January 2015

I cannot believe that the first month of the new year has already come and gone.  To recap my resolutions - I set three goals for myself.  I was going to cook three new things in January, draft a slam poem, and work on delegating some of my responsibilities at home.  I met my January goals....sort of.

I did cook three new things in January.  I made a beef stroganoff crock pot meal early in the month.  I love the crock pot and expected this recipe to become an instant family favorite.  It was okay.  I was expecting melt in your mouth meat, but it was a little chewy.  I served it over rice instead of noodles as the recipe suggested; it didn't do much for any of us.  I don't plan on making it again.  My other two meals were more successful.  For Christmas Bob bought me a panini maker/griddle.  We broke it in with chicken quesadillas.  Now this may not sound difficult for someone who is more confident in the kitchen, but I have tried to make them in the past and getting the tortilla crispy and delicious was not something I ever succeeded in...until the panini maker entered our household.  Anyway, the quesadillas worked well for us because we could make them to order: cheese and chicken for the kids and extra veges and black beans in them for the adults.  My biggest complaint was the huge mess I made.  I was more organized the second time which reduced the mess. Plus, Bob likes to work the panini maker, and I enjoy it when we work together in the kitchen.

Filling:  Chicken, Rice,
Swiss Cheese. Almonds

Finished
Chicken and Rice Strudel

 My final new meal was a chicken and rice strudel from a Taste of Home magazine.  It required the use of phyllo dough (which no one at SuperSaver knew where it was...causing me to have to put it off a week in order to go to HyVee).  The kids told me we could have this one again.  What I didn't realize though was when I defrosted the package of dough I bought,  there were two individual packets in the box and  A LOT of sheets of it.  I wound up making a spinach and feta cheese roll up a couple days later in order to avoid waste...only I liked it.... so the two in my freezer will have to come out when I am extra hungry.


My February food goal is to make three more new things this month.  Each item is going to be inspired by the people I love most:  Sam, Sarah, and Bob.  Although, this upcoming Valentine's week is so busy for us that we are going to eat at Valentino's Buffet on Valentines day instead of having an inspired meal at home.  Plus, I told Sarah we could do a Valentine's episode of Sarah's Sweets.  So the countdown is on to get ready for that production.  Our special birthday edition was fun.  Bob posted it on Facebook if you haven't seen it.  She will be famous someday!

As for my slam poetry goal...the only draft I have is the one in my mind.  I write a little more every once in a while when I am driving to and from work or in the shower.  Unfortunately, nothing has made it to paper.

As for delegating responsibility, the kids have been doing a fairly good job with their new chores.   About three weeks ago we started them off with setting and cleaning the table.  They did a great job and I gave them each 50 cents at the end of the week.  They were happy with this small token of my appreciation.  I then added a new chore.  They were to remember to clean up their breakfast table every morning.  They did alright with this and I gave them $1.00 each at the end of the week.  Then we introduced their third chore:  to keep the bathroom tidy after teeth brushing.  They were forgetful about this and needed too many reminders about the breakfast dishes so they only got 50 cents on payday this week. They didn't complain and I have faith they will start remembering on their own. Now, I just have to think of another chore for Bob :)

Cinnamon Rolls, Kolaches, and Horn Rolls...OH MY.

After my first post, I decided to go out of my comfort zone and ask someone to teach me something that I thought would be enjoyable to learn in the kitchen.  I instantly thought of my Aunt Marie who has taken over the duties of Kolache maker for our extended family.  I sent her a quick text before Thanksgiving asking her if she could show me how sometime.  She was baking the upcoming weekend for Thanksgiving so I drove to Omaha, and she showed me the secret to making Kolaches.

My first solo batch with Sarah.  Not bad! 

Here is what I learned.  Marie is an excellent teacher.  It was almost like I was at a cooking show. She had most of the dough made and ready to go so we could get right to work on forming the Kolaches, but she left one batch to make with me (I can now scald milk).  She made sure I participated and didn't just watch.  I learned that you can make the pastries and the horn rolls from the same dough. I learned that lard and crisco are different things.  I learned it was not as hard or as messy as I thought it was going to be.  I also learned if it is well planned out like Marie had it planned, it is not as time consuming as I thought it would be either.

Our cinnamon rolls would have turned out better
if I would have remembered to let them rise.
They still tasted good :)

But the best part of the day was hanging out with my aunt and my cousin (and her friend).  I don't spend enough time just doing something fun with my family members.  I kept this in mind when I tried a few days later to make cinnamon rolls and kolaches on my own or should I say with the help of Sarah (my soon to be six year old).  Sarah used to say that her talent was talking to animals; now it is baking.  She loves to help in the kitchen.  Any of us who have or had young children know that having "help" in the kitchen doesn't always make the process easier.   Sarah and I made a much bigger mess than Marie and I did, but we also made a memory, and I have to remember that cooking can do that.  It is one of the reasons I want to get better at it and enjoy it more.  Oh, our kolaches turned out too!

Happy New Year...Resolution!

In my first post I mentioned that each year I set a resolution that revolves around being more adventurous in the kitchen.  Each year I toss this resolution out like I do the ones I make about exercising more or reading the newspaper daily.   But this year will be different!  I will make reasonable, achievable plans and go for it.  Here are three things I resolve to accomplish in January 2015 that will match with my three brave categories in the prior post.

1.  Cooking....I will cook three new things in January.  This doesn't seem like much, but it takes time to find recipes that everyone in my family MIGHT like, grocery prep, and find days we are all home to enjoy :)  Plus, given I don't LOVE cooking...yet, it takes effort to just get going.

2.  Slam poetry...I need a start.  By the end of January, I will have a rough draft of something that I will commit to working on.

3.  Control freak...Bob and I made a list of chores for the kids to do.  The list is simple - tidy rooms, help set and clear the table, wipe the toothpaste out of the sink when a mess is made, and put the breakfast dishes in the sink.  Not hard, but so far my kiddos have had very little personal responsibility for home chores.  The kids are nine and soon to be six.  They can do, my biggest challenge will be holding them accountable to these chores and not just growling when they forget as I do the chores for them.

Finally, the start of second semester at work is a great time for me to start fresh.  I have a new class of students who I am sure will be eager to write creatively everyday - I hope to try some new ideas with them.  I can also try to enforce the school rules that I may have became very relaxed with by the end of first semester in the classroom and the library - no more lattes in the computer labs....

We will see, my hopes are that putting this out "there" makes me more accountable.

Happy New Year.  I have faith that 2015 will be a great year!  

Piggy Backing on The Brave Project with English 10

Reading Lynne Herr's blogs about being brave and venturing out of her comfort zone made me take a personal inventory of the things that would push me out of my own comfort zone...and that is where I stopped.  I stopped with the idea in my head and a notion that hey it might be fun to try something like this on my own smaller scale. Then I stopped.  I got busy with other things and stopped thinking about being brave.  It is much easier that way!

And now I am starting.  I listened to Lynne speak to Mr. Tobey's class.  I listened to Mr. Tobey challenge his 10th grade class to blog about things they could do to be brave.  I listened and decided to accept the challenge myself, and since I won't be graded I can revise the assignment to meet any criteria and timeline I want.  As soon as I hit publish on this blog, I will try and hold myself accountable to what ever I write.  So I will start with phase one....listing things that would push me out of my comfort zone.  Instead of ten, I will share three things that I can reasonably work on over the next few months.

1. Cooking.   Every year I make the same New Year's Resolution.  My resolution is to be more adventurous in the kitchen.  I say I will try a new meal each week, learn new cooking skills, and get over my fear of asking the grocer what part of that hard to identify vegetable is edible. I want to enjoy cooking instead of feeling like it is a constant chore and my sole responsibility as the primary chef at my house.  My brave plan is to set a goal each month that will help me grow my culinary skills.  My husband and children will be my guiana pigs and my friends and family will be my teachers.  
2.  Slam Poetry.  This will be my biggest personal challenge to overcome.  As a sponsor of the slam poetry team I have very little credibility.  I am not a slam poet; the idea of standing in front of an audience with my own words memorized and flowing from my mouth is terrifying to me.  I struggle with sharing what I write with anyone for fear of judgement, let alone perform. Writing this is a little intimidating...but the students on the slam poetry team inspire me.  They can write, and they can perform. They will help me get over my fear and guide me in the process. 
3. Control Freak / Asking for help.  Asking for help is a line I struggle to cross.  I am a control freak.  I want things done just so...and who can do those things better than me?  It is that attitude that sometimes overwhelms me.  The worst part is is when I am feeling overwhelmed, I want the people closest to me to understand why without me telling them.  That is unreasonable.  I have a capable husband at home who is more than willing to take on some of the responsibilities I make my own, but he cannot read my mind.  I have kids who are old enough to have responsibilities. I have coworkers who know way more than me about so  many things, and they are so willing to teach their peers as much as they are to teach their students; therefore, when I need help I should ask for it. 

Some other things I want to be braver with in my work life and personal life include learning new technologies, not being a pushover with the rules,  and not being afraid to take exercise classes where coordination is needed.  I want to tackle my fear of white water rafting and climb a rock wall.  I want to make time to volunteer.  I want to fall in love with a puppy instead of hoping it will hop on someone else's lap.  

None of the things on my list are that hard, but they will take time, effort, and sometimes bravery to move forward.  Let the journey begin....