Cranberry Window Pie (and Lunar New Year’s Lunch)

Happy Lunar New Year, everyone!

I think I’ve already mentioned that I used to hate the holidays. But, as it turns out, what I actually hated were the relatives (and fighting). Without them, the holidays are quite peaceful… pleasant even. Hmmmm. Let the dissociation process begin! And let new associations be forged. Perhaps with pie:)

I started the year of the snake with a cranberry pie. I’d never had cranberries before I started baking, and I’m finding their tartness quite appealing and just perfect for pies. In this particular pie, the citrusy orange complemented the cranberries quite well. Who thinks up these flavor combinations? Genius!

Piece of pie and a (plastic) glass of wine. Ahh…

Just a sneak peak at what we had for lunch: Spinach and cheese stuffed chicken with garlic wine sauce. Chicken Ballottine is quickly becoming my signature dish! And I’m getting better at deboning that chicken; only took me about half an hour this time. (Though Jacques Pepin claims it should take no more than 2 minutes… Yeah, I’m happy with my amateur status.)

And some sautéed Brussels sprouts (top left corner). Someone somewhere once called braised cucumbers a “revelation.” I was so impressed and curious that I looked up a recipe and tried it myself. They were… more revolting than revelatory (perhaps because I’m not a huge fan of cucumbers). But Brussels sprouts were my “revelation.” They seem to have a reputation as every kid’s most despised vegetable, but they were surprisingly very palatable! And it’s super cute how they’re called “mini cabbages” in Korea. Haha! I wonder if someone will try Brussels sprouts after reading this, find them gross, and decide that I have a totally warped sense of taste. To such people: try them sautéed or roasted, NOT boiled. 

Eating… eating… eating…

Oink!