You Are What You Eat: December 22 through December 31
I didn't have to work for this entire time period, but travel and parties were frequent so where we ate is all over the place. I'm pleased to say that the number of days added up correctly. After this, analysis.
Sunday, December 22 - I tapped 660 Curries for the "Sesame Shrimp with Bell Peppers in a Tamarind Sauce. It was fine, but not spectacular.
Monday, December 23 - My buddy Eric and I did a radio show together and decided to go out for lunch. Our first two options were closed so we ended up at the Winking Lizard in the Galleria. This was the first time I'd been in a Winking Lizard all year. Back when I was doing the beer tour, that would have been surprising, but now so many other places have equaled or surpassed their beer selection, not to mention their menu, that it didn't surprise me at all. With that said, the chicken salad I had was perfectly fine.
For dinner I made a pot of French Onion Soup.
Tuesday, December 24 - My aunt and I attempted to go to a movie before lunch, but the movie theater was locked up tight when we arrived for the viewing we'd selected. That was weird. So instead we went to Jack's to have dessert first (second trip this year), and then to Hunan East for lunch once it opened. Hunan East is still the best Chinese food outside of the Asian district near downtown, and it is a lot less crowded on Christmas Eve than it is on Christmas!
Wednesday, December 25 - We woke up in Columbus, or more accurately in the Holiday Inn Express in Dublin. This was our second stay there on the year. We had the usual breakfast. M even dared the pancake robot; it's still pretty average.
For Christmas dinner we were at M's sister's house. Because ham was the main dish, she ordered M and I curry from (I think) Saffron Indian Grill, which was pretty good curry. I also ate a lot of desserts! I'm counting this as a party, not as a restaurant.
Thursday, December 26 - Another morning, another Holiday Inn Express breakfast.
M and I and her mother walked around one of the Columbus metroparks and looked at interesting ducks, then met her sister's family at the Northstar in Westerville for the second time this year. It was very crowded, but it was also so warm that we sat on the patio. I had a salad and some soup, both were good.
Friday, December 27 - Boxing Day was held on the 27th this year. My contribution was the Pastry-Wrapped Chorizo Puffs I made for my first supper club from Silvana Franco. We all had a fine time.
Saturday, December 28 - With my folks in town for Boxing Day, we had bagels and lox for breakfast for the second time this year. I could eat this every day, honestly.
My mother and I collaborated on Baked Potato Latkes (Eating Well December 2019) for dinner, with sour cream and apple sauce plus olives and cheese on the side. Mom apparently just improves her latkes most years, so we used this recipe because why not?
Sunday, December 29 - I made the Red Cabbage Salad with Blue Cheese & Maple-Glazed Walnuts for M for dinner for the third time this year.
Monday, December 30 - M's family got me the cookbook Vegan on the Go for Christmas. I used it for the first time for the final new recipe of 2019 when I made "Grandma's Pearl Barley Stew". It was a tad bland, and definitely needs more spices next time.
Tuesday, December 31 - In the afternoon I went to a party at rshruti's, which included board games and assorted snacks. Note: don't eat the board games.
At M's request, we had a drink at Deagan's (11th visit) after she got off work. From there, we drove to Chagrin Falls. Gaela and Eli hosted us and Faith and Dominica (sp?) for New Year's Eve. Gaela is a professional chef, and the spread she put out included a great vegi platter, shrimp, blue point oysters (she'd read our posts on PEI), fondue and I'm sure some things I'm forgetting. I contributed a lot of cheese, and Faith brought some delicious cheesecakes.
At around 11:40pm we drove down to the main square to watch the Popcorn Ball Drop. Then we returned to their house for some more snacks, before heading home into 2020.
Totals For This Post
Days Covered: 10
Meals / Dishes Cooked: 7 / 7
New Recipes: 3
Leftover Nights: 0
Eating Out / Take Out Meals: 5
Eating Out Drinks/Dessert Only: 2
New To Me Restaurants: 0
Repeated Restaurants in 2019: 4
Parties / Friends / Family Cooked: 4
Repeated Recipes: 2
Overall Totals 2019 (less January 1)
Days Covered: 364
Meals / Dishes Cooked: 219 / 290
New Recipes: 123
Leftover Nights: 16
Eating Out / Take Out Meals: 182
Eating Out Drinks/Dessert Only: 65
New To Me Restaurants: 108
Repeated Restaurants in 2019: 68
Parties / Friends / Family Cooked: 35
Repeated Recipes: 47
Sunday, December 22 - I tapped 660 Curries for the "Sesame Shrimp with Bell Peppers in a Tamarind Sauce. It was fine, but not spectacular.
Monday, December 23 - My buddy Eric and I did a radio show together and decided to go out for lunch. Our first two options were closed so we ended up at the Winking Lizard in the Galleria. This was the first time I'd been in a Winking Lizard all year. Back when I was doing the beer tour, that would have been surprising, but now so many other places have equaled or surpassed their beer selection, not to mention their menu, that it didn't surprise me at all. With that said, the chicken salad I had was perfectly fine.
For dinner I made a pot of French Onion Soup.
Tuesday, December 24 - My aunt and I attempted to go to a movie before lunch, but the movie theater was locked up tight when we arrived for the viewing we'd selected. That was weird. So instead we went to Jack's to have dessert first (second trip this year), and then to Hunan East for lunch once it opened. Hunan East is still the best Chinese food outside of the Asian district near downtown, and it is a lot less crowded on Christmas Eve than it is on Christmas!
Wednesday, December 25 - We woke up in Columbus, or more accurately in the Holiday Inn Express in Dublin. This was our second stay there on the year. We had the usual breakfast. M even dared the pancake robot; it's still pretty average.
For Christmas dinner we were at M's sister's house. Because ham was the main dish, she ordered M and I curry from (I think) Saffron Indian Grill, which was pretty good curry. I also ate a lot of desserts! I'm counting this as a party, not as a restaurant.
Thursday, December 26 - Another morning, another Holiday Inn Express breakfast.
M and I and her mother walked around one of the Columbus metroparks and looked at interesting ducks, then met her sister's family at the Northstar in Westerville for the second time this year. It was very crowded, but it was also so warm that we sat on the patio. I had a salad and some soup, both were good.
Friday, December 27 - Boxing Day was held on the 27th this year. My contribution was the Pastry-Wrapped Chorizo Puffs I made for my first supper club from Silvana Franco. We all had a fine time.
Saturday, December 28 - With my folks in town for Boxing Day, we had bagels and lox for breakfast for the second time this year. I could eat this every day, honestly.
My mother and I collaborated on Baked Potato Latkes (Eating Well December 2019) for dinner, with sour cream and apple sauce plus olives and cheese on the side. Mom apparently just improves her latkes most years, so we used this recipe because why not?
Sunday, December 29 - I made the Red Cabbage Salad with Blue Cheese & Maple-Glazed Walnuts for M for dinner for the third time this year.
Monday, December 30 - M's family got me the cookbook Vegan on the Go for Christmas. I used it for the first time for the final new recipe of 2019 when I made "Grandma's Pearl Barley Stew". It was a tad bland, and definitely needs more spices next time.
Tuesday, December 31 - In the afternoon I went to a party at rshruti's, which included board games and assorted snacks. Note: don't eat the board games.
At M's request, we had a drink at Deagan's (11th visit) after she got off work. From there, we drove to Chagrin Falls. Gaela and Eli hosted us and Faith and Dominica (sp?) for New Year's Eve. Gaela is a professional chef, and the spread she put out included a great vegi platter, shrimp, blue point oysters (she'd read our posts on PEI), fondue and I'm sure some things I'm forgetting. I contributed a lot of cheese, and Faith brought some delicious cheesecakes.
At around 11:40pm we drove down to the main square to watch the Popcorn Ball Drop. Then we returned to their house for some more snacks, before heading home into 2020.
Totals For This Post
Days Covered: 10
Meals / Dishes Cooked: 7 / 7
New Recipes: 3
Leftover Nights: 0
Eating Out / Take Out Meals: 5
Eating Out Drinks/Dessert Only: 2
New To Me Restaurants: 0
Repeated Restaurants in 2019: 4
Parties / Friends / Family Cooked: 4
Repeated Recipes: 2
Overall Totals 2019 (less January 1)
Days Covered: 364
Meals / Dishes Cooked: 219 / 290
New Recipes: 123
Leftover Nights: 16
Eating Out / Take Out Meals: 182
Eating Out Drinks/Dessert Only: 65
New To Me Restaurants: 108
Repeated Restaurants in 2019: 68
Parties / Friends / Family Cooked: 35
Repeated Recipes: 47