Mies en place

(Translation: Everything in its place)

This was Dad's favorite phrase to use in the kitchen. It basically means to prepare for your next meal ahead of time. Chop the veggies, set out the ingredients, wash the prep dishes before you start cooking, etc. I can vividly recall my father running around our kitchen island hollering out "Time to mies en place!" hours before we were to have guests over for dinner. He loved to pretend that he could speak foreign languages. :)

So tonight is New Year's Eve and instead of venture out on a night when couples everywhere smooch at the stroke of midnight, our couple-less family is having a Game Night tournament. And my job is to make our famous vegetarian chipotle chili. Mmmm.... Everytime I've made this recipe, it gets rave reviews. Thank you, Cooking Light October 2006 issue! Or was it November?

So I'm off to mies en place! Dad would be so pleased. Happy New Year everyone - see you in 2008!