2015 Cooking Goals

Well, hello. Let me just hop down off my hoverboard and I'll share with you my 2015 cooking goals. What? You don't have a hoverboard? WHAT? They're not real! But it's 2015! Isn't this the year of robots and hovercraft and whatever else took place in sci fi movies that I never watched as a kid because I wasn't into sci fi?

Okay, so 2015 might not be as crazy as we imagined it might be since we're all mostly living our lives with gravity keeping us in check, but it can still be a fun year! One of my goals for the new year is to cook more. Now that I have my own kitchen (excuse me while I swoon), I want to get back into the joy of cooking. So here's my official goal: If I am not eating out with friends, then I will cook at home. I didn't want to eliminate socialization over meals because I think it feeds my heart as well as body. Plus, it's not like I'm eating out with friends several times a week. Over the last few weeks I've been cooking more and I like it. I'm eating good food, I know what's going into a dish, and it means I've also lost a few pounds even though it's holiday season. This doesn't mean I'll never pop something in the microwave or pick up food. Let's be real. However, the big picture is to cook more, find new recipes to add to my repertoire, rediscover old favorites, and savor food as a delight of the senses while nourishing my body. Oh good grief. I just went into total nerd mode about food. Whatever.

Here's a (starter) list of recipes I want to try:

White Bean Tortellini Soup with Broiled Havarti Toasts
Slow Cooker Garlic & Brown Sugar Chicken (I've already made this. Ridiculously good. It was a Pinterest success.)
IPA Crab Cakes with Spicy Beer Hollandaise (I've had this, but not made it myself.)
Chewy Ginger Cookies
Soft Pretzels (I've wanted to try this for 5 years now.)
Pull-Apart Bread (They're all over Pinterest, but I might go with this one.)
Thug Kitchen recipes (A bookseller at B&N told me about this and while I don't love the language, the recipes seem solid. And they're focused on being healthier, so that's a plus.)

I'm also reading through Dinner: A Love Story which is a mixture of stories and recipes. I'm highly anticipating Shauna Niequist's next book, Savor. (I've already pre-ordered.) And I plan to actually use some of the lovely cookbooks I have sitting on my shelf like this and this. (If you clicked the second link you'll see that it's a cookbook for newlyweds. I don't even care. It's a beautiful cookbook with great recipes and tips.) If you need other books to inspire you to head into the kitchen, check out Shanua's other books (Bittersweet, Cold Tangerines, Bread & Wine). (Also, check out Powell's for used versions of these. For real.)

If you're not a reader, then you should watch The Hundred-Foot Journey. Divine. Darling. Wonderful. Charming. Inspiring. Lovely. All the feels. Or watch Chef. Not quite the same feel, but still shows someone passionate about food and the way he reconnects with that love (and his son). Or watch Mind of a Chef. There's nothing more inspiring than to watch someone talk about whatever it is they're passionate about. It draws you in and you find yourself wanting a piece of it. There are three seasons with the most recent having aired on PBS. I haven't seen it yet because I don't have cable, but when it pops up on Amazon Prime you better believe I'm binge watching it.

Well, beloved friends, strangers, and internet cats, I guess this is the revitalization of my cooking blog. If for no other reason than it will keep me accountable and moving forward in this goal.

Happy New Year.