As we enter this holiday season, I can’t help but reflect on the wonderful highs and the challenging lows of the past year. Personally, the definitive moment of this year was getting married to Joe –the center of my universe. Juxtaposed with the happy occasion of our wedding was the deep sadness that our parents were unable to join us due to serious health issues. Many of you also shared stories with me of how you faced adversity of all kinds this past year that truly touched my heart.
I am an optimist however and try my best to look for the “silver lining”. I am hopeful that 2010 will bring renewed comfort and happiness to everyone. As many of you know I am not home for the holidays this year but instead dealing with family health issues. Yet as we approach the New Year, I am looking forward to creating magical moments and sharing memorable experiences with family and friends, spending quality time with the people I care about most! Of course I am eager to cook a delicious meal that will brighten everyone’s spirits (especially if we don’t count a few of those calories!) as we ring in the New Year. I created a special celebration menu for you to share with loved ones as we light candles, deck the halls, and sing “Auld Lang Syne”:
CELEBRATION MENU
Potato Latkes with Roasted Spiced Applesauce
Celebration Salad of Endive, Crème Fraîche and Caviar
Horseradish-Crusted Salmon with Dilled Cucumbers with Crème Fraîche
Cranberry Upside Down Cake
Cheers!
Joanne, I loved the "My Mother's Chocolate Cake" recipe recently published in the January/Febuary 2010 AARP magazine. I hadn't seen this recipe in over 45 years. This was also the same as my mothers. At one time while growing up I learned this recipe and new it by heart.When my self and siblings were left alone by our parents for more than 3 hours, we would quicky make this cake and eat it. Our parents could only smell the remains and would question us what we had been up to. Nothing ofcourse, was our response.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I would like to mention is the frosting recipe should be increased by 1/2. After all with my generation and eating a cake with all this sugar and butter, why skimp on the frosting.
Thank You,
Ephriam Chavez, Age 62
ephriamchavez@aol.com