Feast 2013

It’s new year’s eve, the last day of 2013.  Usually this is a time for one to reflect on the year past, and think about what to do differently in the new year ahead.

But not for me.  Not today.

I’ve already done all that reflecting.  I have marveled at 2013, at how much change I’ve endured, at how far I’ve come, how much I’ve progressed, how much my thinking has changed.  The things I’ve accomplished, the friends I’ve gained, the friends I’ve lost.  I’ve looked back at this year’s journal entries and laughed and furrowed my brow and even got a little teary-eyed.  I’ve even patted myself on the back a little and thought to myself that I’m a pretty good writer.

But today, I’ve had enough of that.  And tomorrow, there will be plenty of time to look forward to the year ahead.

Today:  I FEAST.

Typical new year’s eve fare in my house includes lots of slutty food.  Today is no different.  And no, it’s not really an effort to say goodbye to the dairy and carbs I will miss starting tomorrow; no, it’s nothing like that.  It may appear that way on the surface, but I promise, this year’s feast is all about cooking for my cookbook.

This year’s menu includes brie and crackers (because I picked up my favorite wedge at Wegman's last week); pizza dip; bread dip; BBQ weenies; and lemony cream butter cake.  Think it's enough?  I mean there’s only two of us, three if you count my daughter who will likely scrunch up her nose and say “I don’t wike it” to most of the offerings; we don’t really need anymore than that.  So we will have plenty around to nosh on tonight if anyone feels like popping in and joining us.

(Side note:  My daughter loves brie.  She couldn't get enough of it at Thanksgiving.  Mama so proud!)

But I’m excited.  I’m excited to wrap up this round of cookbook cooking and spend January going through the photos and working on the layout of the new book.  Yippee‼

I’m also excited, as you know, to start Paleo tomorrow.  Also, it's pretty much decided - my dog is going Paleo with me.  That should make for some interesting blog posts.  I'm going to do some before and after pictures of her too.  I found a website called Philly Cow Share where you can not only buy an eighth of a local cow for yourself that has been grass-fed and loved its whole life - but you can buy a box of organ meat.  Organ meat is supposedly the most nutritious raw meat you could feed a canine.  It's $80 for a 26lb box.  Is that a deal?  Damned if I know.  But I think it's worth trying, especially when I'll be stretching her diet further with fruits and vegetables.  I think I can make 26lbs of organ meat last for the month, and if we notice an improvement by the end of January... well maybe we will all just love our dog again instead of wrinkling our noses up at her because she stinks and yelling at her to stop scratching every 5 minutes.  Poor thing.  (She really does stink though.  She had a bath last Sunday before Christmas and by Tuesday she was stinky again.)

You know how the other day I was thinking I couldn’t put my finger on what all I was excited about?  I think I found another thing.  I think I’m totally stoked that all my recipe planning and grocery shopping lists are already laid out for me.  That’s actually something I love doing every week, but it’s kind of nice that I won’t have to do it for the next four weeks!