Happy New Year! & Recipes

Happy New Year! I thought I would share a snapshot of our holidays. Baking cupcakes, wrapping packages, Christmas with the newlyweds, visiting family, good food, window shopping, browsing the bookstore & finding new books to read, playing lots of monopoly, bundling up and blowing bubbles and dreaming in the New Year with Big Dreams!! As soon as I am unpacked, clothes washed I promise to have some crafty goodness,  more recipes and such to dish out to you! Wishing you all a wonderful, healthy, happy and prosperous New Year! (hugs)  Theresa 

While you are warming up to the new year you might like to try this potato soup recipe and a salad~
Honestly the easiest and best tasting recipes. Yum!

 Image via For The Love Of Cooking *she has another recipe but takes longer

Baked Potato Soup
Four Servings, prep time 10min, cook time 20min  (*you can modify as you like, last 3 ingredients I leave out)

Ingredients

• 3 bacon strips, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• Shredded Cheddar cheese
• Minced fresh parsley

Directions

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil. Garnish with bacon, cheese and parsley.  All Recipes.com 

Cafe Green Salad
Prep time 10min. Serves 4

Ingredients
Mustard Vinaigrette:

* 1 garlic clove, sliced in 1/2
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* Small splash soy sauce
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

3 cups mixed greens, the darker the better (not iceberg)

Rub the inside of a large wooden bowl with the garlic clove and then either discard it or save it for another use. Put the mustard in the bowl and whisk in the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce (a French secret!) vigorously for about 10 seconds to get a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle in the olive oil as slowly as possible with 1 hand while whisking as quickly as possible with the other hand to emulsify. Lay the salad greens on top of the dressing and toss just before serving. Food Network

Ringing In The New Year

A toast to the New Year! Ringing in the New Year! New Years Day recipe below~

Vintage New Years Noise Makers

Happy New Year Everyone 2010 has arrived! I hope you have had a wonderful holidays and are looking forward to the new beginnings that will arrive~

I look forward to sharing more this year with you. If you didn't know; I love scrap booking and journaling!! I have made a few scrapbooks and have some to do for Wedding gifts this year. I look forward to sharing what I am learning on the way, layouts that I have done and useful links.

Do you love to scrap or paper crafts or journaling? Do let me know. I have seen some fabulous work out there in blog land! If you are willing to share a page layout or tutorial let me know.

Drop by soon as there will be giveaways and more happening here in the New Year!! In the mean time if you drop over to MsArtists Mixed Media Playground you will see my New Years Moon Board and my Winter Journal Pages. I hope they inspire you to get creative in the New Year!

Here are the lyrics for Auld lang syne ~ Auld Lang Syne is a Scottish poem, thought to be composed by Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns in 1788. It is sung to the traditional folk tune Roud 6294.

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind ?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!

Heres some recipes for your New Year s Day or any time ~ Simple and delicious! Recipes are via food network tried and love them, they wont disappoint!

Green Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette, Standing Rib Roast and Mashed Potatoes.

Green Salad-

Mustard Vinaigrette: ( serves 4)

• 1 garlic clove, sliced in 1/2
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Small splash soy sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

3 cups mixed salad greens, the darker the better (not iceberg)

Rub the inside of a large wooden bowl with the garlic clove and then either discard it or save it for another use. Put the mustard in the bowl and whisk in the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce (a French secret!) vigorously for about 10 seconds to get a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle in the olive oil as slowly as possible with 1 hand while whisking as quickly as possible with the other hand to emulsify. Lay the salad greens on top of the dressing and toss just before serving. ( I add dried cherries 1 bag, a little purple onion sliced thinly, 1 red bell pepper sliced thinly and fresh tomatoes. This adds color and flavor that you can't beat!)

Standing Rib Roast- (Serves 6+approx)

• 1 (5-pound) standing rib roast
• 1 tablespoon House Seasonings, recipe follows

Directions

Allow roast to stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degree F. Rub roast with House Seasoning; place roast on a rack in the pan with the rib side down and the fatty side up. Roast for 1 hour. Turn off oven. Leave roast in oven but do not open oven door for 3 hours. About 30 to 40 minutes before serving time, turn oven to 375 degrees F and reheat the roast. Important: Do not remove roast or re-open the oven door from time roast is put in until ready to serve.

House Seasoning: The seasoning mix is more than you need for recipe~

• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder

Mashed Potatoes (serves approx 3)

• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes
• 1/4 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Add them to the boiling water and bring the water back to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan, making sure it doesn't boil. Set aside until the potatoes are done.

As soon as the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander. Place a food mill fitted with a small disk/blade over a heatproof bowl. Pass the potatoes through the food mill, turning the handle back and forth. As soon as the potatoes are mashed, stir in the hot milk mixture with a whisk or rubber spatula. Add enough buttermilk to make the potatoes creamy. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper, and serve hot. To keep the potatoes warm, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water for up to 30 minutes. You can add a little extra hot milk to keep them creamy.

Now what to have for dessert? I always love a good cheesecake! Trader Joes has a great one! Did I say frozen? Only you would know, right? Serve it all with your favorite wine and you have a quick, easy and wonderful meal!