1 Year Old

Happy Blog-o-versary to me!

I feel about as brain-boggled as I did when I tried to write my first aimless post. This may have something to do with the emotional strain of having one's father in the hospital for 2 weeks after having a lung transplant (thank you, Agent Orange*) after a decade of waiting, the lack of sleep that goes along with that, and finally, fighting the flu, which makes everyone brain-dead.
* (read: F^ck You, Agent Orange)


But my dad got to go home last night! And my flu has just shifted out of the body-ache phase, so everything is lookin' pretty good. I may even celebrate with a glass of wine tonight, flu be damned.


All this means is instead of a spankin' new post, I'm going to link back to some of my favorites from the past year. These are not necessarily my wittiest or most well-written posts. Rather they are dishes I really enjoyed making, but especially enjoy eating.
Maybe some of them you missed along the way...

Orzo Perfection 

Poor photography

I forgot that I used to write instructions to the right of the photos. Maybe that was because my photos were so poor. Bleh.

The orzo, however: not poor.


Pan-Seared Duck with brandied plum-cherry sauce

I was just so proud of myself for getting this right so I could have a favorite dish at home whenever I wanted.





French Onion Soup

Because Julia Child knew what she was doing (at least once she'd published it.)






Tangy Asian Chicken Thighs over quinoa with glazed carrots.

Even when I don't think I'm in the mood for this meal, as soon as I smell it marinating I start to salivate.







I now interrupt my scheduled recipe recap for some Food Porn, because it's that good.

Continuing on...

Stuffed French Toast made for the hubs on our anniversary last summer.

He's so lucky to have me.







Asparagus Soup

Tho you may know it better as my "Detox Soup".






Roasted Squash Polenta w/ Sage-Pistachio Mascarpone & Porcini

Also delicious with leftover roast chicken & gravy on top.






Chicken Chili

Because it is super simple, figure friendly, and tasty!







Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs

Made for the hubs's coworkers for a dinner party. (Ms. Ramos still threatens to move in here.)





The Best Roast Chicken

Need I say more?
Except that it made My First Thanksgiving turkey an unequivocal hit, and yes that's a picture of the turkey, not the chicken.
The turkey was prettier.



Well, looking back at my earliest posts certainly made me notice how my formatting has changed. And the photography. (Hopefully that will continue to improve, but as I don't have room in my NYC apartment kitchen to build one of those fancy "light boxes" it's all just going to have to suffice as is.)

Seriously tho, I'd like to thank everyone who stops by here and bothers to leave comments, because I really do appreciate it. This whole blog started because friends kept asking me "How'd you make that?" when I would only update my Facebook status with what I was cooking.  So, yes it was born out of a personal passion for food and cooking, but it was also to help others and make other people happy.
And I hope I've done at least a little of that in the past year.

Slàinte!

Salute!

Cheers!