I’m sure you’re all waiting with bated breath to see how I’m doing with my menu plan, or Eat in Month…or what recipe I’m posting next. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to disappoint you. It seems working from 8am to 8pm is simply not conducive to blogging (or having a life…or sleeping).
As I try to shake away the work-induced zombie-like state I’m feeling at the moment so I can go to bed, let me share a teaser photo with you. I had a reader request a slow cooker beef stew, so I played around with one on Tuesday. I think I browned the beef a bit too much (stupid multi-tasking!), but overall, the stew came out pretty good.
Hope you’re all having a great week!
By the way, does anyone have any easy, weeknight recipes you’d like to share with the Eat-in-Monthers? Please leave a link to the recipe (or the recipe itself if it’s yours and you don’t have a blog), even if it’s to your blog or someone else’s blog/site.
How did you spend New Years?
I definitely feel like I must be getting old because my desire to go out partying on New Year’s Eve has turned into me not wanting to deal with crowds, overpriced NYE parties, overpriced drinks, or the heightened possibility of encountering a drunk driver. Yup, just one step away from the old folks home, guys. I sound more and more like my parents everyday. Anywho, hubby and I kept things low key and just headed to a neighbor’s house for NYE. I wasn’t in pajamas like last year, but I was pretty casual and comfy nonetheless, and we certainly had a safe commute home.
The neighbors were cooking ribs and wings, so since they had the main courses covered, I offered to bring an appetizer and dessert.
I made these no-cook artichoke-parmesan crostini that I saw in Martha Stewart’s Holiday Handbook. They were so easy, and I thought they tasted pretty good, too.
At the neighbor’s house, they also had blacked eye pea salad, Italian-cheese-bread, and the aforementioned wings and ribs. Everything was fantastic. I’m lucky to have a neighbor who can cook! 
For dessert, my neighbors taste-tested my Peppermint Snow/Dough Balls, and we all enjoyed some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from a recipe I’m playing with.
We hung out, enjoyed eats, and watched Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve. We didn’t last long, though, because hubby was feeling under the weather and wanted to go home before midnight. I was a-ok with that since it meant I could wear pajamas and that we could watch the ball drop with Bailey.
Farewell 2011! Welcome 2012!
***
A couple years ago, I made cinnamon rolls and mini frittatas for the first meal of the year. I was thinking that could be a fun tradition, but ultimately, I decided that sleeping in was more important. So, instead, I made one of these much-faster Individual Egg Bakes (subbing parmesan and parsley this time) with some buttered whole grain toast.
Post-breakfast, I headed to the grocery store to stock up for Eat in Month (are you playing along yet?). And since hubby was still feeling sick, I whipped up a batch of Mom’s Get Well Soup for lunch.
And so we could have a relaxing first day of the year, I also prepped Mom’s Pot Roast for dinner. The cozy meal really hit the spot.
With the addition of some simple collards and black eyed peas, we enjoyed a real Southern feast. The only thing missing was the corn bread (which we actually had leftover from the poker party! Doh!).
Ok, these photos are making me hungry and we have leftovers to enjoy. I’m off to dig in!
What are your New Year traditions? Did you eat anything special this year to celebrate the new year?
by Diana on January 1, 2012
in Life
I’d be lying if I said that 2011 was one of the best years of my life. The more appropriate word is probably “challenging.” Yes, 2011, you challenged me in ways that had me crying like a baby. Unfortunately for TCL, I’m not comfortable discussing those exact challenges here on the blog. Nothing truly extreme is going on, I just need to work through some things. The soul-sucking nature of my challenges, however, left me feeling a little less than human. I felt like I let those challenges get the best of me, letting it rob me of my energy and enthusiasm. I feel like I pushed people away, lost some of my mojo, and often accomplished things by forcing my way through the motions and sometimes running off of auto-pilot.
But even though all this was going on the in the background, I think it would be unfortunate to not recognize some of the good things that happened in 2011. The year may have been a struggle, but it wasn’t a loss. Let’s look at the bright side…
Here are some of my favorite highlights from 2011:
January
January brought the announcement of a fun style of cooking/baking for TCL – Not So Sweet. I have nothing against sugar. You guys know I am a major sweet-tooth. But sometimes, some recipes turn out overly sweet in a way that gives me a headache instead of a happy smile. Not So Sweet recipes feature desserts that are enjoyable and just sweet enough. Some of my favorite Not So Sweet recipes include: Irresistible Coconut Macaroons, Healthy {Oatlicious} Zucchini Bread and Muffins, and Vegan Coconut Cream Pie.
February
In February, I got my first gig being “hired” as a photographer. Ok, so I actually just trade my photography skills for brunch, but I was still the “official photographer” for a fun event and I enjoyed a fabulous meal, too.
March
In March, I kicked off Project Get Glam. I described it saying, “It’s not about being superficial, it’s about having self-pride.” It was also excuse to wear more glitter, and I’ve been enjoying wearing bright eye make-up to Zumba (yes, still), and glitter every once in awhile.
I also went on an epic 13-hour bar crawl where I learned how to play spin-the-bottle-dance-off. It’s fun. You should try it.
April
In April, I kept up an Earth Day tradition.
May
In May, I tried Masala Bhangra for the first time and even got to meet the founder – Sarina Jain!
June
June was a busy month. I enjoyed a crazy-fun beach trip with friends, went to the lake with hubby’s family, and initiated one of my favorite challenges – Project Veg-Up (and my mom even played along!)
July
July – two words: Zumba and Convention. Zumba Convention was one of the most unique, most fun, more colorful, and most wonderful experiences of my life…honestly. If you’re a Zumba instructor, it is worth saving your money up to go. Do ittttttt!
August
August brought one of my most life-changing challenges to date – Project Think Positive. As a normally negative thinker, I was very surprised by the results of this challenge. Positive thinking can work!
September
In September, I began fashion blogging again right here on TCL.
October
I celebrated my birthday a little late, but in a very cool way. My friends planned a bar crawl just for me and two of my friends from college visited me to celebrate!
November
November brought a lot of great things: QT with my extended family, meeting Anthony Bourdain & Eric Ripert, Foodbuzz Festival, one of the best meals of my life, and meeting Tyler Florence. It was the foodiest month of the year for me!
December
And I enjoyed three Christmas celebrations in December – one with my family, one with hubby’s, and one for ours.
***
2011, you may have kicked my a$$, but we had some good times. Now, let’s hope 2012 is the year I turn things around! Time to channel my inner warrior queen and take charge. Here we go!
{Click here to check out my year in review for 2010}
We enjoyed a slow morning with family the day after Thanksgiving. No Black Friday shopping for us.
Rose had pancakes, bacon, and coffee waiting for us when we woke up.
And she even made me some of her special oregano elixir since I’m feeling a cold coming on.
{Heidy, Mario, Sis, Rose, me, Ben}
We bid adieu to the family, and a smaller group of the young crowd headed out for our favorite Atlanta tradition – dim sum.
{Leo, Lindsay, and Sis}
We trekked over to the Oriental Pearl (where Sis and I went somewhat recently) in search of dumplings and other deliciousness. The last time I came here with cousins, a few years ago, the restaurant had converted from the amazing dim sum restaurant to a run-of-the-mill buffet. We were so sad to think our tradition had disappeared. It wasn’t until Sis and I made our trip to the OP in May that we discovered the dim sum was back in action! Hazzah!
The restaurant was far less busy and had a smaller selection since it was a weekday, but the carts were swinging by within just a couple minutes, and they proved to have most of our favorites.
We quickly snapped up some har gow, steamed BBQ pork buns, and shui mei.
We got one of the long shrimp dumplings (and a beef one – not pictured).
Crispy shrimp balls.
Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce.
Love their plates by the way!
Baked BBQ pork buns.
With a plate full of my favorite eats, I was one happy eater.
So was Leo.
And sis and I tried a new dessert – a sort of mango jello-type dessert with evaporated milk poured on top.
(I believe this is a photo from a dim sum trip from the early ninties – and do you recognize the girl to the far right?! )
As I mentioned earlier, we made many trips to visit our cousins over the years. Each trip ended with a family trip to the Oriental Pearl for dim sum.
The adults were busy this trip, so the new dim sum crew held down the tradition for this adventure. It’s interesting to think about the transition that is already under way – from the old crew to the new crew. And it’s fun to think about this table being filled in a few years with our children, who will be the next future dim sum crew!
sometimes the food is the best because of the context
The trip reminded me of something Anthony Bourdain said in that show I saw recently. When asked about finding the best food, Anthony said that sometimes the food is the best because of the context. He’s so right! I mean, the food at the Oriental Pearl is delicious, but what makes it so special is the company, the familiarity, and the sentimentality of the experience. We’ve been eating at the Oriental Pearl for about 20 years now, and I hope we get to enjoy at least 20 more years together.
