New recipe, December 31, 2012

We had a great dinner out with Mark's family, so our new recipe was the Blue Steel Cocktail, from the January 2013 Food and Wine. We give it a 4-a fun tiki bar type drink.

New recipe, December 30, 2012

Italian Wedding Soup, from the February 2012 Food and Wine. This is amazing--great ingredients, added at the perfect moment, virtually no spices, and still delicious! We give it a 5!!

Wine: Tenuta Sant' Antonio Nanfrè Valpolicella 2008

New recipes, December 29, 2012

José Andrés' Roast Chicken Thighs with Lentil Stew, from the February 2012 Food and Wine. Wonderful! We give it a 4. Served with a Fattoush Salad freely adapted from a bunch of recipes--the dressing had not only lemon juice, garlic, salt and olive oil, bit also some honey and balsamic vinegar--also a 4.

Wine: Chateau Ste Michelle Merlot Columbia Valley 2009

New recipe, December 28, 2012

Emeril Lagasse's Pasta with Roasted Squash, Sausage and Pecans, from the February 2012 Food and Wine. Lovely--we give it a 4!

Wine: Garnacha de Fuego Old Wines 2009

New recipe, December 27, 2012

Toasted Farro and Scallions with Cauliflower and Egg from the January 2013 Food and Wine. Delicious! This gets a 4.

New recipe, December 26, 2012

Carl was traveling, so we had a cocktail as the new recipe--the VPB Daiquiri, from the folks that make St Germain. It is nice--we give it a 3.

New recipe, December 25, 2012

My contribution to Christmas Dinner, from the December 2012 United Airlines Hemisphere's Magazine -- Whipped Ricotta and Pear Crostini. This was a lot of fun--we give it a 5!!