Celebrating 2010

New Year's Eats

I hope everyone had a fun and safe New Year party, whatever you did!  This year we went to a friend's house and played twister (me), drank champagne and got ridiculously silly (me), and brought two things to share that have been on a 'must make' list for quite some time (also me)!

Piroshki

If anything reminds me of New Year, it is my mom's piroshki.  For those unfamiliar, Wiki describes the definition as "a generic word for individual-sized baked or fried buns stuffed with a variety of fillings."  

Mine were baked and prepared in a puff pastry and I had a lesson from the kitchen goddess herself in making them.  Like her mother, my mom has crazy skillz, but all recipes are communicated in measurements like 'a pinch of this' and 'enough to taste good.'  If you want exact measurements, please let me know and I'll try to get them for you!

Step 1: Make the filling of your choice(we used ground chicken breast browned with sauteed onions, salt and pepper)

Step 2: Defrost the puff pastry and roll it out flat on a cutting board

Step 3: After cutting the dough into the desired size, stuff each piece and fold it into the shape of your choice:

Step 4: Once you finish stuffing and shaping, brush them with an eggwash for maximum oven glowing:

Step 5: Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes.  It bakes faster if you don't open the door to 'watch' every 3 minutes.  Here is the final product:

They are crispy and melt in your mouth. The End.

While these were baking, my mom also made a modified form of puff pastry wrapped salmon.  I thought they were pretty and took a picture.

She had also baked a cake. I love cake.

Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

I also wanted to bring a dessert and decided that I should make cupcakes, they had to be mini, and it was time to try red velvet.  I have never had it before and I was excited to find out what they were all about.  I used half of a package of mix (baby steps) and added applesauce, semisweet chocolate chips, an egg, and 1/4 cup of lowfat vanilla yogurt.  They were light and fluffy.  My unsuspecting audience had no idea they did not have oil.

I used storebought cream cheese frosting and topped them with white chocolate chips.  I never claim to be a gourmet baker!

 

Goals for 2010

I don't make resolutions because I don't really remember them and because I am of the belief that if you want something, do it right now.  I don't need Monday or a new year to start all over again.  That said, there is something great about a fresh start and I love the optimism it brings to a lot of people.  I have been promising some goals, but I decided to keep thinking about them.  I think the best goals can be measured and described, and like my personality, mine are still a little vague!  I wish you good luck in all of your endeavors and maybe I'll jump on and join you soon!

In celebration of the new year and new health resolutions, hubby will be doing a guest post on working out on the next post.  Get excited!