What's a good solo menu for New Years?

[divineorder]

I may be cooking for one, but I'm tired of Cornish Hens and ham, or pop and popcorn. What's a good, tasty New Years' Eve and possibly Day, meal?

[Warpy]

1. Go traditional

with salmon and peas.

[grasswire]

2. steak house

Go buy yourself a CHOICE grade New York strip steak or T-bone. Bake a potato, make a good green salad. Cook the steak in a hot frying pan with cracked pepper and salt. Load the potato with sour cream and green onion and bacon if you dare.

That's if you really want to treat yourself.

Otherwise, order Chinese. THAT sounds good to me, if only there were a good Chinese delivery here.

[hippywife]

3. I second grasswire's suggestion.

Marinate it in a little soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and minced garlic. I like to add capers, too. If you have a cast iron skillet, melt a little butter in it and add a splash of Worchestershire, salt and pepper, and pan fry the steak on high heat without turning it often til it's done the way you like it.

Tradition here is black eyed peas, but where I'm from it's pork roast and sauerkraut, but Chinese take out is always a winner, too. Mmmmm some sesame chicken or General Tso's. :)

:hi:

[AwakeAtLast]

4. Shrimp sounds good to me

I like to saute with some good olive oil and a Weber spice blend for chicken and seafood. It's really yummy and you can control how many you want to cook!

I round it out with cous cous and broccoli.

[divineorder]

5. Depending on Budget I May Try Both

Sauteed shrimp is definitely on my diet, and I guess one steak won't hurt-I can get a good one from IGA this weekend and save it for New Year's Eve night.

Thanks for all the suggestions-I might just get everything this weekend and save it for Thursday Night.

Now for either company or something to do....

[pengillian101]

6. Now for either company or something to do....

No worry - DU is always open!

:hi:

[housewolf]

7. America's Test kitchen's episode today was on pan-frying thick steak

1-1/4" - 1-1/2" thick strip steaks. They have you dry the meat on paper towels and then season and stick in a 275 degree oven for about 20 minutes (90 to 95 degrees for rare to medium-rare, 20 to 25 minutes, or 100 to 105 degrees for medium, 25 to 30 minutes). Then you heat oil in a heave-bottom skillet, sear on one side 1.5 - 2 minutes (till well browned) then 2 - 2.5 minutes on the other side, then sear each of the sides 1 - 1.5 minute. Let them sit on a cooling rack lightly covered with foil while you prepare a pan sauce.

Supposedly this method eliminated the thick grey band of of meat that you tend to get with pan-frying and have a steak that is juicy, rosy meat throughout.

If you want to see their recipe, it's available for free (you just need to register) at http://www.americastestkitchentv.com/recipe.asp?recipeids=4190&iSeason=8