Have a happy and healthy 2011!

The Hub and I had a very nice dinner at the Rose and Kettle last night. It was a 5-course meal, and all of the courses were perfectly sized, except for the main course, which was HUGE! We both chose the filet mignon, topped with crab, sitting on a bed of asparagus and roasted shallot mashies. I think I maybe finished half of it. But of course I had to leave room for the final course—dessert. I had ordered the butternut squash bread pudding, but changed at the last minute to apple cider calvados sorbet...a wise move. It may have had the same number of calories, but it went down so much easier, especially with the help of some sparkly prosecco.

You know the first sign of getting old is when you are in bed before 11 pm on New Year's Eve. We had dinner at 7, got home around 9:30, and were in bed by 10:30. So this must be the first year we are truly old, and both of us only 54. I blame it on not having TV coverage of that ball dropping in Times Square: so silly, and yet somehow my only tradition that has (had) remained constant.

My toast: Here's hoping you all remain young for your years, and that your New Year celebrations were equally enriching.

And here's a pic of Sophie gnawing on a deer jawbone just to put you in a festive mood. After only 2 days of temps in the 40s, that snow is mostly melted here. It almost feels like spring...makes me want to go outside and do some yard work!

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• Recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash with Rosemary and Balsamic Vinegar (kalynskitchen.blogspot.com)