Sunday, January 9, 2011

Happy New Year!

I gotta tell you that Handyman made the most amazing dinner for New Year's Day. Usually my mom would put on the feast of pork roast and sauerkraut; but with her absence, I did not want to even attempt that, knowing anything I did would pale by comparison.

So, as usual for inspiration, I went to Pioneer Woman and saw the picture in the sidebar of filet au poivre.


Handyman has made steak au poivre many times, so it wasn't going to be a stretch. And being the tightwads that we are, he pulled out several older t-bones from the freezer and just cut them into beautiful little "filets". But he added some boxed calamari from Costco, which was good--even though we weren't able to quickly come up with the Carraba's hot pepper sauce. And then he made blackened scallops, which have been on our favorites list since way back when we were first married and had them in Lexington--our second favorite small city.

Not sure it could've been better--well maybe when the new kitchen is in--BY SUMMER! Next year's New Year's dinner will not involve particle board backsplashes, leaky can lights, a smoky oven and floors so cold we can keep raw meat out. Next year's dinner will not have a dog kennel stacked with laundry in the same room. Next year, we might even have our Christmas tree in the back room. We'll have to stop calling it the back room.

Handyman was off work all this past week, while I was back at the sandwich counter, bringing in the big adult dollars. He finished off the dormer drywall over the front door and it is beautiful. I can't believe how much it adds to the house, dust that is. I'll try to post a picture this week, from the front of the house. The dormers have really made us love the look of the whole place. It looks homier, and more stylish. We roofed the dormers with standing-seam metal all the way to the peak--very striking. He still has to trim out the new window and re-hang the chandelier, but it's almost done. And like a good carpenter, he is finishing here before he starts something else!

I told him we HAVE to put another dormer on the opposite side of the house, at the back of the stairway, looking to the north where we can see the creek and the park. He, of course, rolls his eyes and says I am crazy, but every now and then, he knows--I AM RIGHT. :)

1 comment:

Grey Horse Matters said...

Your dinner sounds delicious! Hope all your projects get completed soon.
Have a wonderful year in 2011.