Cheers to the New Year

Jan. 1, 2011


12:00am:  The light turns red at La Cienega and Wilshire.  Look at my phone.  Announce to Robert it's midnight.  Lingering kiss.


12:30am:  Pop the champagne we brought to the party.  Sing bad karaoke, watch people open ridiculous gag gifts.  Love mine, because I love giving everything a personality.


2:30am: Take this photo with my new reindeer Ruth, who keeps getting upset because I keep mistaking her for a moose and picking her soft little nose.

3:30am: Tuck into bed with kitties lying on my legs.


8:00am: Wake up to the sound of drilling on my home.


8:15am: Hear a guy yelling about phones being down.


9:00am: More drilling.


1:00pm: Wake up again.


5:00pm: Walk to Bristol Farms.


8:00pm: Prepare homemade bruschetta and pasta primavera while watching The Twilight Zone marathon.


Oh happy, languid day.


Drive slow and enjoy the scenery - drive fast and join the scenery.
~ Douglas Horton


A little of both makes life perfect.

Hello 2011

The Last Supper

What will be your final dinner of 2010?  No matter how eager you are to say goodbye, please don't do it with cheese, crackers and a cheap bottle of champagne.  Pay your final respects to the year (and protect yourself from a hangover) with a hearty meal before you pop the champers.  I promise you'll be in heaven ushering in 2011.


I make this meal at home all of the time.  It may seem rich, but I never feel weighed down afterward.  The secret is the boiled spinach!  If you want a more decadent version, saute the spinach with a bit of olive oil and shallots.

New Year's Eve Menu


Filet Mignon with Cracked Peppercorns
Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
Flash Boiled Spinach 


What you will need for two servings:

• Two 4-6oz cuts of filet mignon - Trader Joe's sells them in pairs
• 4 russet potatoes
• 6 cups of spinach - fill up a plastic bag at the market or buy a ready to serve bag
• Worcestershire Sauce
• red wine
• garlic powder
• Lawry's seasoning salt
• whole peppercorns
• salt
• 1tbs butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• paprika
• A loaf of crusty bread if you love your carbs like me

1. Marinate the steaks in the dish they came in or a bowl.  Sprinkle 2 tbs of Worcestershire sauce, 2tbs of red wine, 1tsp garlic powder and 1tsp Lawry's seasoning salt over the steaks.  Place 2 tbs of whole peppercorns onto a cutting board, crush with the underside of a skillet and sprinkle half the pepper on the steaks. Save the rest of the pepper for later, when we'll pepper the other side.

2. While your meat is marinating, peel and quarter the potatoes, throw them in a pot, cover with water and 1tbs salt.  They'll cook in about 15 minutes.

3.  While your potatoes are boiling, heat a skillet over medium heat.  Add 1tbs of olive oil.  Saute meat with peppercorn side down for 4-5 minutes.  While it's cooking, you'll repeat what you did for your marinade on the other side.  Sprinkle 2 tbs of Worcestershire sauce, 2tbs of red wine, 1tsp garlic powder, 1tsp Lawry's seasoning salt over the steaks and finish with the rest of the crushed peppercorns.  Flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes.


4. Turn on your broiler.  Heat a big pot of water for your spinach.


5. Place the steaks on a cooking sheet, broil for 3-4 minutes.

6. Take out steaks, cover with foil and let them rest.


7.  Check your potatoes.  If they are soft, (feathering at the edges and fall apart when pierced with a fork) drain all of the water, mash with a potato masher in the pot, then add 1tbs butter.  Mash the butter until it's melted, then add 1/4 cup of milk, 1/4 cup sour cream and 1tsp salt.  Mash and whip together.  Taste the potatoes and if it tastes a bit bland, add sour cream by the dollop and salt sparingly to taste.   Trust your tastebuds! :)  Cover your potatoes and get ready to cook the spinach.

7. When your pot of water is boiling, add all of the spinach (it will cook down) and boil for two minutes, then pour through a colander to remove the water. 

8. Now it's time to plate your dish!

Dollop a hearty amount of potatoes onto your plate. Sprinkle with pepper and paprika.

Make sure your spinach isn't dripping water, or squeeze it out with your slotted spoon, then place on your plate.  A sprinkle of salt and pepper will bring out the natural flavors.

Place your beautiful steaks on the plate and enjoy with a glass of your favorite red wine!

Do you like my shelf of mashed potatoes?  I love scooping them up with crusty bread.  Talk about carb overload.  Heavenly!

The Countdown Is On!

I love that the pattern on her dress not only complements the curtains, it stands out even more!  And who needs shoes with the lovely stockings?  Wouldn't this be a fantastic New Year's Eve dress?

With 2011 just a few days away, I am eager for what's around the corner.  I live for anticipation.  I love having something to look forward to!

Are you making New Year's resolutions?  I love making lists, but there's something about declaring your intentions that makes you want to achieve your dreams even more.

What do I have on my list so far?  Learn more recipes, take professional cooking lessons, host more dinner parties, travel out of the country, work on my home and show more kindness.  Two other special things on my list are relaunching my blog and volunteering to help elephants.

For inspiration, I love a quote from one of my best girlfriends, Nina:  "Less talk. More walk."

While we can fill afternoons talking about hopes and dreams, what are we doing to make them happen?  Since we can't do everything at once, that's why lists are great.  It's satisfying to cross things off and prepare for the next adventure.

Here's to living this year to the fullest!  I anticipate bumps and bruises along the way.  Each risk means a success or failure, but whether it's tears or celebration, isn't that what makes life worth living?

Wishing you health, wealth and happiness in 2011!
xoxo,
Suz

photo source: Harper's Bazaar Russia Nov. 2009

Hello 2008

Simba begrudgingly welcomed in the new year with me. I get it. It was hard saying goodbye to 2007.

I'm ushering in the new year by hanging my new Beautiful People with Beautiful Feelings calendar by Donny Miller. See previous obsessive post about him here.

Here's a page:

The cover is below: The original says, "Beauty is a prison sentence"

Here's another gem: "I got him to change, but now I miss the old him." Want one too? It's at www.donnymiller.com for $12.95.

I like the feeling of a fresh start in the new year, even if I'm operating on a wee bit of sleep today & feeling sniffly. (Please don't let me be sick!)

Maybe it's the Dayquil talking, but I'm going to post my resolutions to see how long before I break them or if it's really possible to achieve them.

1. Take a relaxing trip with Robert. We're working a lot this holiday season. We want to go somewhere & veg.

2. Do more yoga. It feels a bit like going to church, getting a massage & therapy session all in one.

3. Be kind, be kind, be kind. It's always better to be kind & have patience.

4. Have our neighbors over for coffee. We run into each other & we're always friendly, but we've never had them over.

5. Get our upstairs ready to renovate. That will involve lots of cleaning. Cleaning isn't fun.

6. Discover more! That's easy. I love to google.

7. Write a short story or begin writing a book.