Happy New Year!

It's the first day of the year 2009. I am filled with hope and happiness and cheer for our future.

And that, my friends and readers, is my New Year's resolution for 2009. My only resolution is to find ONE POSITIVE THING every day and marvel at its beauty and grace. In other words, I'm going to work on my attitude toward life.

Now, some of you may think that's the new hormones and B-12 shots talkin' (Remember that scene in Fried Green Tomatoes when Jessica Tandy asks Kathy Bates, "How many of them hormones are you taking, dear?") But I spent a lot of time being upset and hurt last year, and I don't want that this year. So my Mama, rest her sweet soul, said you spend your year the way you spend your New Years.

I choose optimism.

Now, my second resolution involves healing my gastroparesis, but as Alton Brown would say, that's another episode. And like politics and sausage making, the details of some things are best left out.

Let me just add that I hope you and yours had as nice a New Years as me and mine did. We went to the annual New Year's Eve party in Gainesville, with Jeffrey. Like last year, there was not much for me to eat, but in the end, it was OK. I didn't need or want much food, and I enjoyed the company and atmosphere (but there were about 70 people packed in a house the size of mine. Ca-razy! And Jeffrey set a beer record with THREE beers (I think four) and two glasses of champagne.

My first recipe to share with you in 2009 is based on a holiday gift we got from our dear sweet friends Coby and Jen O'Brien. XOXOX. In early December Coby brought Randy (aka Rand-Man)a huge beautiful jar of something he called "All Purpose Red Rub." Coby is such a dear, he included the recipe "So I would know there was positively no gluten." You GOTTA love a friend like that.

Four days before Christmas, I rubbed a five pound trimmed prime rib roast with this mixture, and it made the best prime rib I've ever eaten. Never made a prime rib? Buy one on sale and do this. You'll love it.

Coby's Rockin' Red Rub (I hope it's OK I share it with the readers, Coby. Full credit to you!)
1/2 cup paprika
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated garlic
6 T. granulated onion
1/4 cup chili powder
1 T. black pepper
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

MIX well and store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

NOW:
5 pound or larger prime rib, bones on or off, your choice
2 cloves crushed garlic

Several (four worked great) days in advance but at least the day before, generously rub the roast with the rub. Bring to room temperature before roasting. Place on a v-rack in a roasting pan (I set the rack over a bed of chopped carrots). Insert slivers of the garlic into the meat and place on the rack. If you have a bone-in roast, put the bones down on the rack.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roast from 18-22 minutes per pound until it comes to 135 degrees for rare. We cooked ours to about 150 degrees, this side of medium.

Let set about 20 minutes, covered with foil, then carve. Serve with garlic mashhed potatoes.

Much love, and HNY to you!
Ging