The Recovery Diet- New Year's Day and Beyond

Our excitement for New Year's Eve is building by the minute! NYE is the best night of the year for a great party (besides our birthday, of course) and this year it falls on a Friday. Double bonus! Since we've already explained what to eat and what to drink for this year's celebration, we figured it was time to move beyond the Champagne & Caviar and give away our best ideas for your New Year's Day Recovery Diet.

We're all planning to stay up late and have plenty of bubbly on New Year's Eve, but what about New Year's Day? You'll want to eat delicious food to revive your body and spirit. When researching what's best for a Recovery Diet, we kept coming back to the classics: Eggs, Cheese, Meat and Bread. For big brunches nothing's better than cheesy, eggy and meaty dishes sitting atop toasted bread. Whether you wake up early or late, we've got you covered with the best brunch dishes on the planet.

To find the best dishes for your Recovery Diet, we powered up the FoodPair search engine and found some great dishes to help you get fired up for 2011. Enjoy!

Soft-Scrambled Eggs with Fresh Ricotta and Chives
Ease into 2011 with cheesy & delicious scrambled eggs.
Ingredients in this recipe: egg, butter, ricotta cheese, chive, bread, fleur de sel


Fried Egg and Sausage Ciabatta Breakfast Pizzas
A nice runny yolk plus savory sausage equals instant happiness.
Ingredients in this recipe: olive oil, egg, scallion, Italian sausage, Monterey Jack cheese, ciabatta

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Bacon & Pear
For recovery, the FoodPair doctor prescribes as much cheese as possible.
Ingredients in this recipe: bacon, butter, French bread, Bartlett pear, White Cheddar cheese

Croque Monsieur
Creamy, cheesy, salty and meaty. You're welcome!
Ingredients in this recipe: butter, ham, bread, all-purpose flour, milk, Gruyere cheese, Dijon mustard

Three Cheese Pizza with Pancetta & Mushrooms
A savory and cheesy pizza is just what the doctor ordered.
Ingredients in this recipe: mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, pancetta, Fontina cheese, cremini mushrooms, marinara sauce, pizza dough

The Ultimate Burger
For a hearty & delicious brunch, there's no substitute for the ultimate burger.
Ingredients in this recipe: tomato, mustard, iceberg lettuce, ketchup, hamburger buns, skirt steak, pickle relish


Happy New Year's from FoodPair!

Any other favorite ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, "Like" us on Facebook to get helpful updates in your news feed.

A New Year's Day Feast!

New Year's Eve is almost here and the excitement is building! Our favorite New Year's tradition is popping open a bottle of bubbly and toasting to the great year ahead. But, after doing a little research we found a handful of other great New Year's traditions involving food & drink.

In the South, they eat plenty of Hoppin' John, a tasty dish with black eyed peas, rice and ham. In Italy and Brazil they eat lentils because their cooked shape resembles a coin. Try some lentil soup with sausage this week. In Greece, they make Vasilopita, a cake with a lucky coin baked right in. For taste (and safety), we prefer to bake in a raisin or chocolate since they're also edible!

With New Year's on the brain, we powered up the FoodPair search engine and found some great dishes to help you ring in the New Year!

Pomegranate Ginger Champagne Cocktail
Try this great riff on the traditional Champagne cocktail.
Ingredients in this recipe: ginger, sugar, Champagne, orange juice, pomegranate juice, Cointreau


Hoppin' John
A classic Southern New Year's dish, just watch out for the coin!
Ingredients in this recipe: onion, bay leaf, ham hock, salt, black pepper, long grain rice, black eyed peas

Lentil Soup with Kale and Sausage
Lentils & sausage are another great NYE tradition.
Ingredients in this recipe: olive oil, Parmesan cheese, onion, sausage, lentils, kale, salt, vegetable broth

Soba Noodles with Asparagus and Prosciutto
Soba is a tasty Japanese NYE classic.
Ingredients in this recipe: prosciutto, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, egg, asparagus, soba noodles

Chocolate Cloud Cake
For NYE dessert fun, hide a good-luck charm in the cake. Just be careful!
Ingredients in this recipe: egg, butter, sugar, cocoa powder, bittersweet chocolate, Cointreau


Time to make some tasty New Year's dishes!

Any other favorite ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, "Like" us on Facebook to get helpful updates in your news feed.

Enjoy these Festive Holiday Spirits!

As you settle in to your holiday routine and sit down for great meals with family & friends, don't forget to top off your glass with some bubbly! There are a number of great holiday cocktails to shake up, most with a healthy serving of Champagne. So, dust off your cocktail shaker and glasses to prepare some great drinks.

With that in mind, we powered up the FoodPair search engine and found some classic holiday cocktails for you to enjoy during the next week.

Alright, let's shake up some cocktails for the holidays!

Cranberry and Vanilla Bean Mimosas
These are a perfect pairing for any holiday brunch.
Ingredients in this recipe: vanilla bean, sugar, ice, cranberry juice, sparkling wine


Ruby Champagne Cocktail
A great cocktail to kick off any party.
Ingredients in this recipe: sugar, Champagne, ruby grapefruit

Blood Orange French 75
Try this classic Champagne-gin cocktail today!
Ingredients in this recipe: sugar, blood orange, Champagne, gin, angostura bitters

Berry Brandy Toddies with Raspberries and Cream
A nice, warm and soothing drink.
Ingredients in this recipe: brandy, raspberry liqueur, fresh raspberries, whipped cream

Stout Floats
The perfect ending to any holiday meal- dessert and cocktail in one!
Ingredients in this recipe: brandy, stout beer, vanilla ice cream

Time to make some amazing holiday drinks!

Any other favorite ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, "Like" us on Facebook to get helpful updates in your news feed.

Dip into the Holidays!

During the holiday season, we're donning all kinds of great gear for themed parties- sometimes it's fancy and sometimes it's the worst ugly sweater we can find. All that dressing up got us thinking- we should also be dressing up our food for the holidays. We know what you're thinking, food doesn't like to wear clothes. Of course you're right. But, food still likes to party with a good dip in something sweet or something savory.

With that in mind, we powered up the FoodPair search engine and found some great dips for your next holiday party or meal.

Alright, let's dress our food up for the holidays!

Tzatziki with Swiss Chard
This Greek yogurt dip is a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients in this recipe: garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, yogurt, Swiss chard, salt, cayenne powder, pita bread


Quick and Easy Artichoke Dip
This great dip is tart, tangy and good on just about anything.
Ingredients in this recipe: Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, mayonnaise, canned artichokes

Curried Yogurt Dip with Crisp Steamed Broccoli
This healthy Asian-inspired dip is great with steamed veggies.
Ingredients in this recipe: garlic, olive oil, yogurt, curry, broccoli

Berries with Port-Wine Dip
Whip up some Port-Wine dip for your favorite berries.
Ingredients in this recipe: strawberry, sugar, Port

Chocolate Dipped Berries
Check out the chocolaty tuxedos on those strawberries!
Ingredients in this recipe: strawberry, white chocolate, dark chocolate

Let’s get cooking (and eating)!

Any other favorite ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, "Like" us on Facebook to get helpful updates in your news feed.

The essentials for a well-stocked kitchen

At this point in the holiday season you have, or should have, plenty of practice shopping for gifts. It's about time to get started if you've been procrastinating!

Many people like to cook more during the holidays, but before you start, make sure you have a well-stocked kitchen & pantry. While using FoodPair to help maximize the ingredients you have on hand, there are certain things you should try to keep stocked to avoid having to run to the store every time you fire up the stove.

1. Fruits & Vegetables

The staples: the best of the best in this category are garlic and onions. They appear in nearly every recipe, add a ton of flavor and are easy to store.

In addition, it's always helpful to have lemons or lemon juice on hand. Lemons brighten the flavor of soups, meats, seafood and salads, so squeeze away! We also like to have tomatoes for adding to sandwiches and salads. Plus, spinach (fresh or frozen) is good for salads and side dishes.

2. Dried and Canned Goods

In this category are all the things that seem to last forever: dried pasta, rice and canned soups and vegetables. Stock your favorites as a filling base for any meal. Soups are great on their own, but can also be used as bases for stews and casseroles.

3. Dairy

Dairy products are incredibly versatile and appear in a lot of dishes. In this category, it's always helpful to have butter and milk or cream on hand. Butter keeps for a long time, is a base to many recipes and is tasty on toast. Milk is also versatile and great for a quick bowl of cereal or oatmeal.

4. Dried Spices and Oils

For dried items and spices, salt & pepper are a must. After that, garlic powder, dried basil, oregano and cilantro always come in handy.

For making salad dressings and cooking, we like to stock olive oil plus a lighter vegetable oil (like canola) and balsamic vinegar.

So, there you have it. Next time you're in the supermarket bring our list to make sure your kitchen & pantry have all the essentials you need for your next meal. Feel free to fire up the FoodPair search engine for delicious recipes anytime you're feeling hungry!

Any other favorite ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, "Like" us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get helpful updates in your news feed.

The time is right for a Fiesta!

As we cool down from Thanksgiving and warm up for Christmas and New Years, there are holiday parties everywhere. When you're looking for something a little different, it's always a good idea to throw a theme party. For some reason, we always love eating delicious enchiladas and tacos and then washing it all down with the perfect margarita. Celebrate America's neighbor to the south with a fiesta as soon as you can!

To find you the best recipes for your fiesta, we powered up the FoodPair search engine and found some tasty Mexican classics.

Alright, let's make some food and margaritas!

Huevos a la Mexicana
Start the morning off right with this classic, savory breakfast dish.
Ingredients in this recipe: tomato, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, olive oil, dried oregano, egg, scallion, salt


Chorizo and Scrambled Egg Breakfast Tacos
These tacos with all the fixin's are great for a hearty breakfast.
Ingredients in this recipe: cilantro, egg, scallion, sour cream, chorizo, hot sauce, corn tortillas, White Cheddar cheese

Tomatillo Turkey Enchiladas
Enchiladas are an easy to make crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients in this recipe: feta cheese, corn tortillas, Monterey Jack cheese, canola oil, salsa verde, shredded chicken, enchilada sauce

Quick & Easy Pork and Pineapple Tacos
Try this tropical twist on the classic meat taco.
Ingredients in this recipe: cilantro, lime, pineapple, corn tortillas, white onion, pork tenderloin

Steak Fajitas
Everyone loves the sizzling platter of steak, peppers & onions.
Ingredients in this recipe: cilantro, garlic, jalapeno pepper, olive oil, cumin, green bell pepper, lime juice, yellow onion, flank steak

Tres Agaves's Margarita
The perfect pairing for any Mexican dish is the classic margarita.
Ingredients in this recipe: water, lime juice, tequila, agave nectar

Let’s get cooking (and eating)!

Any other favorite ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, "Like" us on Facebook to get helpful updates in your news feed.

Some like it hot!

When the weather turns cold, there are some great beverages for warming the mouth, stomach and soul. Sure, you can drink coffee and tea all day, but by the evening you'll be bouncing off the walls and looking for something more. With that in mind, FoodPair is here to present our tutorial for making the cold weather classics: Hot Chocolate, Mulled Wine and Spiced Apple Cider.

With a couple short-cuts and tips, you'll be making your own gourmet versions of these drinks and impressing everyone, young and old.

1. The Best Hot Chocolate

As you can probably guess, the key to making fantastic hot chocolate starts by getting rid of the pre-made mixes and reaching for the good stuff: high quality chocolate bars. Also, fat equals flavor, so reach for the milk with the highest fat content you want- preferably whole milk, but 2% is fine too.

The process couldn't be simpler: for 4 servings you'll need 6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and 1 quart (4 cups) of milk. Crush the chocolate and put into a sauce-pan with the milk. Place on medium heat until bubbles form and then reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring constantly until the chocolate is fully melted. Before serving, raise the heat to any temperature you like and it's ready!

For a boozy kick, add some Baileys or Kalua to the mix. For a little extra spice, try adding cinnamon or cayenne powder. Feel free to top it off with mini marshmallows or whipped cream.

2. Mulled Wine

Mulled wine is another great cold weather treat.

First, pick one bottle of your favorite dry red wine, perhaps some Cabernet Sauvignon or Burgundy. You'll also need 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 6 whole cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, the peel of 1/2 an orange cut into strips, the peel of 1/2 a lemon cut into strips, 1 cup of port and 1 cup of brandy.

Combine everything except the port and brandy in a large pot and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Let it simmer for 10 minutes before adding the port and brandy. At that point, heat it until the mixture is steaming, which is just short of boiling, and you're done!

Pour into individual cups and garnish with some of the citrus peel strips or extra spices.

3. Spiced Apple Cider

If you've read the recipe for Mulled Wine, turns out you already know what you need to make Spiced Apple Cider.

The only difference is that you'll need 5 cups of fresh apple cider instead of the wine and you can omit the port. Add the brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon sticks, citrus peel, and apple cider to a pot and bring to a simmer. Let it simmer for 10 minutes and then add the brandy. Continue to heat the mixture until the cider is steaming, but not boiling, and you're done!

Instead of brandy, you can also use spiced rum, which complements the cider nicely.

OK, time to turn on the stove and warm up with some delicious drinks! Feel free to fire up the FoodPair search engine for other delicious recipes for hot chocolate, mulled wine and spiced cider.

Any other favorite ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, "Like" us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get helpful updates in your news feed.

Have a fresh salad for lunch!

A lot of people worry they'll be eating too much during the winter holiday season. We see no need to cut back on your favorite holiday delights so long as you eat healthy meals whenever possible. For lunch, try whipping up a delicious, light and nutritious salad. Salads are very easy to make at home and doing that will save you a ton of cash, which you can then use to buy more presents!

With that in mind, we fired up the FoodPair search engine and found some great salad recipes for you to try today!.

Alright, let's do lunch!

Watermelon, Feta and Arugula Salad
Feta and watermelon are a great pairing in this tasty salad.
Ingredients in this recipe: arugula, balsamic vinegar, feta cheese, watermelon


Farmers Market Salad with Aged Gouda and Roasted Portabellas
Check out the farmers market or produce aisle and buy what looks good!
Ingredients in this recipe: olive oil, watercress, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, portobello mushrooms, Gouda cheese

Wilted Spinach Salad with Warm Feta Dressing
This salad is delicious and packed with vitamins.
Ingredients in this recipe: olive oil, spinach, feta cheese, red onion, sherry vinegar

Tuna, White Bean and Red Onion Salad
For something even heartier, try this salad with tuna and white beans.
Ingredients in this recipe: olive oil, red onion, white beans, canned tuna

Strawberry Citrus Salad
Looking to get more fruit into your diet? Try this sweet salad today.
Ingredients in this recipe: mint, strawberry, brown sugar, navel orange

Let’s get cooking (and eating)!

Any other favorite ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, "Like" us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get helpful updates in your news feed.

Happy Hanukkah from FoodPair!

As Adam Sandler famously sang, "Put on your yamaka, here comes Hanukkah. It's so much fun-akkah to celebrate Hanukkah!" The Festival of Lights started Wednesday night, December 1st and runs through Thursday the 9th.

Hanukkah commemorates the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 BC. Jewish rebels, known as the Maccabees, fought against the Greeks who would not allow them to practice their religion. When the victorious Maccabees returned to the Temple in Jerusalem, there was only one day's worth of oil to light the menorah. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight nights and the Hanukkah holiday was born.

Certain foods and snacks are traditional for Hanukkah, and a lot of them are cooked in oil to recall the lighting of the menorah. So, tasty potato latkes pan-fried in oil are delicious and historical. It's also fun to eat brisket, blintzes and cookies & pretzels in holiday shapes and colors. Finally, get some gold-wrapped chocolate coins and play some dreidel!

To find you the best Hanukkah recipes, we powered up the FoodPair search engine and found some tasty holiday classics.

Alright, let's make some Hanukkah dishes!

Latkes, aka Potato Pancakes
For Hanukkah at its finest, make these crispy latkes!
Ingredients in this recipe: egg, potato, sour cream, onion, salt, black pepper, vegetable oil, apple sauce, matzo meal


Greek Spinach Latkes with Feta-Yogurt Sauce
Greco-inspired latkes topped with feta-yogurt? Yes please!
Ingredients in this recipe: garlic, olive oil, egg, scallion, butter, dill, baking powder, yogurt dressing, frozen spinach

Grandma Ethel's Brisket
Brisket is another tasty treat for the Festival of Lights (or anytime).
Ingredients in this recipe: olive oil, sweet potato, carrot, sherry vinegar, prune, salt, chicken stock, black pepper, brisket

Blintzes
Blintzes are delicious & customizable- fill with your favorite cheese or jam.
Ingredients in this recipe: egg, all-purpose flour, milk, kosher salt, vegetable shortening, margarine

Homemade Soft Pretzels
Try forming fresh pretzels into holiday shapes.
Ingredients in this recipe: olive oil, egg, sugar, salt, all-purpose flour, baking soda, milk, active dry yeast, whole wheat pastry flour, barley malt syrup

Shortbread Cookies
Cookies are another great option for holiday shapes & colors.
Ingredients in this recipe: egg, butter, lemon juice, sugar, salt, all-purpose flour, almond extract

Let’s get cooking (and eating)!

Any other favorite ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, "Like" us on Facebook to get helpful updates in your news feed.

Soup: perfect comfort for a cold day

The official start of winter is still a couple weeks away, but the cold weather is here. FoodPair's national correspondents reported snow flakes in New Jersey on Thanksgiving and temperatures dipping into the 30s in San Francisco (gasp!).

There's no better way to fight off the cold than with a piping hot bowl of soup. But, you may ask, is soup a meal? Well, did you crumble crackers into it? Was it a hearty soup, like mushroom barley, or a clear soup, like consomme? Seinfeld already tried to tackle that thorny question, so we'll leave the answer to the experts and to you. For the record, we'd happily trade our tasty bowl of soup for your Armani suit, so feel free to contact us with any offers.

To find you the best soup recipes for these wintry days, we powered up the FoodPair search engine and found the tastiest and easiest soup recipes on the planet. In case you're looking for a multi-course soup tasting we even found a great blueberry dessert soup.

Alright, let's make some soup!

Mushroom Soup
A classic mushroom soup always hits the spot.
Ingredients in this recipe: garlic, butter, onion, parsley, celery, salt, black pepper, vegetable stock, mixed mushrooms, potato


Healthy Chinese Chicken Soup
By adding ginger, here's a clever twist on the traditional chicken soup.
Ingredients in this recipe: chicken, scallion, carrot, ginger, celery, salt

Puree of Pea Soup with Mint
An incredibly flavorful (and bright green) soup.
Ingredients in this recipe: mint, cream, peas, salt, vegetable stock, white pepper

Black Bean Soup
This soup is hearty, healthy and delicious. Top with a dollop of sour cream.
Ingredients in this recipe: tomato, garlic, onion, parsley, thyme, black beans, vegetable oil

Simple 10 Minute Miso Soup
You know who can make a great miso soup? You!
Ingredients in this recipe: scallion, tofu, dashi, seaweed, miso, water

Chilled Blueberry Soup
A delicious soup for dessert? Yes please!
Ingredients in this recipe: yogurt, sugar, blueberry, white wine, orange juice

Let’s get cooking (and eating)!

Any other favorite ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, "Like" us on Facebook to get helpful updates in your news feed.