First Post

It’s a new year, and after months of my husband asking “When are you going to start that blog?” I have decided that now is finally the time. 2010 was quite possibly the busiest year of my life – and now that things have slowed down (as slow as it can be with 2 boys, 2 dogs, a husband, and a start-up company), I feel it’s now time.

The New Year was celebrated unlike any New Year’s party I’ve ever been to. Let’s just say that “Country” doesn’t even being to cover it. The nicest people you will ever meet, who have a machine gun in their basement, and a rattlesnake in their refrigerator. I was exactly 3 miles from my own front door, and I will have you know- I was an entire world away.

As you might imagine, the group that had gathered at this home, had a few weapons in their home arsenals and no shortage of guns/ammo, and stories about guns and ammo. My favorite story of the night – told from a proud father talking about his daughter’s newest gun and most recent kill, ended with a hand packaged ziplock bag of 2 pounds of venison medallions for me to take home. – Score!!!

Our friends who had invited us to this little New Year’s get together, (and were as out of place as we were) got invited to our house the following night for a venison feast.

Here was that night’s Menu (recipes to follow):

I’ll call it - Le Menu le Réveillon de Saint-Sylvestre  - Since it was our “New Year’s feast” (one day late). 

Le Menu le Réveillon de Saint-Sylvestre 

Pear Gorgonzola salad, topped with sweet and spicy pecans

Pan Seared Venison Medallions with a Balsamic and Cranberry Reduction

“Tahoe” Wild Rice

Butternut Squash

Red Wine (brought by our friends)

"Tahoe" Wild Rice

1 small yellow onion chopped

2 large cloves of garlic finely chopped

5 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 tbs chicken bouillon

1 cup of wild rice

2 1/4 cups of water

(you can substitute 2 1/4 cups of chicken broth instead of the water and chicken bouillon)

Add onion, garlic, olive oil and thyme to a pot and saute until onions are cooked, add chicken bouillon, water and rice- bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, and cook until tender.

So simple, but this one is a fan favorite!

Pear gorgonzola salad, topped with sweet and spicy pecans

1 red pear cored and sliced

3 handfuls of mixed greens

1/3 cup of crumbled gorgonzola cheese

¼ cup of dried cranberries

½ cup Pear dressing (recipe below)

½ cup of Sweet and Spicy Pecans (recipe below)

Sweet and Spicy Pecans

½ Cup of roughly chopped pecans or pecan pieces

1 tbs of extra virgin olive oil

2 tbs brown sugar

Dash of cayenne pepper

Pinch of sea salt

Add pecan pieces and olive oil, to a small nonstick pan and lightly toast (be careful they burn really easily). When lightly toasted add brown sugar, salt, and a dash of cayenne pepper mix and remove from heat. Let cool in the pan.

Pear Dressing

½ cup of Extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup of campaign vinegar

2 garlic cloves pressed

¼ cup of pear syrup (substitute 2 tbs of honey if you don’t have pear syrup)

2 Pinches of sea salt,

ground pepper to taste

Combine ingredients and mix with a wisk until consistent. Let stand for 20 mins (or more) and mix again.