I’m purposefully refraining from saying “Happy New Year” this year. I don’t know why. It’s weird. Normally, I give in completely, but this year feels different. Number one: Can we really describe what “happy” even means and why do we offer it so freely? Happiness isn’t promised and do I even want “happy” to be the one emotion I wish for the new year? I kind of enjoy the reflective parts of a new year (which often comes with some sadness, wonder, gratitude, but not always… happiness). I also don’t adopt the whole “New Year, New Me” (maybe that’s also because I worked at a women’s health magazine for 3 years). So, what do you say to people for the next few weeks in email correspondence, texts, meetings, and/or calls if NOT “Happy New Year?” Now, before you start to worry about me… I’m absolutely fine. I’ve been struggling with this for years (maybe ever since that women’s health magazine stint) and have continued to say “Happy New Year” (and probably have already said it multiple times this year). I mean, I’ll do it, but it still makes me wonder if there are other words we could use instead of “happy”? Or, have we learned enough lessons to leave well enough alone and just say “Happy New Year” and don’t think another minute about it? Probably. But, I can’t help myself. I like words. I like writing words. I like thinking about words. So, here we are on my food blog talking about words and…FOOD. Let’s get to the food, shall we?

So you might be wondering if I am relishing in anything related to happiness given that rant above? Why, I certainly AM! For one, the Pioneer Woman’s Creamy One-Pot Sausage Gnocchi recipe. Now, if I were to eat that every day (and I could), I might shift my belief in the whole “happy new year” vibe. It is so good.
Note: I bought too much pork sausage (think… Jimmy Dean) for sausage balls over the holidays and decided to use that sausage instead of the link sausage.


In my pre-holidays “what if I need whipping cream” anxiety, I decided to buy it on a whim. I didn’t have a recipe that called for it, but felt like I would be lost without whipping cream for some reason. Why do we do this? So, there I was… scrolling on social media (see? NOT new year, new me) and Smitten Kitchen’s Dreamy Cream Scones recipe appeared magically? Or perhaps AI, Siri, Alexa, and Internet Overseer knew that I had whipping cream in my fridge and decided to bombard my social media feed? Nonetheless, it was RIGHT on time.
Note: I did not use currants because we have braces in our household, but you should!

So, here is to a new year filled with hope, peace, prosperity, growth, love, wonder, reflection, connection, comfort, care, and…yes, OF COURSE, happiness!