1 large pear, peeled and halved
2 cups sparkling wine or fruity cooler
1/2 cup red grapes
1 medium apple, sliced
2 cups spinach
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice

1. Poach pear in chosen beverage.
2. Chill pear in fridge and freeze grapes.
3. Core and slice apple.
4. Remove grapes from freezer and let partially thaw.
5. Fan pear.
6. Combine spinach, apple and grapes in a salad bowl.
7. Toss with sweetened lime juice to coat spinach leaves.
8. Serve with fanned pear.

Makes 2 servings.

28 ounces crushed tomatoes
5 cloves garlic
1 large zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound spicy Italian sausage
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup Arborio rice
1 tablespoon basil
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper

1. Heat pan over medium heat and add oil.
2. Remove casings and cut sausage into 1/2" chunks. Add to pan and fry until brown on all sides, then place sausage in a tall pot.
3. Drain the sausage pan and add peeled garlic cloves and sliced zucchini. Cook until zucchini begins to brown then add to the pot.
4. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock.
5. Add the stock, canned tomatoes and rice to pot and cook until rice is al dente.
6. Remove from heat and season with spices to taste. The rice will continue to cook as the mixture cools and thickens. Serve hot.

Makes 8 servings.

2 skinless chicken thighs, backs attached
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons dry white wine
salt and pepper

1. Heat the butter and oil in a pan.
2. Add chicken thighs and cook, stirring and turning frequently, for about 10 minutes, until golden brown all over.
3. Add the whole garlic cloves and cook until the skins have turned golden brown.
4. Season well with salt and pepper.
5. Pour in the wine and cook until it has evaporated.
6. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes until tender and the chicken is cooked through to the center.
7. Remove the lid, increase the heat and cook until the sauce has thickened.

Makes 2 servings.

Happy new year everyone! If you celebrated last night like many do, chances are you're ringing in the New Year quite literally with a pounding in your head and a ringing in your ears.

Originally I thought it would be quite fitting to prepare something pickled like my recovering liver, but instead I opted for the good old hair of the dog. We had a Spinach Salad paired with a drunken pear and White Wine Garlic Chicken. Accompanying that was a simplified Jambalaya since I failed to do any pre-emptive grocery shopping to kick start this project.

Each dish stands alone as well as they do together. I never get sick of jambalaya. It's such a hearty comfort food, it reheats well for numerous lunches and it's easy to make out of various leftover scraps. It's also quite easy to gauge the heat of a jambalaya since the seasoning is not primarily reliant on anything spicy. Whether you prefer your heat to be akin to a ballerina's toe tapping you on the bottom or a ninja walloping you with a fireball, the choice is yours!

The chicken is quite tasty in its simplicity and versatile enough to be paired with numerous side dishes for repeat dinners. The salad is easy to throw together for a quick lunch, providing your grapes are of the frozen variety and you have a poached pear handy (canned would do). It might be prudent to avoid breathalyzer tests on your way back to work, though.