Only two weeks remain for me to post to this dinner blog ! I promised to share what I ate for dinner for one year, and I'm amazed that a full year has flown by so quickly. I'll be launching my new blog on March 1st and will be providing recipes, cooking tips, cookbook and equipment reviews, sources for Colorado ingredients, links to other blogs, and ideas for quick weeknight meals. Drop me a note if there's anything you'd like to see!

I was moving as slow as molasses yesterday, dealing with my typical post-vacation depression - the longer I'm away, the worse it is - but managed to put together a dinner for my husband for Valentine's Day. (The photograph is a bit lame, but it tasted good!)

Salmon with Mustard-Leek Sauce
I sprinkled the salmon with salt and pepper and covered it tightly with foil to bake while I prepared the sauce. I sauteed leeks in some butter and extra virgin olive oil, then added a little flour for thickening, half-and-half, whole grain mustard, and salt and pepper. This dish is VERY rich and was probably more than my post-Mexico stomach could handle.

Wild Rice
My newest love in the rice family isn't actually a rice at all, but rather a type of grass that grows in the lakes of Minnesota and Canada. It's jet black and I simmered it in chicken stock for about an hour until the grains opened up. I love the nutty flavor and chewy texture.

Roasted Chioggia Beets
I slice these lovely beets (from my farm) that look like candy canes and roasted them in the oven with some extra virgin olive oil and sea salt, intending to serve them on a spinach salad with a strawberry vinaigrette, but I was too lazy to make the dressing and the salad, so just served them as a side dish.

Steamed Spinach
I love the fact that you can quickly wilt spinach in the microwave without the addition of any water - or anything for that matter. A little butter at the end was all it needed.