New Year’s Observations

HOW DO YOU VIEW A CALENDAR YEAR – Vertical or Horizontal?

Each year around November or December, I’ll start thinking ahead to the first few months of the new year but then dismiss the thoughts because it seems far off. I think this is because near the end of the year I feel like I’m at the bottom of the year and just biding my time until the new year comes. Then in January, I suddenly realize that February is only a couple weeks away and I feel like I need to scramble because it’s not the far off I thought it was in December! I wish I saw the months as one continuous timeline without regard to the year but I guess I’ve looked at too many calendars and my brain thinks about it top to bottom. Does anyone else have this bottom (December) and top (January) of the year feeling or am I unique?

GOOD LUCK FOOD

I don’t know much about the stories behind many of the good luck foods people suggest eating on New Year’s Day but there is definitely a variety! Typically, while growing up we always ate sauerkraut and pork which I assume was from our German heritage. Since getting married it has been hit and miss if I’ve eaten any good luck food at the beginning of each New Year. Also, living in the south has introduced a few more items to the New Year’s food list choices as well – greens (collards or other) and black eyed peas.

However, I got myself into some trouble this New Year’s Eve 2010. Thinking I would look up a recipe for sauerkraut and pork on Epicurious, I got drawn into clicking on the many other New Year’s recipes and found myself with 3 dishes (sauerkraut, greens, black eyed peas) to make on New Year’s Day. The trouble came when I wasn’t in the mood to cook yesterday so I didn’t start until around 6pm which meant I didn’t finish until 10pm! Am I the only one that finds these great recipes to try then it takes me twice as long as the time stated on the recipe to make them? Maybe I’m just overly ambitious or too much of a perfectionist in the kitchen. The recipes aren’t really difficult, just involved. Oh well, the recipes I chose turned out to be real keepers since they made less than delicious food taste quite delicious!

Hoppin’ John Salad with Molasses Dressing
(I took a risk with this recipe because it involved spicy things and slimy okra which I’m not a fan of either but the risk paid off!)

Sauerkraut with Apples
(I like the “sour” of sauerkraut but I know a lot of people are not a fan. This recipe does a good job of mellowing the “sour” taste.)

Brown Butter Creamed Winter Greens
(I believe this may be the first time I have ever fixed collards, or any fresh greens for that matter, from scratch. The best compliment came from Kendall: “I didn’t even need any vinegar!”)