 I had no idea that there were so many traditions involving New Years Day feasts. When I was a kid, I could count on my mom making a giant batch of pork and sauerkraut for our family every year and I just assumed that that's what everyone else was eating on New Years Day as well. 🤷🏻♀️ After a little research, I discovered that there are all sorts of "lucky" foods to eat to kick off a brand new year. What you choose to eat to commemorate this special day depends greatly on the place in the world that you call home. Topping the list of New Years Day foods that are believed to bring you luck and prosperity for the upcoming year:
I'm not a believer in "luck" by any means but I love the tradition of starting a brand New Year with a special meal. I tend to lean towards the pork tradition because I grew up in Northeast Ohio. (and that's what my mom made) I usually opt for black eyed peas as a side instead of the sauerkraut though. (A homage to my current Southern residence.) And, not that I know that cake is a traditional New Years Day dessert though - I'm on board. (Surprised?) 😂🍰  I'm fairly certain that I could include all 7 of the top "lucky" foods in a New Year's Day menu. Again - not because I think it will bring me good fortune in the coming year but simply because I love a good food challenge. That actually sounds like a delicious way to start 2021. Chances are, Pork Cordon Bleu was not your first thought when planning a New Year's Day feast but maybe I can convince you that it's the perfect choice. This elegant looking pork dish is not only easy to prepare but it's also delicious. Your family and friends will be wowed by the beautiful presentation and amazing flavor combination, but you'll be the only one to know how simple it was to prepare. Throw in a side of black eyed peas or collards and you've got yourself a very good meal that might just bring you good luck in this new year.  Pork Cordon Bleu Mustard Sauce 3/4 cup sour cream 1/4 cup dijon mustard 2 Tablespoons fresh chives, minced 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper Pork 1/4 cup flour 2 eggs 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard 1 1/2 cups panko 1 pork tenderloin 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup oil 8 thin slices deli black forest ham 1 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
  What did you eat on New Years Day? This inquiring mind wants to know.
Ciao!
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It didn't take a lot of convincing to get my husband on board with the cheese and chocolate sampling. I did have to do some persuading to get my better half to buy into the fact that cheese fondue was going to be a sufficiently filling and satisfying meal, however. No sooner had he reluctantly agreed to share a pot of cheese fondue with me for lunch, that a group of 6 very large, very burly, very hungry, Swiss workmen sat down at the table right next to us. They were all served giant meat pies for their meal while we sat dipping our tiny potatoes skewered onto dainty forks in a shared pot of cheese fondue. I'm not sure that my husband has ever felt more emasculated. 😂 He was convinced that they were making fun of his petite lunch choice. Dainty or not - it was delicious. Oh, and before we left, he ordered the biggest dessert on the menu to compensate for his less than masculine lunch portion. Fondue in Switzerland is typically served with a bag of small potatoes and some bread cubes. It's simple and delicious. The fondue that I make at home doesn't even compare to the fondue in Switzerland but it's fun to make and relive those memories of our European adventures. I'm a fan of potatoes but when I made fondue for guests, I gathered up some other tasty treats to dip in our cheese. By far the favorite of all of the choices were the pears. The pear with the cheese fondue was a surprisingly delightful combination. 🍐  Cheese Fondue 1 Tablespoon olive oil 2 shallots, finely chopped 3/4 cup dry white wine 1 1/4 cups heavy cream 8 ounces cream cheese 8 ounces Gruyere, grated (2 cups) 6 oz. Emmenthaler, grated (about 1 1/2 cups) Pinch freshly grated nutmeg and black pepper
 Transfer mixture to a fondue pot and serve with breadsticks, vegetables and fruit.  Happy New Year!!!
Ciao!  To say that things got a little hectic here over the holidays would be an understatement. I baked, decorated, frosted and sprinkled until I didn't have any feeling left in my right arm. 🎂😅 I'm so grateful for all of the clients that ordered holiday desserts from me and I wouldn't want to spend my December any other way. I was so consumed with holiday baking that I feel like there were lots of general tasks that got neglected. Overall cleaning of the house and the responsibility of preparing meals and grocery shopping got transferred to the two super helpful people with whom I share this house. It turns out that hunger is great motivation to get them to do the shopping. 🤷🏻♀️  Since his recent exposure into the world of grocery shopping, I will say that my husband now has a better understanding of why shopping for food can bring even the most seasoned shopper to tears. 🤣 Sending him out on Christmas Eve gave him a glimpse into what it's like to deal with overcrowded stores with empty shelves and less than helpful employees. 😬Fifty mile roundtrip journey - five stores later - still no calamari. 🦑 Ironically, after all that running around, my quick thinking husband went across the street to the Italian restaurant and picked up an amazing calamari appetizer - already cooked and ready to serve. #pamendiesforthewin Meals in our house last month had to fit into 3 categories. They had to be quick, easy to make and most importantly - not take a lot of counter space to prepare. (Christmas cookies take priority in the kitchen.) This Spiced Citrus Chicken fit the bill perfectly. AND it was delicious. That's really the most important criteria of all.  Spiced Citrus Chicken Dressing 1/4 cup oil 3 Tablespoons shallot 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon salt Chicken 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/3 cup flour 4 boneless chicken breasts 2 Tablespoons oil 2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
 Sprinkle with cilantro.
Looking forward to a very healthy new year. Ciao!  Christmas Eve dinner is an unusually small affair at the Davis house this year. There might only be three of us but that certainly won't stop us from enjoying our feast of the Seven Fishes tonight. 🐟 My goal was to try and simplify our Christmas Even meal so that we weren't stuck eating the leftovers for a solid week. 😅It's actually more challenging than I thought to plan a meal incorporating seven different types of fish for only three people. Anyone ever try and purchase 6 clams, 6 scallops, 6 mussels, 6 shrimp, 1 salmon filet, 1 tuna steak, 2 squid tubes and 1 lobster tail from the grocery store? More importantly, anyone know how to cook all of that in under 4 hours? 🤷🏻♀️
As you can probably deduce from the pictures, I went with the first option. I put 6 different types of seafood into one amazing pasta dish. It was so hearty and delicious AND it didn't take all afternoon to prepare. I had it ready to serve in under an hour. As for the final fish - we had clam chowder for an appetizer.  Seafood Pescatore
 Drain the pasta, top with a scoop of the tomato sauce and toss well.  Sprinkle some gremolata on each dish.  Serve with grated cheese.
 It's hard to plan a holiday feast without some kind of potatoes. 🥔They're the ultimate comfort food. What would Thanksgiving be without a giant bowl of mashed potatoes? How do you serve an Easter ham without a cheesy, scalloped potato dish to accompany it? And I can't even want to imagine a 4th of July cookout without cool and creamy potato salad. Potatoes - they're the perfect compliment to almost any meal and Christmas is no exception. These hasselback potatoes are the perfect side for a prime rib or a beef tenderloin but they're also fancy enough to make even my most ordinary dinner seem festive. Somehow, meatloaf on a Tuesday night just seems extra special when I serve it with elegant hasselback potatoes.  Don't be intimidated by these potatoes sliced in uber thin layers. I'll let you in on my secrets to cutting these little beauties. Start in the middle of each potato and use a sharp knife to cut thin slices to one end. When one half is sliced, start in the middle again and slice the other half. The key to hasselback potatoes is to not cut completely through the potato so that the bottom remains intact. Otherwise - you'll end up with a pile of potato chips. 😂 The easiest way to do this is to lay a wooden spoon on the cutting board next to the potato. With each cut, slice straight down just until you reach the spoon. If you take your time and cut slowly - you'll have no trouble making beautifully sliced hasselback potatoes.  Hasselback Potatoes 3 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes 4 Tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 4 sprigs fresh rosemary salt and pepper
 Roll potatoes in oil and place, cut side up on baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.  Roast 30 minutes at 450.  Use tongs to gently squeeze potato and open up folds. Roast another 30 minutes.  Merry Christmas friends!
Ciao! |
