Last one? [update]

This is probably the last post on this side of New Years Eve. As I'm writing this, it's about eleven hours left of 2005. It has, in some ways, been a crappy year (my marriage and economy) and in some ways a good year (the kids and my studying). I'm hoping next year will be the year I make up my mind about certain issues that I've had to deal with for the past five years. Hopefully I'm going to recover fully from my personal demons too.

I want to thank all of you readers for all the kind comments you've made since I started this blog earlier this year. It's quite funny, thinking about it, that this blog actually started out as ranting in Swedish. After having read ABB's blog, and finding other blogs, and realizing that people of different cultures, skin colour, gender and sexual disposition can think very much alike about the most diverse of subjects and then take the step to write in English instead, was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made.

I cannot thank you all enough for what you've given me and that goes to my two favourite poofs too.

Now, what's on the menu today? I know some of you are interested in food and recipies... ;o)

In Swedish it's called Flaeskfilegryta med ris. Sorry to say, I couldn't find any translation so the closest I can give you is something like Fillet casserole with rice.

First I make some brown sauce, about half a litre (16.9 fl oz) and put 0.3 litres (10.14 fl oz) of half-and-half cream in. (We use ready-made sauces since I'm hopeless making sauce.) This I pour into a fairly big pot, three litres (3.2 qts) or more.

I cut the (half frozen) fillet into coins, about 1 centimeter ( 0.39 in) thick. I brown them lightly in a frying pan and put them in the pot. Usually I have this pot on very low heat.

I boil some vegetables, preferably sliced carrots and peas or mini-carrots and when they're done, they get into the pot too. You can serve them on the side, but we don't.

I slice some fresh field mushrooms, brown them lightly and in the pot they go.

Let it all simmer quietly with a lid on and stir it now and then for about 40 minutes. Some white pepper and salt won't do any harm.

Serve with boiled rice, vegetables (al dente) of your own choice (broccoli, brussel sprouts), french bread (pain riche?) and a nice white wine or beer.

For dessert we usually eat pear halves with vanilla icecream and molten mint chocolate. And with that I wish you all:

A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[update]

I almost forgot: As the sauce is simmering, there should be two bay leafs and some coarse milled black pepper in it too.