We rang out 2023 with beef braised in red wine. Served with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes (not pictured).
About 30 minutes from the end of cooking, I fortified the braise with as many vegetables as the pot would hold: rainbow carrots, sautéed mushrooms, and frozen pearl onions. All that veg really made the sauce.
Best of all—leftovers!
Reflecting on the last year yesterday didn’t put me in a celebratory mood, nor did I feel much like performing for our annual First Night gig… but sometimes ya simply gotta put on yer big girl pants and suck it up. Everything went over well, and we had a great & appreciative crowd 
Watched Bad Santa (as we didn’t for our xmas tradition) before we went to a party a couple of friends hosted. We’d shared a bowl of pork chile verde for our drinking base, as last year’s party favors consisted mainly of cheese and crackers.
This year, the host pulled out all the stops: yes, cheese & crackers & charcuterie, but also bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, lovely braised pork, chicken karaage, and shrimp. Nobody touched the crudités I mean veggie tray, as usual. Oh, and a German friend of ours made her traditional NYE oliebollen my PIC is obsessed with, looks forward to every NYE., and which he ended up taking home. ALL of them 
Despite my initial reservations, I had a really good time – we danced, we drank, we laughed. We got home around 2:30am.
And now we are entering “no food” January, which should make for some interesting WFD posts coming up 
Happy New Year to y’all… or at least happier than the last. A girl can dream.
We are transitioning. The black-eyed peas and cornbread (with cheese and jalapeños and with bacon fat to grease the cast iron muffin pan. Tonight is vegetarian potstickers.
Mine is an '08 too! Still love it.
Had a 2003 (Mini, Sr.) and now we have a 2013 (Mini, Jr.). We’re a 1-car family and prefer bicycling/public transportation. Road trips can sometimes approach clown car territory. 
Big droolz here. Invite me next year 
Come over now. There are beaucoup leftovers.
Thank you so very much, Linda. That sounds scrumptious. I have about 4 rich meals I want to make. Will have to spread them out over the next few months. I can’t eat rich food the way I used to do so.
And keep on working as long as you enjoy it. I thoroughly enjoyed my occupation and had the most wonderful group of employees working for me. I did not retire until I was 72 and would have kept on working except for my health decided to get bad after all those years of extremely good health. I enjoyed every single minute of work. I must say I adjusted very well to retirement, also. I have never had a day of boredom since retirement, as so many people say they do. There are so many things to keep one busy. The computer is a retiree’s best friend.
And thank you for the mac and cheese recipe. I don’t know if that is the one I had, but will know when I make it. Thank you for taking the time to type it and the other one up and send to me.
Holy moly that looks wonderful!
A post was merged into an existing topic: What’s For Dinner #102 - the Out With the Old Edition - January 2024
Catch up bruv! 
Party has moved over here 
Took care of the post move.
Thanks!
Happy new year! Late dinner / midnight snack:
Caviar with crème fraîche on petit toasts, more caviar with crème fraîche on fried egg flavored potato chips. And champagne.
But he looks so cute!
This face, on my large work monitor, is even MORE cute than on my phone screen! Absolutely adorable!
That’s not far from me. I’ll have to try it soon!!!
The fried chicken and pork dumplings are excellent, (and are for takeout only). The regular Bloom restaurant is excellent, if you haven’t tried it before. It is a mixture of French and Korean fusion. Chef Woo is very talented.
thats a terrific chicken recipe, good choice!
