I usually try to offer something light and low-calorie for my first recipe of the New Year. We’ve all no doubt indulged a bit more than usual over the holidays and crave lighter fare. While that is still true for me, I’m also craving something rich, delicious, and that offers the tastes of warmer weather. I crave comfort foods. These Strawberry and Vanilla Mini-cakes do the trick. They captured my imagination when I came across the recipe in Yotam Ottolenghi’s new cookbook, Sweet. Made with the last of the strawberries we had frozen at the end of the summer, my daughter described these cakes as having just the right amount of  density and moist texture. Tang from the berries combined with creamy butter and smooth flavor of seeds taken from a full vanilla pod make this sweet a must for tea, dessert or any time you want to enjoy yourself. They are truly delicious and very comforting.

The weather aside, the reason for my craving is because when I’m honest with myself, I know I’m  approaching the new year with great trepidation. I’m not alone. Our family is well, our community is safe, but the larger issue of what our country is becoming is quite honestly frightening. I won’t list all my worries here. You know the state of things, and I’m sure you have your own worries. I don’t want to add to them.  I’ll just say that I don’t recognize my country, my home right now. Yes, the resistance of which I am an active part, is real. Yes, I believe good will triumph over evil, but I worry about how much more harm will be done to our environment along the way. I worry about how many people’s lives will be shattered before we turn this thing around.

Like many others, I was inspired by Oprah Winfrey’s words earlier this week. I cherish and applaud her optimism. I’ve missed the feeling of hope in this country but she reminded us that there is, indeed hope, as long as we are willing to fight and stand up for what is right—

In my career, what I've always tried my best to do, whether on television or through film, is to say something about how men and women really behave. To say how we experience shame, how we love and how we rage, how we fail, how we retreat, persevere and how we overcome. I've interviewed and portrayed people who've withstood some of the ugliest things life can throw at you, but the one quality all of them seem to share is an ability to maintain hope for a brighter morning, even during our darkest nights. So I want all the girls watching here, now, to know that a new day is on the horizon! And when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men, fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say "Me too" again. Oprah Winfrey

So, perhaps now isn’t the best time for dieting and depriving ourselves of simple pleasures. Perhaps now is a better time to indulge and connect and help each other through the difficulty. I send you love, support, optimism, and of course, hope.

I look forward to seeing you in my kitchen, gathering flavors, soon.

Dena

Note: Beginning January 2018, each post will feature a link to a printer version of the featured recipe. Scroll to the end of the recipe & click the printer icon.