Friday, January 4, 2013

Off To a Promising Start

Happy 2013!  Call me "Wild Time" but I'm not much of a late night reveler and New Year's Eve is no exception. This year I had a built in excuse in the form of a blossoming cold.  Since I rarely get sick I decided to roll with it and followed up a workout with a quiet dinner at home.  Long before the ball dropped in Times Square I had toasted the New Year with a shot of Nyquil and was out like a light.

New Year's Day marks the end of all the frivolity of the holiday season and the beginning of my busiest months at work.  Most likely it was the last work day I will have off in the foreseeable future so I took it slow and spent the bulk of it eating, drinking relaxing with good friends.  I don't bother making New Year's resolutions. Since I workout and eat fairly well all year round I've got what are probably the most popular resolutions already covered. As far as everything else goes, I make adjustments as I go. Why not treat every day like January first?  Or better yet, treat every day like June first, a much more hospitable choice.

For New Year's Day breakfast, I whipped up one of my favorite recipe finds this year, baked pumpkin pancakes from The Fountain Avenue Kitchen.  They are simple to make, use common ingredients and are healthy and delicious.  Usually I eat them warm with a drizzle of maple syrup.  Leftovers can be stored in the fridge and reheated or eaten cold as a quick snack.



Grain free Baked Pumpkin Pancakes from The Fountain Avenue Kitchen


Despite the cooking classes I take and the food blogs I read I am not a cook. Quite the contrary. In fact I'm not ashamed to admit that I far prefer eating over cooking. In order for me to try something new, the recipe needs to appeal to my simple lazy nature. If most of the ingredients are either items I don't have on hand or can't imagine having on hand or if it appears that the skill and patience required to complete the dish are akin to sewing a wedding dress by hand I take a pass.

Another New Year's Day tradition involves eradicating the house of Christmas.  As much as I love Christmas decorations, unlike many people I don't leave them up until the Epiphany.  By the first of the year I'm ready for them to be gone.  I do miss the lights though.  January is such a dark month.  If I could figure out a way to hide all the extension cords and set everything up to go on and off automatically I would consider leaving the window candles out all year.  Apparently in some areas it's done as a sign of hospitality.  On the days when I'm not feeling particularly hospitable, I would just leave them off.




In Nick's world every day is a holiday.  Perhaps he's dreaming of ways to get rid of the cat.


Nick celebrating the new year.



The afternoon of New Year's Day was spent at a belated birthday celebration.  In honor of Monique's birthday we drank her last bottle of Viognier that we had shipped from Kendall Jackson during our Napa IU7 trip in 2010.  I guess that means we need to go back.



Before and after a scrumptious dinner, we relaxed by the fire.










A few months ago I featured Monique's garden HERE.  On this day though the only garden touring going on was from inside the house.




For her own birthday, Monique was considerate enough to make a scrumptious cranberry cake for dessert.  Granted, she is the pastry chef of the group but I think we need to coordinate better next year.  Under pressure I can order one mean cake.





Happy New Year!  I'm optimistic that 2013 will be the best year yet.

Sue~

23 comments:

  1. Come back any time Sue..the Mendocino coast awaits your visit ! I recommend fall. Those pancakes are one of the best recipes of 2012 in my opinion; easy to make, easy to eat at your desk at the office, and sprinkling homemade granola on top makes a nice weekend breakfast treat. Bet Moniques' cranberry cake was a tad more complicated !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Everything Monique makes is just a tad more complicated. Mendo in the fall sound like a plan to me!

      Delete
  2. Cranberry cake looks wonderful. Cranberries are good for you, right? So is lounging by the fire, hanging out with friends, and snoozing with the pets. I think you started the year awfully well! My lights on the tree outdoors are going to stay there until I can reach them on a warm sunny day. ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I still have a few outside holiday odds and ends to bring in. The spot light on the front door is one of them but I may leave that just a bit longer along with the twinkling white lights on the lamp post. Anything to brighten up the darkness.

      Delete
  3. I'm with you -- the tree comes down and all the decorations get packed away on New Year's Day. No exceptions. Even though I love the holiday, it's over for me by Jan.1

    Those pumpkin pancakes look like chewy giant cookies. mmmm.

    I enjoyed the tour of Monique's garden from last summer -- glad you put the link there, I was looking for a little non-seasonal garden viewing right now. She does have a lovely place.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Next year I need to get a better series of pictures from Monique's garden. All the blog shots were taken with my phone because I forgot the camera that day and when I looked back on them today the colors seemed "off".

      Try the pancakes. They really are good and make a healthy breakfast.

      Delete
  4. Great pics from a great day Sue. Hope your cold is all better. Let me know if you go out to Napa, I think I'll join you. I missed that trip. Hope your cold is all better

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cold is definitely better today-more of a cough now. For a cold it was relatively short lived. From what I see on the news, I'm thankful it wasn't the flu.

      Napa or bust!

      Delete
  5. With such a delicious start you have cause for 2013 optimism. As for parties and major reveling, I've always thought that was for amateurs; pros enjoy life daily.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Looking for the joy in every day is what I do, Lee. This ain't no dress rehearsal :).

      Delete
  6. You started the New Year off quite well. I'm still in full Christmas mode here as Kenzie spent Christmas in Florida and has just returned. Maybe next weekend will be the final Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Based on what I've seen, it's Christmas for Kenzie all year round :).

      Delete
  7. I'm still laughing at the boxes! Looks pretty similar here!

    Both the cranberry cake and the pumpkin pancakes look scrumptious! I usually go to Grace's in Southington for a pumpkin pancake fix...looks like I can now make my own to hold me over until I get there!

    Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And those were just the livingtoom boxes. I had to add a new storage box this year. After buying a few new decorations I couldn't fit everything in the ones I had.

      The pumpkin pancakes are unlike the conventional variety as they have more of a dense texture. Since I eat five or six times a day I'm always on the lookout for healthy snack alternatives and these are perfect.

      Delete
  8. My family used to be done with Christmas on the 26th. Everything came down and got put away so that the new year could start in a clean and uncluttered way. Maybe my dragging my feet (in years that I decorate) is sort of a rebellion against that. You sure started the new year in a great way! Too bad about that J-O-B thing. Wouldn't it be great to be able to spend more days like this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey but how much fun have you had blogging your 12 days of Christmas? I know it's been fun to follow along.

      Yeah, the work gig can sometimes get in the way. I'm fortunate to have a job and people I work with who I enjoy. Usually it makes for a short week.

      Delete
  9. The cranberry cake looks delicious! I love the picture of your deck in the snow with the pretty greens in the pot.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Happy New Year and best wishes for 2013! Love seeing all your photos, Looks like a lovely holiday!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Belated happy birthday to Monique! So glad to box up all the holiday stuff too. So odd this year that the cats and Ein took turns hanging out under the tree, napping under it -- I'm guessing they're wondering why we don't keep a tree indoors year-round.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I thought those pancakes were cookies and I was thinking, "Score! Cookies for breakfast!" Then I read the caption. :o) Our tree is still up because we just haven't gotten around to packing it all in. I feel good about 2013. Hope it's a great one for you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They taste like cookies and I often eat them like cookies. I say go for it!

      Delete
  13. A promising start, indeed! Your photos are beautiful, and it looks like you've got the year off to a great beginning.

    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  14. What lovely photos, your home - inside & out - is so festive. Those pumpkin pancakes sound scrumptious. I can't wait to try them.

    ReplyDelete