2011 was a wonderful year with so many special things happening. I don't even want to start listing everything as I'm sure I'll forget something important. There were friends and family, there was the cookbook and a contract for a second cookbook, there were trips to beautiful places, there were amazing hikes, there was a lovely wedding, there were many pictures, there was good food, and there was much more.

This year we already have some exiting things planned, and I am looking forward to telling you about them. Thank you to all who follow this blog, for staying with me this year, despite the fact that I don't have a place for comments. You are welcome to contact me here, and if you are interested in "subscribing" to this blog click here.

The sun was out today on our first day of 2012, and I spent most of it in the kitchen coming up with some delicious things. The smoked salmon I received as a Christmas gift from my office needed to be eaten, I felt like a fresh salad, and I wanted to make a Gateau des Rois. My french godmother always had one waiting for us when we visited her during the holidays.

I wish everyone a healthy year filled with joy and love. May your wishes come true!

Winter Salad with Avocado, Feta and Pomegranate Seeds

Lemon-Dill Pasta with Smoked Salmon

Gateaux des Rois and Frangipane Tartelettes with Apple

Winter Salad with Avocado, Feta and Pomegranate Seeds

This salad is more of a add what you want and how much you want salad. I loved the pretty "castelfranco" radicchio so I used that, but you are welcome to use any other kind of lettuce. If you don't like pomegranates, use oranges or a grapefruit and use a mild blue cheese instead of the feta if you prefer that.

• Radicchio
• half an avocado
• crumbled feta
• seeds of half a pomegranate
• olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• freshly ground pepper

Serves 2

Lemon-Dill Pasta with Smoked Salmon

I usually don't eat salmon for ecological reasons but as mentioned above, it was a gift and I wasn't about to throw it out, especially since I know it tastes wonderful.

• zest of one lemon
• 200 ml heavy cream
• 1 bunch fresh dill, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 250 g fettuchine
• smoked salmon

Heat the cream in a pot along with the zest, dill and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Heat water in a large pot for the pasta. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. While the pasta is cooking simmer the cream until thickend. Drain the pasta and toss with the cream sauce. Divide among plates and place pieces of thinly sliced salmon on top.

Serves 2 and can easily be doubled.

Gateaux des Rois and Frangipane Tartelettes with Apple

I decided to make little gateaux and had filling left over. So I made little tartes and topped them with apple slices. My husband decided they were much better than the gateaux des rois! This recipe is adapted from Trish Deseine's recipe for "Galette des Rois".

• 1 pkg puff pastry
• 50 g soft butter
• 2 eggs
• 50 g sugar
• 1 Tsp  flour
• 50 g ground almonds
• a few drops almond extract

Preheat the oven to 180° C and place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Whisk the butter with the eggs and sugar until well mixed. Add the flour, almonds and a few drops of almond extract and whisk again. Cut out either two large rounds or several smaller rounds out of the puff pastry and divide the almond mixture among half of the pastry rounds. Cover the filling with the other half of the rounds and using the tines of a fork seal the edges. Brush a whisked egg over the tops and pierce a small hole in the top of the pastry. Bake for 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 160° C and bake for another 20 minutes.

If you have leftover filling and puff pastry, place the pastry in small tart forms, fill with the fangipane and top with a thinly sliced apple. Bake the same as the gateaux.