If you cook, they will come

   I've discovered that my cooking is a selfish act.  I cook so that my family can gather and be together.  I cook because I know that when I do, everyone will come over and for a moment relax from the craziness that ordinarily consumes their day.  Arnauld is probably tired of hearing me say, "Hey, want to make dinner for everyone tonight?"  Last night, New Years Eve, was no exception.  I went straight to the internet to find some new and not so complicated recipes to tackle.  Here is what I came up with:

Hot Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/3  cup  reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 2  (14-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained, divided
• 1  (15.5-ounce) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1  cup  (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley, divided
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• Cooking spray

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a food processor; add 1 can of artichokes and beans. Process until smooth. Add remaining can of artichokes, 3/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1 tablespoon parsley, and garlic. Pulse 20 times or until artichokes are coarsely chopped.
3. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Maple Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
• 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

Method

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Arrange the chicken, onion, and sweet potatoes in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Drizzle the oil over the chicken and vegetables and season with the salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Drizzle with the maple syrup and top with the sprigs of thyme.
3. Roast, stirring the vegetables once, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Antipasto Style Penne

Ingredients

• 1  medium red bell pepper-I skipped this
• 1/2  cup  pitted kalamata olives, chopped
• 1/3  cup  refrigerated pesto
• 3  ounces  prosciutto, chopped-I also skipped this to make it a vegetarian option
• 1  (7-ounce) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained and chopped
• 1  (6-ounce) jar marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 8  ounces  uncooked penne pasta (about 2 cups)
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 1/4  cup  pine nuts, toasted

Method

1. Stir olives, pesto, tomatoes, and artichokes together in a large bowl.3. Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Add cooked pasta and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to vegetable mixture, and toss gently to combine. Spoon about 1 cup pasta mixture into each of 6 bowls, and sprinkle each serving with 2 teaspoons remaining cheese and 2 teaspoons pine nuts.

My mom made Magic Bars for dessert.

Magic Bars

Ingredients

1 stick melted margarine                            

1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

6 oz chocolate chips                                     

1 cup coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Method

Melt butter in 13x9 pan, pack in graham crackers on bottom of dish, and layer chocolate chips and coconut. Drizzle with sweetened condensed milk. bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

     My sister and her family are leaving to go back to North Carolina later today.  My heart feels heavy knowing I'll have to say goodbye to them for a while.  It's amazing how much our family has grown with the addition of Jax and Ace.  They are so loved by everyone.  Sometimes I'm amazed by how much love I do have for them.  I feel so fortunate to have been able to be so close to them as they grow and learn.  I'm fascinated by how much they soak in from the world around them.  The other night I slept over my mom's house while Arnauld was in Long Island.  I slept in Jax's room.  When he woke up, he got so excited and said, "The sun is awake!  Time to get up."   They remind me to take time to cherish the little things in life, the things that make everything worthwhile.  It's these little moments that I will miss most-that and hanging out with my sister.  But thanks to modern technology, I know they are only a Skype call away...or a short plane ride!

 Happy 2011!