Happy New Year! We’ve got a blank slate so now let’s do it right. Welsh rarebit seem that is doing it right.

Last night I rang in 2018 the old lady way with my mom and her friends for a lovely 4 pm early bird dinner before coming home to Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Ross, Chandler and Rachel, and heading to bed at a sensible hour. However, if you’re like many, you’re waking up today wishing you could turn back time to last night and make more sensible choices about beverage consumption. Maybe you should have alternated your pops with water. Maybe you could have slammed some Powerade post-festivites. Maybe it would have been a good idea to indulge in some late night pizza. Shoulda, coulda, woulda.

But here you are Monday morning wondering what you’re doing with your life and you need a fix and you need it fast. I’m here to help you. So go sneak some Kalhua or Bailey’s in your coffee to keep the party going, and let’s get to it.

I’ve been in a bit of a rut with the food lately; eating out so much over the past few weeks with Christmas and such has made me a bit of a dunce in the kitchen. However, last week’s winter roundup got the juices flowing again, and my most recent Food & Wine provides inspiration today.

Have you ever had or heard of Welsh Rarebit(or, as Mom said it’s often called, ‘s&*t on a shingle’)? I had, but had no earthly idea what it was. You know what it is? It’s essentially cheesy toast! I mean, I can’t think of a better hangover cure than what I’m plating up today.

When I was a kid, we’d have cheesy toast for breakfast once in a while, and this is a more grown-up version. We’re cooking down bacon fat with shallots before adding some cheese and beer and other good things, and slathering it on toast and giving it a broil to make it nice and crispy. That’s it! Crack and egg on it if you are up for it; if so, you’re a rock star.

I will say that, despite common sense telling me so based on the ingredients, one slice was sufficient- the whole thing is quite rich.