noodles
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Put the vermicelli in a bowl, cover with hot water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain well.

While the noodles soak, put the oil, vinegar, soy, fish and hoisin sauces and sesame oil in a bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste and whisk to combine. Add the drained noodles and toss to combine.

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One Year Ago – Caribbean Black Beans
One Year Ago – Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower & Bacon
Two Years Ago – Chocolate Mousse
Three Years Ago – Shrimp & Feta
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

How will you celebrate the Lunar New Year? Let’s get a conversation going.

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook as well as a day in the life photoblog! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2013

On Being Happy & Old Fashioned Pot Roast

Have you made your New Year’s resolutions? Have you vowed to exercise more and eat less? Watch less television and read more? Give up smoking or (say it’s not so) chocolate? Learn Italian or how to knit? Get organized, clean your closets and throw out all the old junk? Get out of debt? Work your butt off and do what it takes for that next promotion? Spend more time with family and friends?

How about keeping your New Year’s resolutions simple? Simple is good, right? Stick to just one resolution, live a happy life. Does that sound selfish or self-indulgent? It shouldn’t. Remember the old saying, “if mama ain’t happy; ain’t nobody happy.” Well, it applies to papa, the kids and everyone out there. Unhappy people have a horrible habit of dragging the rest of us down with them. Likewise happiness is catching. Your smile, your joy can lift everyone around you. Think of happiness as the highest common denominator.

When the temperature is hovering around -3 and you’re facing a mountain of bills from Christmas, happiness may sound easier said than done. Here are three presents to get you started:

Stay in the present. How many times have you thought or heard someone say something like, “I’ll be happy when…” It could be a promotion, getting married or buying a luxurious sports car. Or maybe you’re stuck in the past, remembering your glory days on the high school football team or how great life was when the kids were small.

Whatever it is; stop dwelling or pining or both. By all means, enjoy your memories. Just don’t live in the past. Work and plan for the future but embrace and make the most of life today. Love your friends and family. Love what you do. Not everything is or ever will be perfect. Focus on the good things in life. Make changes where you can. Fix what you can. And let go of or find a new perspective on the bothersome stuff that you can’t change or control.

Be present. We are ever so proud of our ability to multitask. We don’t just fix dinner. Along with stirring and chopping, we supervise homework, pay the bills, answer emails and attend a meeting via conference call. During the call we make a couple of absolutely brilliant comments.

But dinner is overcooked; the permission slip for the field trip ends up in the envelope for the Visa payment and vice versa. Those emails and brilliant comments? Better not to go there. And finally, the family? Well, they’d really like to know what you look like without the phone glued to your ear. Whether it’s your child, significant other, friend, colleague, boss or customer, relationships are important. If the conversation is worth having, be it by email, telephone or face-to-face, it deserves your focused attention.

Give presents. Maybe it will surprise you, or maybe not, but giving brings more happiness than receiving. Gifts needn’t be expensive or saved for special occasions. They just need to come from the heart. A kind word, your undivided attention or a quart of chicken soup for a sick friend will bring a bit of happiness to both you and the recipient. And don’t forget volunteering and donations to organizations that are important you. Meaningful charitable gifts are much more than a tax deduction; they’ll brighten your day and the days to come.

Happy 2013 and bon appétit!

Old Fashioned Pot Roast
When the cold winds blow there is nothing like the smell of a pot roast in the oven. Bring friends and family around the table for old fashioned food and good conversation. Enjoy!
Serves 8

Olive oil
About 3 pounds chuck roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 teaspoons herbs de Provence
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 cups dry red wine
3-4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons cognac (optional)
1 bay leaf
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sour cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a little olive oil in a heavy casserole over medium-high. Generously season the beef on all sides with salt and pepper and brown each side for about 3 minutes. Remove the beef from the pot and reserve.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, carrots and celery, sprinkle with herbs and paprika, season with salt and pepper and sauté until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes more.

Put the beef back into the casserole. Add the wine, chicken broth, cognac and bay leaf. The vegetables and liquid should come about 3/4 of the way up the sides of the pot roast. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat. When it’s bubbling, cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook at 350 degrees, turning the roast 2 or 3 times, for 1 hour.

Sauté the mushrooms in a little olive oil over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Add the mushrooms to the pot roast.

Put the sour cream in a small bowl. A few spoonfuls at time, add about 1 cup of hot braising liquid to the sour cream, stirring after each addition. Add the sour cream to the pot and gently stir to combine. Return the casserole to the oven and continue cooking, covered, until beef is very tender about 1 hour more. Add more wine and/or broth if the pot roast gets too dry.

Remove the meat from the casserole, cut across the grain in thick slices and serve with a generous spoonful of vegetables and sauce.

This dish can be made 2 or 3 days ahead. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove and then transfer to a 350 degree oven and cook until the meat is warmed through.

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One Year Ago – Pasta from the Pantry
Two Year Ago – Tartiflette – An Alpine Casserole with Cheese & Potatoes
Three Years Ago – Four Cheese Lasagna Bolognese with Spinach
Four Years Ago – Curried Chicken and Lentil Soup
Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Let’s get a conversation going.

Want more? I’ve got links to lots more to read, see & cook as well as a day in the life photoblog! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2013

What’s Important? & Artichoke Crostini

I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions. Maybe it’s the contrarian in me. Or maybe the cold, dark days of winter make even the simplest resolution seem insurmountable. Goals are best set when the daffodils are budding with promise or when September’s golden sunshine congers up memories of the first day of school.

Maybe you’d like to join me and forget about resolutions … at least until March when the days are a little warmer and the sun sets around dinnertime instead of mid afternoon.

For now, I’m taking inspiration from a friend who recently shared her thoughts on What’s Important?

From late November through most of December, this lovely woman posed the timeless question on her Facebook page. Her daily, one word answers were couched with a question mark. Wisdom? Hope? Wonder? Friends? Laughter? Grace? The responses were illustrated with wonderful photographs, some old and some new. From sweet grandbabies to fireworks over Pleasant Lake, her photographs captured family, friends and beautiful scenery. On Christmas Day, her one word was marked with a quiet but resounding period. Love. It was a compelling, thought-provoking glimpse at one woman’s Advent reflections of what’s important.

I’m sure this superb use of social media got all her friends thinking. It did me. Within a week, I knew I would poach her idea. It was only a question of when. And so it’s another cold, drab day. The hoopla from the holidays is over. It’s a good day to quietly ponder and reflect on What’s Important?

The list of potential replies is more or less endless. The best part of asking this question is that there are no wrong or right answers. Or limits, you can have many or few replies. You can narrow it down to one. It’s all up to you.

You can start with a long list of powerful words and images and whittle it down or begin with one or two and build it up. You can juggle your list from most to not-quite-as important or keep it in no particular order. I’m pretty sure it will change over time but if it changes every week, you may want to reflect a bit more. They’re your words, your list, you can share all or part of it if you want. Or you can keep it to yourself.

There is only one rule; you must be honest.

That’s the only catch; each and every one of your answers must be genuine and meaningful. Maybe not to the entire world but to you. There are no shoulds and no coulds. It is not a contest to find the reincarnation of Mother Teresa or Horatio Alger. Your only goal is identify the words that represent the values which you practice and hold dear. Not in theory but in your everyday life.

When it comes to my list … well, there is a whole lot of stuff that falls between sort’a and pretty-darned important. Narrowing it down to what’s truly important is tough but for now I think I’ve got it covered with:

Family. Friendship. Creativity. Writing. Cooking. Play. Achievement. Laughter. Books. Pleasant Lake. Extra virgin olive oil. Garlic. A pinch of chili pepper. Red shoes. A cozy fire. A sunny day. Today. The next adventure.

Yes, I cheated and used a phase or two.

Now it’s your turn. What’s important to you?

Happy New Year and bon appétit!

Artichoke Crostini
In spite of the long list of ingredients, this versatile Artichoke Salsa can be assembled in minutes. It’s wonderful on crostini. If there are leftovers, the salsa is great with chicken or toss it with pasta for a quick and easy dinner. Enjoy!
Makes about 3 cups

Extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
Pinch or to taste chili pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/4 cup dry white wine
About 12 ounces oil packed artichokes, drained well and cut in slivers
About 4 ounces oil packed sundried tomatoes, drained well and chopped
1-2 tablespoons capers, drained
10-12 oil-cured black olives, pitted and roughly chopped
About 4 ounces feta, crumbled
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Grated zest of 1 orange
1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2-3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 baguette, thinly sliced and toasted or pita bread cut into wedges and toasted

Heat a little olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, chili pepper and herbs to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables, stirring frequently, until the onion is starts to become translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and anchovy paste and cook for another minute. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Stirring occasionally, simmer until the pan is almost dry, about 5 minutes. Cool.

Put the artichokes, tomatoes, capers and olives in a bowl. Add the onion, carrot and any liquid left in the pan and toss to combine. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to several hours to combine the flavors.

Combine the feta, lemon and orange zest and parsley in a bowl. If not using immediately, store covered in the refrigerator.

To serve: toss the pine nuts with the artichoke mixture and spoon into a shallow bowl. Sprinkle with the feta and serve with toasted baguette slices or pita wedges. If made in advance, remove the artichoke and feta mixtures from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving to take the chill off.

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One Year Ago – Hot White Chocolate
Two Years Ago – Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Soup
Three Years Ago – Penne Gratin

Or Click Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

What’s important to you in 2012? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below.

I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on theSign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new stories and recipes.

Want more? Feel free to visit my photoblog Susan Nye 365 or click here for more recipes and magazine articles or here to watch me cook! I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good.

© Susan W. Nye, 2012

Holiday Special – New Year’s Eve Three Ways

How will you celebrate New Year’s Eve?
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Are you looking forward to a romantic dinner for two, a cozy gathering with your favorite pals or a rock the block, all hands on deck party for any- and everyone in the neighborhood?

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If you are ringing in the New Year with champagne and romance kick off dinner with a salad. My Mixed Greens with Roasted Grapes & Feta is a little salty and a little sweet … just like you and your special someone!

Next … try my Creole Shrimp with Cheesy Grit. Make the sauce in advance and dinner will come together quickly and easily, leaving you with lots of time for romance. If you and your sweetheart are looking forward to a great steak on New Year’s Eve, add Creamy Gorgonzola to a perfectly Grilled Steak. Serve the steak with a simple baked potato or some yummy Lemon Roasted Potatoes and Stir-fried Leafy Greens.

For dessert, tiny cups of creamy, sweet and hot White Chocolate will be a lovely finish to your romantic dinner. Add a few pieces of Macadamia Nut Shortbread (skip the ganache frosting) and dinner is complete.

If you are spending New Year’s Eve around the table with your nearest and dearest, think long and leisurely. Relax and chat while you enjoy my my Mixed Greens with Roasted Mushrooms. It is one of my favorite cold weather starters.

Lentils are good luck and perfect to start the New Year. My Lentils with Spinach are perfect with Roasted Salmon with Beurre Blanc and Wild Rice Confetti Pilaf. If you don’t feel like salmon, give my Roast Chicken a try.

For dessert … think rich and creamy … like Ginger Crème Brûlée, White Chocolate & Cranberry Trifle or Triple Chocolate Cream Parfait.

For a more a big crowd on New Year’s Eve … a big, cheesy Lasagna Bolognese with Spinach is a great choice. (It was a big hit at my dad’s eighty-fifth surprise birthday party earlier this week.) Alternatively, a big pot of Jambalya, Cassoulet or Curried Chicken and Lentil Soup are all yummy on a cold night. A big bowl of Caesar Salad with Parmesan Croutons is all you need to complete your buffet table.

Dessert for a crowd … I’m thinking brownies, brownies and more brownies. Bake up a batch of my nieces favorite Peanut Butter Brownies and don’t forget the Triple Threat and Black & White Brownies for the chocolate lovers.

For a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog Click Here!!

What are you cooking for New Year’s Eve? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below.

Want more? Click here for more seasonal menus! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2011

Be Nice: A New Year’s Resolution & Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce

Oh shoot! It’s that time of year again. It’s time to reflect on the past twelve months and think about plans and resolutions for the New Year. Frigid temperatures and icy winds are hardly conducive to thinking about changes or making big plans. If by chance you fell short on some of your 2010 goals, now is not a good time to be reminded. Not when you’re shivering and your most notable, recent achievement is a graceless triple axel performed on a patch of black ice in front of the post office. With short days and long, cold nights, January seems like an excellent time to hunker down with a cup of cocoa and ignore the big, bad world.

Unfortunately the Romans picked January for this reflecting back and looking forward thing more than 2,000 years ago. So it looks like we are stuck with it. As I look back on 2010, it seemed like every day brought a new story of thoughtless bullying, greed or worse. So here’s an idea, let’s all focus on one simple goal for 2011: Be Nice.

Be Nice. Hmmmm. It sounds a bit bland, maybe even insipid and certainly goody-two-shoes. Hardly revolutionary, it’s the kind of advice that our mothers and grandmothers gave us when we were little kids. While being nice might not win many prizes, the results could surprise us. The powers that be in Concord and Washington, on Wall Street and in Hollywood may not notice but plenty others will.

Here are five simple ways to be nice in 2011:

Smile often. Smile when you feel happy and even when you don’t. Scientists have not only discovered that smiling makes you feel better, it’s also contagious. What a great twofer!

Say thank you, like you mean it and do. Everyone likes to be appreciated. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to rush through life, never slowing down long enough to say thank you. In all the hustle and bustle, we simply forget to voice our appreciation. A simple, sincere thank you lets family, friends, even strangers know that we are grateful for their help, support and good deeds, large and small. Plus there is an added bonus to saying thank you. More often than not the person you thank will reward you with a beautiful smile and you’ll both feel great.

Say hello. No one wants to feel like they’re invisible so a cheery good morning, even a simple nod, is always appreciated. No, you needn’t say hello to one and all as you weave your way down a crowded sidewalk. But do put your cell phone down and greet the clerk at the supermarket checkout or your colleagues as you arrive at the office. It only takes a moment. Likewise, there is nothing wrong (and a whole lot right) with a quick wave to a neighbor as you pass by on your morning walk.

Practice simple acts of kindness. Hold a door or better yet carry a bag of groceries for someone. Shovel your neighbor’s walk. Volunteer to be the designated driver on New Year’s Eve. Donate blood. Admit you made a mistake. And apologize. Hug a loved one. The list is endless and most acts cost you nothing but a little bit of time. Time is becoming an increasingly rare commodity these days. Giving freely of your time, even a few minutes, is a gift more precious than gold.

 

If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all. If my mother gave me this line once, she gave it hundreds of times. Still I continued to clench my fists, stamp my foot and call my sister a stupid head. When I got older, my cutting comments and critiques grew wittier and more glib. Until, eventually, I realized Mom was right. I still slip; I get tempted and fall. Hey, I’m a work in progress. Aren’t we all?

Have a nice New Year! Bon appétit!

 

Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce
A great dish for New Year’s Eve! Enjoy!
Serves about 12

About 5 pounds beef tenderloin roast, trimmed, tied and at room temperature
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil
2 pound mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 shallots or 1 medium red onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1-2 tablespoons cognac
1-2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon fresh, chopped Italian parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pat the beef dry; sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.  Heat a little olive oil in a large flameproof roasting pan over medium-high heat. Brown the beef well on all sides; it should take about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 20-35 minutes or until a thermometer inserted 2 inches into the center of the roast registers at 110 degrees for rare or 125 degrees for medium-rare.
4. While the beef roasts, combine the mushrooms, shallots and garlic in large, heavy skillet; sprinkle with herbs de Provence, salt and pepper and toss. Sauté over medium-high heat until the mushrooms are lightly browned and tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. (If you prefer, you can do this step in advance. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.)
5. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, transfer the beef to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. The beef will continue to cook until it reaches 120 degrees for rare or 130 degrees for medium rare.
6. Drain any excess fat from the roasting pan and set it on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the wine, bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes, scraping up the brown bits in the pan. Whisk in the mustard and then pour the liquid into the skillet with the mushrooms. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the liquid is reduced by about a third, about 10 minutes.
7. Stir in the cognac and cook for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the butter. Check for seasoning, sprinkle with chopped parsley and transfer to a serving dish.
8. Remove the sting from the beef and discard.  Cut the beef into 1/2 inch slices and serve with the mushroom sauce.

 

If beef tenderloin is not in your budget this year, pork tenderloin is a delicious substitute. Cook to 140 degrees and use white instead of red wine in the sauce.

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What’s your 2011 New Year’s Resolution? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Feel free to visit my photoblog, Susan Nye 365 or my cleverly named other blog, Susan Nye’s Other Blog, or website www.susannye.com. You can find more than 200 recipes, links to magazine articles and lots more. I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2010

A Joyful Resolution & Potato, Leek & Kale Soup

It’s that time of year when we scratch our heads and figure out our New Year’s resolutions. For some it will be easy. They make and break the same promises every year. Get fit, quit smoking, learn a new language, you name it they have promised to do it; not once but many times. I’d say I’m hit and miss on New Year’s resolutions. I’ve kept a few and broken many but more often than not I forget to make them.

But not this year. I’ve been thinking about the kind of year I want to have in 2010. There is nothing like a new decade to give me the sense that something grand, something special should happen. Maybe it’s the holidays; maybe it’s the Christmas carols that keep spinning around in my head but I’ve resolved to fill 2010 with joy. 

You remember joy. It was the feeling you had when a nor’easter blew in and you celebrated with a glorious snow day. It was the smell of spring and the first daffodils after a long winter. It was the first time you got up on water skis or hit a home run. It was the fireworks on the Fourth of July and playing hide and seek until after 10 o’clock on a warm summer night. And it was jumping in a huge pile of leaves on a crisp fall afternoon.

 I came to this momentous decision a few weeks ago on one of my walks around the lake. It was one of those days when it’s dark before you know it and the air is bone-chilling cold and damp. I was striding along at full speed to keep from freezing and tunelessly humming the Twelve days of Christmas. As I was trying to sort out that confusing mix of too much poultry, I had a bit of epiphany. Or maybe my brain froze. In any case, I decided that 2010 should be filled with joy.

 Not a good year. Not a year filled with fun or interesting times or success. No, pure and simple I want it to be a year filled with joy.  At this point I’m still a bit hazy on what it means to live a joyful life. It may be wishful thinking, or maybe hoping, but I don’t suppose it will be all that difficult. No matter how easy or tough the process, you can’t beat the results. I’m sure there are tons of self-help books that I could read. For better or worse, I think I’ll just fumble around and figure it out on my own. The exploration and the journey will be part of the adventure.

 If I have any hope of finding joy, I will need to dump some of the baggage I’ve been carrying around, all those shoulda’s, coulda’s and woulda’s. I’m resolving to close the book on any nagging what-if’s, especially those attached to ancient disappointments, dilemmas and, yes, even failures. Learn from them yes, dwell on them no.

 Next, I will make time to enjoy the here and now. Sure, I will still keep a calendar, make plans and follow up on to-do lists. I’ll still dream. However, I won’t cloud a perfect afternoon with troublesome guilt over an impending deadline. I’ll enjoy the sunshine and return to my keyboard refreshed and energized. I won’t bring anxious worries into my kitchen just beautiful, fresh ingredients. I’ll relax by the fire with friends or a good book, not worrisome doubts. Whew, I’m already starting to feel pretty joyful!

Wishing you a wonderful, joy filled New Year! Bon appétit!

Potato, Leek & Kale Soup

The cold and wind can be brutal in January. A hearty soup is the perfect solution. Enjoy!

Serves 8

2 slices bacon, diced 

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped 

1 leek, white and light green parts only, cut in half and sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 bunch kale, tough core removed and chopped

4 potatoes

1 teaspoon herbs de Provence

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 quarts chicken stock

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish: fresh chopped parsley

1. Put the bacon in a large stockpot and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain off most of the fat.
2. Add the onions, carrots, celery and leek; cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes more.
3. Add the kale, potatoes, herbs, wine and chicken stock; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender.   
4. Taste for seasoning and serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with fresh parsley. 

Chef’s tip: If you have a piece of parmesan cheese rind, add it to the soup along with the chicken stock. It adds a wonderful flavor and depth to your soup.

This soup is best made the day before. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate. Remove the bay leaf and parmesan rind before serving.

Feel free to make a comment; I’d love to hear from you. Just click on Leave a Comment below. To subscribe to my blog, just scroll back up and click on the Sign Me Up button.  

For a printer-friendly version of this posting visit my website: www.susannye.com/id6.htm. You can find lots more recipes on my website: www.susannye.com.

©Susan W. Nye, 2009

What’s Your 2009 New Year’s Resolution? & Salmon with Lentils

As the old year rolls out and the new year in, there is lots of talk about resolutions. Millions of people across the country will promise to deprive themselves of guilty pleasures or strive to be better human beings. What about you?

To get you started on your list, here are the top ten promises made, kept and broken every year:

1. Top of the pops and perennial favorite, we start the list with getting healthy. Millions begin each new year with all good intentions to get fit. Every January diets are started, gyms are joined and we pledge that this is the year we will really, truly get in shape.

2. We are pushed and pulled in so many directions that we sometimes neglect the very people we love the most. Work, commuting and heaven knows what else have a nasty habit of keeping us from what’s important and leads us to the ever popular resolution to spend more time with family.

3. Quitting smoking is still high in the top ten list. Smoking continues to decline so with any luck this resolution will become obsolete in a year or two. We can only hope.

4. Coming in at number four is giving up drinking. Rumor has it that this resolution’s popularity may be the result of holiday excesses.

5. I’m particularly fond of number five, enjoy life more. Why not pledge to embrace all the good things life that has to offer in 2009? It might just be the best year ever if you greet each day with a smile and good cheer.

6. With the economy in a horrendous mess, number six has never been so important. Millions will pledge to get out of debt in 2009.

7. Some do it for their job, others for the sheer joy of having new skills or knowledge, regardless of the rhyme or reason many vow to learn something new every year. I think it is a wonderful idea. I love learning new things, solving problems and tackling new projects.

8. Like countless others, you may pledge to take a vacation this year. Whether you go back to a favorite get-away or explore a strange new land, a vacation can you give you a new lease on life.

9. There has never been a better time to help others. Think about practicing random acts of kindness or doing good work for worthy causes in 2009. Resolving to help others is wonderful pledge for the new year.

10. We round out the list with getting organized. I don’t think I have ever vowed to get organized on January 1st. No, I wait until tax time to make that pledge. (So far it’s not working!) I have no trouble getting things done and meeting deadlines; it’s the filing and tidying up loose ends that gets me every time.

The frightful truth is that 97 percent of New Year’s resolutions are not kept. That’s a whole lot of broken promises. I think I’ll take it easy on myself. I’ll resolve to enjoy life, especially with family and friends, learn a few interesting, new things and do my best to help others. (I’ll wait until April to worry about getting organized.)

I wish you all a happy, healthy and rewarding new year. Enjoy all that 2009 has to offer!

Bon appétit!

Seared Salmon with Lentils and Spinach
Lentils symbolize good luck in Italy and are traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day. Try this salmon, lentil and spinach combination for a happy, healthy and lucky start to 2009. Enjoy!
Serves 4-6

1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup lentils
1 bay leaf
2 cups (more if needed) chicken stock
1 pound fresh baby spinach
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 pounds center cut salmon fillet, skin removed and cut in four pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil

1. Heat a little olive oil in a medium sized pot. Add the onions, leeks, celery, carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the lentils, bay leaf and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the lentils are tender. If the lentils get too dry, add a little more stock or water. Remove the bay leaf, add the spinach and lemon juice and toss until the spinach has wilted and is well combine with the lentils. Season to taste.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

3. Heat an oven-proof sauté pan over high heat. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Put a little olive oil to the pan, swirl to coat the pan and add the salmon. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the fillets and place the pan in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through to desired doneness. Spoon a mound of lentils and spinach on each plate and place a salmon fillet on top. Serve immediately.

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