A little about me lately, some Valentine’s recipes (perfect for any date night!), what’s coming up, beautiful breads, and a picture of Midnight (my cat) in the snow.
Hello, all.
State of Me
Hey, January was a MONTH wasn’t it?
Since I wrote the last 5 Things posts we had an insurrection, an impeachment, and an inauguration. I’m looking forward to resting a bit while competent government takes over. (Though with climate change and a pandemic I’m sure I won’t be able to rest long!)
Anyway…On a personal level, things have been pretty quiet. Ya know, pandemic and all. Sticking close to home!
- We finished painting the back hall/half bath. So pretty and plum!
- The cats found a few mice. 🐁 One of these day we’ll figure out where they are getting in. We look and we don’t find. It’s frustrating!
- My dad turned 86!!! He’s doing well (though bored and staying home). And he and mom have their appointments for the vaccine, so that’s one less worry.
- And my brother had a birthday! 🧁
- A little snow here. ❄❄ A little snow there. ❄❄ And a decent storm the end of the month. But I live in New England so we expect that. ❄❄
5 Recipes for February
Since Valentine’s Day is coming up and lots of people are staying in this year, I’ll give you a quick menu for the evening! Just about everything here can be prepped or made ahead so you’re not running around the kitchen that night.
- Appetizer – Spanish Crab Cakes with Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. Make the cakes and sauce in the morning. Then you can fry them up early and pop them in a 350F oven to reheat at dinner.
- Drink – Romantic Rose Sangria. It’s in the name! You do all the prep for this the day before. Then open the bubbly and pour your glasses when you’re ready.
- Main – Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb. You will need to sear and coat the lamb just before roasting, but you can make the sauce and the bread crumb mix earlier in the day.
- Side – Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Prep them up early and then it’s a matter of putting them in a roasting pan. They cook at the same temp as the lamb, making it easy! (Need a starch? You’ve done enough – buy a crusty loaf from the store. 🙂 )
- Dessert – Easy Lava Cakes. Make the batter, portion it out, and put in the fridge for up to 8 hours! Then after dinner heat up the water and put them in the oven. Perfect every time I do this.
What’s Coming Up
What have I been working on in January that you’ll be seeing in this month (or maybe the next)? All sorts of tasty things! Here are a few recipes which I’ve taken photos of or will be doing soon:
- Pan Seared Halibut and White Beans – Crispy, cozy, one bowl meal.
- One Pot Mac and Cheese – Creamy! Easy! One Pot!
- Pork, Bacon, and Prune Stew – Trust me. It’s awesome and comforting.
- Meyer Lemon Cosmos – Get some Meyer lemons and be ready!
- Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken – Perfect for dinner and for meal prepping.
5 Beautiful Bread Instas
Beautiful Bread by Sourdough Nouveau
Here are 5 inspiring bread blogs! Each of these bakers makes the most gorgeous sourdough breads. Someday I hope to make bread a 10th as lovely the ones you’ll see here. Every picture encourages me to bake some more and try new shapes/flavors/flours. I hope they inspire you too!
Pet Corner
I’ve decided I’ll end these posts with a picture of one (or more) of my pets! This is Midnight enjoying a little snow recently. He liked the idea of snow more than the reality. (Cold! Wet!) But he enjoyed sniffing and getting a little fresh air before we brought him back in to dry him off.
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– Stay Safe, Annemarie
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