Showing posts with label french. Show all posts
Showing posts with label french. Show all posts

Monday, March 10, 2014

Chicken Poutine


What, you may ask, is poutine?   I didn't know there was such a thing until I started doing a bit of ancestry research.  Evidently, it was a staple of Acadian food.  And, Acadia, which is near Edmundston, Canada and the northern tip of Maine, was the area that French settlers migrated to.   So much for a history lesson...  On to the poutine!

Simply put,  poutine is meat with gravy on top of french fries and cheese on top of that!.  I made this with a "twist",  baked sweet potato fries instead of plain,  and no cheese!  Did you know that In & Out burger has a version of poutine on their "secret" menu?   Neither did I....French fries covered with grilled onions and cheese, called Animal Fries.


Chicken Poutine

Serves 2

3 boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces 

salt & pepper

1 tsp paprika

2-3 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

4 large mushrooms, shopped

Handful of parsley

1/4 cup chicken broth or water

1/12 Tbsp additional flour (for thickening of the sauce)

1/8 cup water

Season the chicken pieces  with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour/paprika mixture that you've placed into a pie plate.  Heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat, add the chicken to brown on all sides.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the onion to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and mushrooms, stirring while cooking another 6 or 7 minutes.  Add the chicken back in, mix well and turn heat to low.  Meanwhile in a small bowl add the 1/8 cup water and stir in the 1 1/2 Tbsp flour to make a thick paste.  Scrape into the skillet.  Stir well.  At this point you can add the parsley and additional 1/4 cup water or broth.  Turn the heat back up to medium and stir until the sauce thickens.  About 10 minutes more.  

The "poutine" can be served over pasta, rice or traditional french fries.  


Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Castles, Churches and the Cookies of France


To get the full picture and "flavor" of a country one must take part in a few tourist attractions.   In France, there is the cuisine, of course, along with the wine, however, the castles and churches have so many stories to tell.  Most produced a feeling that life was certainly not easy.   Constructing a castle took many lifetimes with one generation starting "the project" while the next generation or two would fulfill the dreams of their ancestors.   Most castles were built with protection in mind, thus the fortress, and were usually perched on top of lofty hills or mountains affording great views, not to mention a superb vantage point to spot encroaching marauders and barbarians.

Carcassone, a sprawling castle compound surrounded by the lower city, was extremely Disney-like.  Built and rebuilt over the centuries, it was more or less a refuge for the believers of Catholicism and a city within a city.  Due to its easy access, roads, river, etc. it has survived the battles and test of time quite well.  It helps to have a good tax base with all of its restaurants, hotels and souvenir shops in the mix.


One of a multitude of towers in Carcassone

St Nazaire Cathedral in Carcassone


On the other hand, the Cathar compound of Montsegur, did not fair so well.  It's easy to see why not!  You have to applaud their efforts to schlep food and supplies up this steep grade in the first place.   The beauty and serenity of the surrounding area was overshadowed by the fact that over 200 Cathars were finally overtaken and marched down to the waiting flames, because of their religious beliefs.  


Montsegur


Hugging the Pyrenees Mountains further North from this site was the town and Chateau de Foix.   This was closely affiliated with the Cathars.   It was one of our "day trips" and quite the hike to the top.   The Chateau was a stand alone castle unlike the self contained Carcassone, but was still rather impressive.  Before the climb we dined on more tasty salads de France with gizzards or anchovies and goat cheese medallions.  You can never get enough cheese in France.




Which brings me to the next subject, the cookies in France.  Pastry shops are plentiful and the sweet aromas purposely lure you over to the entrance (and inside) these beautifully displayed shops.  One of our favorites was in the town/city of Poitiers on the way back to Paris.  We spent one night there but Poitiers had me yearning for at least another night.  Centrally located, it was a short drive to the coast and quite near to the gentle hilly wine regions of the  fertile Loire Valley.  Maybe, on the next trip.  More about this area to come....Just a few more installments and I'm done!

Cookies in Poitiers  Too many to try!  What's that handsome Italian doing in that French shop?



Thursday, October 31, 2013

Part Two - The French Food Parisian Style


J'aime beaucoup la cuisine francaise.   I love French food!  Before arriving in Paris I developed a "bucket list" of sorts.  One of the best ways to experience a different culture is through its food.  And I proceeded to have my fill.  While the potential to gain at least 10 pounds was real,  I was surprised when the scale registered only 1 1/2 pounds gain!  But, Paris is hardly the place to stick to any type of diet!

One MUST try as many fine pastries, chocolates, cheeses, wine and baguettes as possible!   I excelled in this category.  I'm 1/4 French, after all.  It's in my blood!  Here's a sample of the beautiful food.  Disclaimer:  Not all was eaten, but they sure looked nice.

The mornings usually began with cafe or chocolate chaud (hot chocolate) along with a buttery flaky croissant, pain chocolat or other mouth watering pastry.




Paris is truly a walking city, fairly flat and spread out.   To devour some of these treats with no guilt attached, a metro trip to Montmartre with the equivalent of 20 flights of stairs (Who's counting?  I was with every breath!) would be in order.  The reward?  A fresh chocolate hazelnut crepe from one of many street vendors in the small quaint village.


If you want to eat a little more sensibly the choices are everywhere with a bistro or cafe on every corner, it seems.  Or you can grab a quick bite from the market or display cases of the local neighborhood boulangerie.



Next segments:  Some sights in Paris.
                          The food of Southern France.  Stay tuned!


Sunday, October 27, 2013

We'll Always Have Paris - Part One - An Overview


Why is it that every time we take a vacation it goes by in warp speed? Just when I'm beginning to appreciate the food, history, people and the beauty of France, Father time jerks me back to reality and plops me back into an airplane seat for another 10+ hours on my return trip home.  Yes, it goes by that quickly.  Enjoy all the moments and take hundreds of pictures, which I did!

I have so many favorite moments during this trip.  I also have many regrets of not seeing certain areas, monuments and historical places.  Perhaps another trip will be in the future...I would like to think so.  For the most part, the food was exceptional, the pastries divine and the sweet smell of freshly baked breads from the boulangerie in EVERY village could gently lure me in.

We spent only 2+ days in Paris so you have to hit the ground running if you want to see the sites.  We "mastered" the Paris metro and glided our way to the mountaintop of Montmartre with its Bohemian style village, creperies and the Sacre Coeur, (Sacred Heart church).  We got lost several times but around every corner was usually a pleasant surprise.  We dined and wined, walked and sipped cafe while nibbling on a croissant or chocolate pain.

We also made plans (reservations weren't accepted) to sail down the Seine River towards the Eiffel Tower at night all lit up, BUT the boat NEVER showed up...upset?  very!!!  Oh well....C'est la vie or such is life!

The morning before we left Paris for the South of France, we eagerly ran to the Luxembourg Gardens since it was only 3 blocks away, a must see with the sun streaming through the manicured trees and ornate gardens lining the great palace.

Because I snapped soooo many pictures it may take a while to load them but here's a few from my smaller camera.  This was a "petit" portion of our Paris leg of the trip.

Notre Dame - Paris

Notre Dame - side view, massive

Several flights of stairs to the top of Montmartre.  Note to self, tram ride a few blocks over!

Sacre Coeur

Streets of Montmartre - many creperies and cafes

Very quaint around every corner

Stay tuned for more Paris and the French countryside.

Friday, August 16, 2013

Blueberry Compote



So what is a compote?  A fancy French word for fruits stewed in syrup!  It's a great way to use those Summer fruits when you've overbought   succumbed to the buy one get one free sales.  There's nothing worse than getting to the middle or bottom of a pint container of luscious blueberries and most of the remaining ones have fuzzy mold on them.  So, instead of waiting for this scenario, bring pints home and either freeze them for later use or make a compote to crown your pancakes, waffles or oatmeal!


Blueberry Compote

1 pint of washed blueberries

2 Truvia packets  (I gotta cut back somewhere)

1/4 cup water

2 Tbsp Cassis liqueur (continuing with the French theme, it's a berry liqueur)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer and continue to cook stirring at times for about 15 minutes.  Cool and serve or refrigerate to use later.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

French Fennel Potato Soup


I would imagine this may have been a frequent meal for my ancestors.  As they arrived in North America in the 1700's they acquired a plot of land in the Acadian settlements along the St. Lawrence river.  Life was not easy, dealing with harsh weather, poor soil, Indians, disease and the land hungry British.  Their meals were "rustic", anything they could grow, hunt or scrounge.  I'm sure potatoes were on the table much more than they would have liked.  

While probably not an authentic Acadian French potato soup, I jazzed it up to suit our tastes.  Enjoy!

French Fennel Potato Soup

Ingredients:

3 medium red new potatoes, parboiled, peeled and diced

2 fennel bulbs, cleaned, white part, chopped

1 Tbsp oil

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

4 cups chicken stock or broth

1 cup water

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)

Parboil the potatoes, cool, peel and dice.  In a soup pot heat the oil on medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until soft, then add the garlic. Stir and cook for an another minute.   Add the potatoes, fennel, chicken broth, water and parsley, increase the heat to boil, then reduce to simmer for about 20-25 minutes.

Cool slightly.  Then puree in a blender.  Pour back into the pot as you do this in batches.  Add the heavy cream, butter and salt and pepper.  Heat soup on low for a few minutes.  Garnish with fennel fronds and serve with a hearty baguette, and of course, a glass of French wine!  Tres bien....  




Wednesday, January 18, 2012

French Cassoulet Style Soup


One of the many "bucket list" areas to travel for me is the country of France.  Yes, I would like to lounge by the sea while gazing at the distant  fields of sunflowers and vineyards.  Or stroll along the Seine river in Paris only to sit at a bistro sipping thick hot chocolate or a crusty warm baguette smeared with chocolate!  Then there is the Burgundy region and the Dijon area where, I'm told, gastronomic excellence resides.  It all sounds great to me, a person of French heritage.

A trip back to the "homeland" would surely have to include the western shore and the seaside city of La Rochelle, where my ancestors left for the freedoms of North America.   South of this area is the Languedoc area with the similarities of Provence, but more quaint.  The cuisine has hearty peasant foods like the thick cassoulet style soup I made the other evening.  I guess you could say I'm practicing all these French inspired dishes, albeit this soup has Roman influences.  

The white (Northern) beans I used were of the dry variety.  I used the quick pretreated method:  Put one cup of beans into a pot (after inspecting for debris, etc)  Pour 3 cups of water and bring to a boil cooking for about 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and cover and let them sit for at least 3 hours.  Or you can soak them overnight without boiling.  Or you can always used well drained  and rinsed canned variety.

The sausage I used was Italian chicken links which I precooked beforehand.  The acorn squash I microwaved in a glass dish with a small amount of water until done. (about 5-6 minutes)  Then I assembled it all to cook.

Ingredients:

1 cup dried white beans (pretreated, yielded about 1 1/2 cups cooked)

1 acorn squash cooked and cut into cubes

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Italian sausages, precooked

1/2 tsp dried sage

1 handful fresh parsley, chopped

2 cups, loosely packed spinach, chopped

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

Start with the oil and saute the onion in a large soup pot. Add the squash and garlic, stirring as you go.  Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer, covered for at least 2 hours.  Mixture will be thick, you can add more water or broth if the liquid evaporates too much.  Serve with a salad or crusty French bread!  Also, great leftover.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Sooo Very French Chicken Leek Soup


A while back I began reading a book called, "French Women Don't get Fat".  The title intrigued me, however I only browsed through the first three chapters and set it aside.  I'm revisiting this book because 1) I'm French 2) I got chubby,  3) I like reading the same genre for which  my book will be, and finally, because I lost weight after following one simple trick.

In the book, the author struggles with her weight, especially after spending a year in America.  The land of plenty!   Long story short....when she returned to France several pounds heavier she began to evaluate her habits and findings.  For me, it was interesting reading and I identify with many of her ideas and ways of eating and preparing food. 

The one "trick" to jump start her weight loss regime was "Miracle Leek Soup".  The other day I had a slab of chicken, leeks in the crisper drawer, loads of spinach, garlic etc., so I adapted her recipe to create my own soup hoping for a miracle!  This was better than I thought it would be and to create the "mood",  I sat down in my formal dining room and "really" focused on the midday meal, another pointer from the book.   The serendipity was that I lost a full pound the day after.  Hmmm...I guess I'll finish the book now.

French Chicken Leek Soup

2 servings

1 large chicken breast, previously cooked, baked, broiled or boiled and shredded

2 leeks, green ends removed, cleaned.  You'll be left with a 4 inch size piece.  Slice thinly.

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup water

2 handfuls of spinach

1 tsp coriander (optional)

a couple drops of chipotle hot sauce (also optional, but adds a nice heat)

In a heated saucepan put the oil in , then garlic and leeks.  On low heat, soften but do not brown.  Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, lower the heat to simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or longer.  There you have it!  It's even better the next day!

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Real Men Eat Quiche


I can't really remember the first time I had quiche.  So many years ago, it's beginning to be a blur.  I do remember it was in the late 70s, early 80's when it became a "trendy" menu item for most restaurants.   A group of the girls I worked with at the time went on one of our "famous Friday lunches".  Usually we chose Mexican because 1) It was cheap,  2) it was nearby and last but not least we began our weekend early with a margarita. 

But on a few occasions, we would venture downtown to the Hardy House, a beautiful old mansion with open air courtyard that had wonderful food.  One of their specials was a slice of quiche and salad and because it was Friday, a strawberry daiquiri.  To me, quiche was so very French and I thought it must be so hard to make.  Little did I know it's not difficult at all.  It's another one of those "forgiving recipes", hard to mess up.

This recipe starts with a deep dish 9 inch ready made pie shell.  Years ago I made 2 shallow 9 inch pies, giving us a whole quiche for leftovers and packed  them in our lunches.  Needless to say, my co-workers were jealous when my quiche arrived out of the microwave while they were eating frozen burritos from the vending machine!

Ingredients:

1 9 inch pie shell

3 Tbsp butter

1 cup sliced onions

1 cup sliced red pepper

2 cloves garlic minced

3/4 cup mushrooms, sliced

about 1 - 1 1/2 cups steamed broccoli

1 -2 slices of chopped panchetta or bacon

5 eggs

3/4 -1 cup half and half

1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

dash of paprika

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Prick the pie shell with a fork and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.  Remove and set aside.  In a large skillet,  add the butter, heat on medium,  then add the onions, red pepper, panchetta, and garlic and saute for 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and then the steamed (but firm) broccoli to the mix and cook for about 10 minutes.


Onions, panchetta and peppers

Add mushrooms and broccoli

Meanwhile beat the eggs together with the half and half.  Put the broccoli mixture into the waiting pie shell.  Cover with the Swiss cheese.  Pour the egg mixture over this being careful to drizzle it evenly and around the edges.  Tamp down slightly with a wooden spoon.  Sprinkle with a dash of paprika, for color.  Reduce the oven temperature to 350  and bake for about 35 minutes.  If the edges start to burn , cover them with foil.  Remove from the oven when done and let it sit before cutting.

For a change, use different veggies or cheese.   It sounds like alot of steps to make this but after a while you can make it "in your sleep"! 

Finished!

Monday, May 23, 2011

French Farmhouse Chicken Stir Fry



It's very unusual to have "stir fry" and "french"  in the same realm of the cooking world.  But when you're the cook , I find it's more fun to be creative than to follow a recipe.  This is what I do!  I had a little help in the creativity department last night.  I asked my hubby what he felt like having for dinner....He actually came up with a complete descriptive menu.  Wow!  I always appreciate his input, especially this time.

His vision would consist of,  "cut the meat off the chicken thigh and make a stir fry with lots of garlic".  Serve it with rice and he's good to go!  It got slightly more elaborate as I "built" his requested meal, and I had my doubts, but the finished product was delicious!  I called it French farmhouse chicken stir fry because essentially it had all the ingredients you'd find on a French farm.  Still dreaming of that France vacation!

Ingredients:

3 thighs (you can use breast meat) skinned and cut from the bone, cut into bite size pieces

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp herbs de Provence

salt and pepper to taste

8 asparagus, cut on the diagonal into 1 inch pieces

1 cup onions, sliced 1/4 inch

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 red pepper, sliced

additional 1 Tbsp oil

1 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp fresh basil, cut

On medium high heat, warm the oil and brown the chicken that has been salted and peppered.  Add the herbs and  continue to cook until done. (about 15 minutes)  Remove from the skillet and set aside.

In same skillet, add additional oil, onions, asparagus and red pepper.  Stir around, reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and basil.  Keep stirring to marry the flavors.  Add the chicken back and 1 Tbsp or pat of butter.  Mix and serve.  Serve over some nice basmati rice or noodles. 

For the vegetarians out there, you could substitute firm tofu slices or chunks.

Friday, May 13, 2011

An American Twist on French Nicoise Salad



I wish I could be nibbling on this salad while sitting at a cafe on the Left Bank near the Eiffel Tower.  Traveling to France is still on my bucket list but it doesn't look promising at the moment.  But never say never is my motto.


The truth be told I made this last week as the weather began to warm up in between our Spring snowstorms!  I can't wait to wander around my yard while picking some of these fresh ingredients from my veggie patch!   The lettuce and spinach are sprouting.  I need to plant the radish seeds soon, but I've never had much luck with green beans.  Last year they were gobbled up by the critters, such as rabbits and squirrels! 

Looking for more green beans!

I've been working on my husband in regards to a chicken coop, but that idea flew away along with the goats to make my own cheese!  He says I'd name each chicken and then I wouldn't be able to "part" with them when the time came for roasting.  He's probably right!  Yes, I should have been a farmer...

I made this nicoise type salad without the classic tuna it calls for.  I added a few of my favorites, aromatic fennel, crunchy radishes and cooked french lentils for more protein and called it a meal!  I didn't measure anything.  Just get a nice platter and start piling on your ingredients.  I chose:

bed of spinach

cut up radishes, slices of fennel and shallots

blanched, steamed or roasted green beans

halved hard boiled eggs

about 1 cup of cooked lentils

sprinkle of goat cheese

drizzle of classic vinaigrette (recipe follows)

1/2 cup pomegranate infused balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp Emeril's kicked up mustard

pepper, pinch

Warm the vinegar and dissolve the sugar over low heat.  Pour into a jar and cool slightly before adding the rest of the ingredients.  Add the oil, mustard and pepper to the jar, cover and shake. Refrigerate to chill.  Drizzle a small amount on salad or individual serving.  Bon Appetite!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Last Day for the Giveaway and French Roasted Chicken


This is the last post for my first giveaway.  Thanks to all who've sent me comments.  I've enjoyed hearing from you.

 I wanted to continue to showcase by ancestors with this creation.  Even though I am of French descent it would seem this chicken recipe with roasted fennel, mushrooms and garlic would be appropriate.  However, after leaving the homeland of France, my ancestors arrived near Quebec, settled along the St Lawrence River and later (probably mid 1700's) migrated into the tip of Maine.  During these hard times and after much research I found they cooked with pork instead of chicken.  They used the chicken primarily for the eggs.  They also made ployes, which is a type of pancake made from buckwheat flour.  I'm continuing to track down more authentic recipes from those times.  Any help out there?

Until then, I'll "pretend" this was a special occasion type meal prepared in Madawaska (where my people were from).

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs
1/2 - 1 fennel bulb, cut up into chunks
1/3 onion, chunks
1 apple, peeled and sliced
4-5 mushroom caps
1/2 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
4-5 garlic cloves
1 T fennel seed
salt and pepper to taste
2 T olive oil

To assemble, simply place all ingredients in a roasting pan.  Drizzle with the olive oil, dot with a small amount of butter (optional) and bake at 375 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.  Baste every 15 minutes while cooking.  Serves 4.

This recipe can easily be doubled to serve to  your guests or larger family.  Very nice flavors!  Enjoy and don't forget to enter the giveaway!!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Leek, Lentil and Love Soup


There's nothing more comforting than soup on a chilly Winter day.  Except for ice cream any day of the year!

This Valentine's day week I wanted to showcase a few recipes for soup.  This leek, lentil soup screams French.  I got the idea from a book called "French Women don't get fat".  Hmm, maybe I don't have enough French blood in me for that to apply!  But, the title caught my eye and it does have some interesting gimmicks (or truths) about warding off those pounds.

One is to incorporate leeks into your diet.  Evidently, leeks are a mild diuretic, quite low in calories and very nutrient rich.  That's good enough for me!  I'm convinced.  I wasn't quite ready for an all leek soup (just yet), so I added them to a simple lentil based soup.  The result was fantastic and incredibly easy.

So, where is the love?  As I was preparing this soup my son popped in to visit which is always a pleasant surprise.  And the love of my life came home from work a few minutes later.  We could all sit down once again for a family dinner, something we regularly made a point to do as my son was growing up.  It doesn't really matter what you serve as you break bread together.  The important  thing is to nourish your body and nurture your soul.   Warm soup and a wonderful family to share it with is a great combination!

Ingredients:
3 4-5 inch pieces of leeks (the white part, cleaned and chopped)
1 T olive oil
2 c reduced sodium/organic chicken broth
1 c water
1 c lentils
1 tsp herbs de Provence
2 T tomato sauce or chopped tomatoes (optional)

Saute the leeks in oil until soft, add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer for about 40 minutes.  I added toasted rounds of french bread on the bottom of each  bowl and ladled  the soup over them.  This adds a more rustic twist to the soup.  Garnish with cheese and additional bread.  Lovely!  Serves 4

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Happy New Year - No Champagne for me


No blogging for 2 days! You're probably thinking I went out on the town for the New Year's celebration. Maybe I stepped away from the kitchen for a day or two? Not hardly! Our tradition for the New Year's Eve is usually fairly quiet and peaceful. I do make it a priority to serve a special meal for my family, though.



I did a little research on traditions carried out by my "homeland" countries. Also, I was curious as to what each country served to bring in the New Year. This could have some influence on what I would put on the table this year.



In the Bavarian (Czech) corner of the world you'll find sauerkraut on the table. Its long strands of cabbage signifies a long life while also bringing blessings. The green of the cabbage means more money. Whatever you serve, don't let it be lobster even though it is tempting. The reason behind this is that lobsters move backwards and you don't need any setbacks in your life! STASTNY NOVY ROK or Happy New Year!



In Ireland I was surprised to find out they spend it in a very subdued way. Traditionally, they will go into the smaller villages and ring the church bells. In Scotland the people will show up at friend's or family's house with a drink of whiskey and a lump of coal. Hmmm.



The French know how to do it up good! BONNEE ANNEE or Happy New Year! Emphasis is on food, of course... Foie gras, oysters and champagne with a sip or two of Calvados (apple flavored brandy). And they love their celebrations and fireworks!



In Italy, my husband's heritage, dinner with family and friends is a given. Lentils are traditionally served. Their round shape signifying money and riches for the New Year. I have done that in the past and actually have lentils throughout the year. Does that means more money?! Another "old" tradition is that you must wear red underwear and get rid of old items or habits by tossing them out the window. Can you visualize that one! FELICE ANNO NUOVO!



In Mexico, my adopted heritage, I discovered some traditions that were most endearing to me. They make a list of all the bad things or events from the current year and before midnight this list is burned removing all that negative energy of the past. Their homes are decorated with colorful accents. White for good health, green for money, red for a better lifestyle and yellow for more blessings and hopes for continued employment! I love that!



No matter what your tradition or heritage may be, I hope that you all have a Happy New Year!