Glass of Château Joanin Bécot 2001, Pizza-Hued Foods: Lasagne, Roasted Carrots, Tamale Dressing and Grape Salad with Walnuts and Blue Cheese, December 2004

I've been soaking up my fair share of this vino over the past couple of weeks, and have found it to be a little ray of sunshine valiantly struggling through December's miserable dinge.

The Store-Bought Binge Continues: Chicken "Saltimbocca," Green Beans with Blanched Almonds, "Greek" Pasta Salad, December 2004

Why blanch an almond? Why?

Central Market Dinner on the Star Map Chicken "Diablo," Corn Soufflé, Cucumber Salad, all from Central Market, December 2004

As we have seen, cooking as a pastime occasionally loses its appeal, even to the extent that store-bought dinners fleetingly seem a reasonable substitute. Such episodes are the result of low pressure systems, and cannot be cured. A girl must simply grow a pair, and, until then, gut it out.

There was a species of cheese infesting the breading of this chicken dish. The corn soufflé was sticky. The wine was an overpriced Côte du Py with excessive perfume. The cucumber salad, however, was completely edible.

Chicken with Butternut Squash, Sage, and Walnuts, December 2004

I got this recipe from the NPR website. NPR might want to stick to sucking the government's dick and leave cooking to the professionals, for the jury is still out on this dish. How come? There is cinnamon in the sauce. Is it possible that there is an hereditary resistance to the idea of cinnamon with chicken in my Methodist genes?

Central Market Again Meatloaf, Couscous, the Ubiquitous Cucumber Salad, December 2004

I am an enthusiastic booster of the big-pearl couscous. The Central Market makes a pretty decent salad with it, using sunflower seeds and black olives and I forget what-all else.

Mango, Red Onions, and Fresno Chile with Honey-Lime "Vinaigrette"

This recipe came from the Windows On The World chef, who now has a new restaurant, and who thinks that you can call a salad dressing "vinaigrette" even when it has no vinegar in it.

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