New Year’s Eats
I’m humbled by all the recaps and recipe round ups and best-of-2010s out there among food blogs – I even managed to pull together a list last year on the eve of 2010 – but this year, I’m too busy digesting. My gut is in full protest. (It was totally worth it.) I haven’t even managed to get through one book this holiday, and the pile of clean laundry has been turned into a cozy bed/nest by the dog. Tomorrow is going to bring one mighty hefty dose of Sundaynightitis. On the upside, there’s lots of room for improvement in January.
Last night – New Year’s Eve – we finally managed to have Mike’s mom and sister over for dinner to open the gifts that have been torturing W under the tree since Christmas. I made a leg of lamb with potatoes in the slow cooker (they had never tried lamb before – fortunately it went over well) and a big salad, and a chocolate cream pie. And after they left we went next door – I highly recommend making friends with your neighbours for the ultimate in easy New Year’s Eve outings – particularly if you have a five your old boy and they have a twelve year old with friends and a basement full of video games – and if you can swing a next door neighbour who also happens to be a chef? That just drives your property value straight up.
I wasn’t even allowed to bring anything, food-wise. Wade made (don’t you think that should be the name of his catering business? Wade Made?) pork ribs in the smoker, and chicken wings and drumettes, lamb kofta, crostini with Romano cheese and skillet-pickled mushrooms, two kinds of cheese fondue (one made of goat cheese), a hot rock on which we cooked thin slices of marinated bison, and a veritable vat of bagna cauda with an enormous platter of roasted veg. There were cheese platters, bowls of spiced nuts and caramel fondue with chunks of apple, cake and mini donuts. All in quantities that did not reflect the number of people over. (Totally in our favour.)
As you can imagine, I ushered out the old year a little more indulgently than I meant to. I blame the champagne. And the pitchers of Cosmopolitans. And S for pouring them. (Tip: if you add a splash of ginger ale, it’s like a grown-up Shirley Temple. We dubbed them Dirty Shirleys.)
Today also marks three years here! Three! How can that be? I have all of you to thank for making that happen. Thank you.
January 02 2011 12:45 am | leftovers
Suzy on 02 Jan 2011 at 8:39 am #
Love the Dirty Shirleys! I’m going to have to try those in the new year!
Kelly Morris on 02 Jan 2011 at 8:46 am #
Love “dirty shirleys”!
Happy New Year Julie. Thanks for letting us share in your delights throughout 2010. I’ll continue to look forward to your recipes and anecdotes : )
Manon from Ontario on 02 Jan 2011 at 8:52 am #
Wow Julie is that your home, beautiful
Could you believe my luck, I went to a Sens game on Dec 26 and Korey Kealey was there with her family. I was to shy and didn’t want to bother her at the game, so I decided to look for her on facebook and found her.
It’s going to be a great year
Manon
xo
Cheryl on 02 Jan 2011 at 8:55 am #
Happy New Year to you!
JulieVR on 02 Jan 2011 at 9:32 am #
Nope, not my house. We were invited to a party!
Carolyn B on 02 Jan 2011 at 10:56 am #
Julie, thank you for the last 3 years. I discovered OSC 7 years ago and your DWJ 2 years ago. Both have changed and brightened my life. I wish you and all readers the best year ever!
mmac on 02 Jan 2011 at 1:28 pm #
Three years. Wow. I’m grateful to have been here from the beginning (and before, on your previous site) and look forward to whatever direction you take this year. all the best to you, Mike and W for health and happiness in 2011.
Denise on 02 Jan 2011 at 2:38 pm #
Happy New Year Julie … your blog is amazing and I eagerly await your new postings. Your blog gives me such great ideas … like the salted peanut butter hot chocolate I made for my last cross country ski trip … amazing! I found your baked ham recipe (balsamic vinegar glaze) on youtube and am trying that tonight!
kickpleat on 02 Jan 2011 at 4:56 pm #
Ha, dirty shirleys, I love that!! Congrats on 3 years and many more, I’m sure. Happy New Year!
Erica B. on 02 Jan 2011 at 6:14 pm #
Congrats on three years! So glad to have been here since Day 1 – so many laughs, and so much inspiration. Thank you & Happy New Year
Jan @ Family Bites on 02 Jan 2011 at 7:10 pm #
Happy New Year, Julie!
Natalie (ga) on 02 Jan 2011 at 7:30 pm #
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!
Jesiica on 02 Jan 2011 at 8:16 pm #
Happy New Year, Julie! I’m still here lurking, but it’s been a while since I said anything. I’m thankful for you and your blog! Can’t wait to read what the new year brings.
)
Rebecca on 02 Jan 2011 at 8:27 pm #
Happy New Year Julie! Love the blog – I check it all the time and I make lots of yummy suppers from your ideas. Keep up the good work
ajdoula on 02 Jan 2011 at 8:47 pm #
Happy New Year, Julie – you brighten my day. My casein-intolerant daughter discovered this fall that her system can handle goat cheese – she would think she’d died and gone to heaven with a recipe for goat cheese fondue!
JulieVR on 02 Jan 2011 at 9:02 pm #
Well! I’ll see if I can wrangle the recipe!
Aimee @ Simple Bites on 02 Jan 2011 at 9:22 pm #
Happy New Year! Or ‘New You’ as Mateo so aptly puts it. Rather insightful for a 2yo, wouldn’t you say?
Wade Made. Love it.
Chrissy on 03 Jan 2011 at 12:42 am #
Happy New Year! Keep up the good work! I love it!
Kelly J on 03 Jan 2011 at 10:51 am #
Happy 2011 Julie! I’m a long time lurker but have enjoyed your site from the start. You’ve inspired me with your recipes and you’re my “go to” site for creative food and the impetus to use up every little bit of things in my fridge! I enjoy reading about your life in the food biz and am eagerly awaiting your next book. My wish for you is that 2011 brings you more success and some much needed “you time” just to yourself! Cheers to a great year!
Pat L on 03 Jan 2011 at 3:41 pm #
Happy You Near!!
Love your stuff, your energy, your enthusiasm! Hope to see you soon.
Pat
Barb on 03 Jan 2011 at 5:25 pm #
It has been three very good years. I look forward to very post – your ideas span more than my brain could ever possibly come up with and I am kean to try almost all of it. Thanks for being so open and sharing. Have a great 2011 everyone!
Nancy @ Roving Lemon's Big Adventure on 03 Jan 2011 at 7:30 pm #
Happy New Year, and 3-year blogiversary! Your site is a constant source of inspiration and I hope 2011 is full of good things – and nit-free!
Cathy N in Inglewood Calgary on 04 Jan 2011 at 11:40 am #
Wow! 3 years!! Congrats! My husband can’t figure out who my BFF Julie is who is always giving me such great recipes! He is forever grateful (as am I) for sharing your recipes (and life stories) with us… thanks Julie and here’s to many more years of your wonderful blog
JulieVR on 04 Jan 2011 at 11:43 am #
Aw, you guys are making my day(s) here! Thanks!!
jocelyn colquhoun on 09 Jan 2011 at 10:38 pm #
Hey Julie,
Thanks for the great recipes over the holidays. I loved your choc.hazelnut shortbreads and your cranberry orange loaf and so did our company. You are the food Queen in my books and I always find your Website inspiring. Last week while starting back at my core/yoga class we were talking about New Year’s resolutions (which I have pretty much given up on) since they seem so forever and unkeepable. I was inspired by our instructor Lana who says forget resolutions but everyone needs some goals. I liked that idea because it seemed to me making a daily or weekly goal was more doable. So this week my goal was to drink 3 glasses of water a day and do even 5 minutes of yoga. So far so good. I need to start thinking about cutting back on the sugar but trying to go easy on myself.
My husband and others have been encouraging me to start a food blog. This holiday my teenage son and I had a great time setting one up. I am at foodiejoce.tumblr.com and although I really don’t know what I am doing I am having a lot of fun.
Thanks for the inspiration. Working mothers have so much on the go. You give so much energy to others and your passion for food. Take care of your self too! I think it is easier in small steps. I know easier said than done. Happy New Year!
JulieVR on 09 Jan 2011 at 10:44 pm #
Wow, what a great blog Jocelyn! Congratulations!! how do I leave a comment, or can people leave comments?
And you’re SO right about baby steps – my grandad used to say “life is hard by the yard – by the inch, it’s a cinch”. I think that’s the key to my perspective on things!