At the height of the pandemic, Oscar and I were having a bit of a difficult time managing everything and decided to rent a house in Islamorada for a week. We desperately needed a change of scenery, so we packed up our two dogs and headed south to the string of islands that we, as Floridians, are fortunate to call our own.

One evening, after dinner, I was finishing my glass of wine and gazing out at the sunset. My husband, a talented artist, had brought along his colored pencils and sketch pad.

Now, you must understand — up until that point, my artistic ability was limited to stick figures and, frankly, even those were unimpressive. But as I sat there, inspired by the quiet beauty of the moment, I decided to try drawing a simple beach scene I found in a book where we were staying.

As I worked, the paper began to reflect something more than I thought I was capable of. By the time I finished my second (fourth?) glass of wine, I was genuinely taken aback. For the first time in my life, I had created something that could possibly, maybe be called art.

You might be wondering why this month’s column begins with this story. As we enter a new year, we’re often overwhelmed by the expectations we place on ourselves. We make long lists: “This year, I’m going to get in shape,” or “I’ll finally learn to [fill in the blank].” But the truth is, you don’t need the start of a new year — or any major milestone — to try something new.

For 43 years, I told myself I couldn’t draw or paint. It took a pandemic and a quiet evening in the Keys for me to question that belief. Since then, I started taking art classes with Georgia at Art Studio 308 here in DeLand. My first painting, a Bahamian fruit market that reminded me of my childhood in Nassau, was admittedly incredibly ambitious. Yet, every week, I surprised myself with what I was able to create. Each small accomplishment taught me that our limitations are often just counterproductive stories we tell ourselves. It took me 13 months to complete that painting. It now hangs proudly in my kitchen as the first oil painting I ever did.

This artistic journey has taught me that every day is a chance to learn, to grow, and to discover something new about yourself. Truly, the things that seem impossible or intimidating are often where we find the most growth. When you take a chance, not everything will work out perfectly, but the process itself can be rewarding in ways you never expected. As cliché as it may be, the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.

Contrary to what we are told to believe, our ability to learn doesn’t stop when we reach a certain age. There’s no point in life where we’re done growing (socially, mentally, or in this case, artistically). Sometimes, it takes stepping out of our routine or facing a fear head-on to realize just how much we’re capable of.

So, my hope for you this year is to try something that scares you just a little — or maybe a lot. Step into the unknown with curiosity instead of hesitation. You might stumble, you might even fail, but along the way, you’ll uncover parts of yourself that you never knew existed. And who knows? You might just find a passion or a talent that changes your life in ways you never imagined.

Let’s make this a year when we say “yes” to the things we’ve always doubted we could do. After all, every day is an opportunity to begin again, to learn something new, and to discover who we’re meant to be.

Happy New Year!

For this month’s recipes, I am featuring things that are a little bit different — things that will, well, take you outside of your comfort zone and make you try something new. First up is a recipe for spanakopita pizza. I came up with this while enjoying spanakopita at one of our favorite restaurants, Santorini, a few months back. I thought, “Boy, this would be great as a pizza.” And you know what? It is! I use a whole wheat crust to keep it a bit healthy.

Spanakopita Pizza

1 teaspoon sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

2-2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 bags fresh spinach

1 large red onion

1 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped

1/4 cup milk

1-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pinch of nutmeg

2 8-ounce containers feta cheese

1 8-ounce bag of mozzarella cheese

Cornmeal for dusting

Red chili flakes

In the bowl of a stand mixer, place the sugar, and mix it with the warm water. Add the yeast, and stir to combine. Let the yeast proof until it becomes foamy, which usually takes about 8 minutes.

With a dough hook on your mixer and the mixer running at low speed, add 1 cup of the flour. Add the salt and oil, and carefully begin adding the remaining flour little by little until a ball forms. You may need as little as 2 cups or as much as 2 1/2 cups. The goal is for the dough to form a ball, but be cautious not to add too much flour, as it could make the dough tough.

Continue to knead the dough on medium speed for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the dough, and spray the bowl with cooking spray. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover it with a clean dish towel, and allow it to rise in a very warm place for about 45 minutes. I place it on a table in the back porch or the laundry room if it is too cold outside.

While the dough is rising, prepare the topping. In a large, shallow pot — preferably a Dutch oven — sauté the onion in a little olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the flour, then gradually stir in the milk to create a paste.

Carefully add the spinach a bit at a time, using the lid to reduce the volume of the leaves before adding more. Essentially, you’re making creamed spinach at this stage. Once all the spinach is incorporated and you have a creamy mixture, stir in the Parmesan, dill and nutmeg until everything is well-combined. Allow the mixture to cool completely.

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F, and sprinkle a large baking sheet with a bit of cornmeal. Tape a sheet of parchment paper to your counter using painter’s tape — this makes cleanup much easier. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour onto the parchment, then divide the dough into six equal pieces. Using only your hands (no rolling pin), stretch each piece into a small, roundish shape and arrange them on the baking sheet.

Once the spinach mixture has cooled completely, mix in the feta and mozzarella. Brush each dough round with olive oil, then spread 4 to 5 tablespoons of the spinach mixture onto each. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of chili flakes over the top of each pizza.

Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. These pizzas freeze beautifully and can be reheated in a 400-degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Next up is a recipe for latkes. In my late 20s, I worked and spent a great deal of time on Miami Beach. Back then, North Miami Beach and iconic spots like Wolfie’s and Arnie & Richie’s served some of the best Jewish food in town. This recipe for latkes takes me back to those lunch breaks. I would always end my meal with a BIG black-and-white cookie — but that’s a recipe for another column.

The beauty of this latke recipe is that it’s much healthier and easier than frying.

Oven-Baked Latkes

4 medium-size potatoes, grated

1 small onion, grated

2 eggs, lightly beaten

6 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Olive oil for greasing pan

Grate the potatoes, and place them in a strainer, squeezing out all the excess liquid. I use a clean dish towel to wring them out and remove as much moisture as possible — this step is essential for achieving crispy latkes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix the potatoes, onion, eggs, flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper until well-combined. If the mixture seems too wet, add a couple of tablespoons of flour. The mixture should be slightly moist but able to hold together when pressed gently.

Grease a baking sheet generously with olive oil to prevent the latkes from sticking. With your hands, scoop about a golf-ball-size amount of the mixture and form it into a flat, pancakelike latke. Aim for an even thickness throughout to ensure even cooking. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect!

Bake the latkes for 20 minutes on one side, then flip and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle with a tiny bit more salt. They can be kept warm in a 170-degree F to 200-degree F oven until ready to serve.

I love serving mine with Greek yogurt and chopped scallions. Enjoy!

Lastly, here’s a recipe for a salad that Oscar and I first enjoyed at the Four Seasons Palm Beach several years ago. It’s incredibly simple, yet full of flavor. This salad pairs perfectly with pasta dishes or grilled meats. We recently had it alongside butternut squash risotto for Christmas Eve.

Palm Beach Salad

Arugula

Meyer lemon

Pure truffle oil

Pecorino Romano cheese

Salt and pepper

In a medium bowl, add your desired amount of arugula. Using a vegetable peeler, shave thin slices of pecorino Romano cheese over the salad. Drizzle with truffle oil, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together, and serve.