We had a few balmy days at the end of last week – real teasers as Monday we got another 7 or more inches of snow. According to my calendar it is a mere 25 days until Spring.  But they sure are long ones.  One good omen, however, our local farm stand opens for the season this Friday. Before long they’ll be putting out the cold weather seedlings (lettuces, arugula, etc) and I’ll be able to start my deck garden. 

Our dreams of having lush gardens when we moved here from Brooklyn have long since been dashed.  Bad soil (and yes we’ve tried), harsh winds, deer, rabbits, and woodchucks (the worst) have taken care of that.   In Park Slope we could harvest over 100 pounds of tomatoes.  Here the only ones I can grow are grape/cherry tomatoes on our deck.  Frustrating!!!!

T his was another week of great food.  Topping the list was the dinner we had at Xavier’s in Piermont on Weds.  This to celebrate our 30^th anniversary.  And celebrate we did!  We indulged in a ten course tasting menu with matching wines. I care not how many pounds I put on that night!!!! This is a fabulous restaurant – small, personal with a spectacular kitchen. Zagot’s lists this as the best restaurant in the Conn./Hudson Valley area and they are not wrong.

On the more mundane side, we enjoyed a lovely standing rib over the weekend.  And I had left over mashed potatoes which is frequently an excuse for mashed potato pancakes for a breakfast.  And this we did on Monday.  They are very easy and one doesn’t need a “gourmet” recipe.  Here’s what I do.

Mashed Potato Pancakes

Take two cups of leftover mashed potatoes.  Add chopped parsley/chives/ scallions.  Add an egg. Add a quarter of a cup of cheddar or parmesan.  Add a couple of tablespoons of dry bread crumbs.  Add anything else you might have in the leftovers department (peppers, onions come to mind).  Mix well and shape into patties.  Dredge in dry bread crumbs - making sure they are well covered on all sides.  Sauté in 4 tablespoons of butter until a golden brown crust forms. Turn over and repeat.

I like to serve these with fried eggs, or poached eggs would do. What you want is a runny yoke.

Mon. AM             Mashed Potato Pancakes

                             Fried Eggs

                             Scrapple

Mon. PM              Jacques Pepin’s Navarin of Lamb

                             Peasant Bread

                             Arugula Salad with Pear and Raspberry Vinaigrette

Tues. AM             Chicken Soup

Tues. PM              Fish Faux Chips SSCB

                             Tartare Sauce CCI

                             Steamed Asparagus

Weds. AM            Eggs on a Raft

                             Bacon

Weds. PM            Beef Mareno with Red Peppers and Black Olives GMCB II

                             Noodles

                             Sautéed Green Beans

Thurs. AM           Beef Vegetable Soup FOTB

Thurs PM             Tony Bourdain’s Snapper Basquaise  LHC

(Whole Roasted Red Snapper on a Bed of Potatoes and Peppers)

Tossed Salad

Fri. AM                French Toast

                             Raspberry Maple Syrup

Fri. PM                 Lidia’s Oven Braised Pork Chops with Red Onion and Pear LIAK 232

                             Fresh Pasta with French Tomato Sauce

                             Baby Peas

Sat. AM               Beef Vegetable Soup

What salmon tartare?

Sat. PM                Salmon Tartare SFCB

                             Salami Chips

                             Marinated Roast Turkey TNCC

                             Pan Gravy

                             Spinach Risotto YDHTBD

                             Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan  BCFS

                             Flourless Chocolate Cake

                             Peach Frozen Yogurt

Sun. AM              Pancakes with Turkey Gravy

                             Home Cured Bacon

Sun. PM               Steamed Chinese Dumplings

                             Patricia Welles’ French Garlic Sausages and Potatoes with

                                Red Wine Vinaigrette PWVH 128

                             Steamed Broccoli