2010!

I love New Year's resolutions, and have many successes from the practice, and unfortunately, many failures as well. I still love the energy, thoughtfulness, and new beginning they represent. I'm an optimist at heart, though sometimes I feel the world and all the energy-draining issues in day to day life sucks that out of me.

I sat down this morning to write down my New Year's resolutions, and discovered almost all of them have already made my 28 in 28 list And in an effort to promote success and not failure, it's best if I just stick to that list instead of adding more!

So for the New Year, here is an update of my list with what I've accomplished since November 9. When I looked at this list, I was fairly disappointed with my accomplishments this far. So here's to the New Year, and a renewed spirit to get some things done!


1. Finish P90X..all 90 days of it. (made it to day 17...then had a failure melt down. Starting again..today!!)
2. Take a class (photography, cake decorating, biomedical engineering..something!)
3. Go 1 entire month maintaining 3 blog posts per week.
4. Bake and decorate a layer cake.
5. RECYCLE! (even though i have to drive my stuff to the closest center because my unit doesn't offer recycling pick up).
6. Finish the bf's kitchen cabinet project.
7. Read all 633 pages of The Book of God (I've owned this book for going on 8 years!) (On page 133!)
8. Run 13.1 miles while being timed. (A half with my bff is in the works for late summer...after #1 is competed.)
9. Break out of the ugly brown leather work shoe rut. ( haven't worn them in a month!..picked up these, and these instead!)
10. Buy an outfit that makes me feel stylish and beautiful..without paying too much attention to the price tag.
11. Go out to dinner at a restaurant I've never heard of based only on online reviews.
12. Cook a meal for someone besides the bf!
13. Pretty up the bf's laundry room..with this as inpiration! (new appliances are in the works..full details coming soon!)
14. Read more books...6 in the next year! (audio books count!)
15. Take more pictures. ( I got this for Christmas from the bf!!!)
16. Go sledding! (went seldding..with a plastic bin for a sled. It was short-lived.)
17. Wear earings once a month (that's 12x more often than I currently do!).
18. Plan a date once a month.
19. Fix my shaking washer/dryer problem.
20. Send out birthday cards to loved ones on time.
21. Make my own Christmas cards.
22. Call in sick :)
23. Take a trip (that doesn't involve an amusement park or a casino).
24. Make gifts..that are worthy of being given. ( I made and gave out these, these, and this...not sure if they were truly worth giving, but brought on a sense of self confidence and resourcefulness)
25. Keep a plant alive for a whole year.
26. Make popcorn balls and share with the office. (I made this carmel crack (gluten free) and took it into work!)
27. Eliminate chemical cleaners from my house and my life! (I have gone no poo...more details coming!)
28. Laugh and smile more.

Christmas Candy - Orange Sticks

These went over pretty well. They are really simple and pretty impressive. Cut off the ends and score the peel of the oranges so that the peels come off in sort of quarter sized chunks. Slice them up into matchsticks. Boil in water for 3 minutes, drain, rinse, repeat for a total of 3 boil sessions. Then boil peels in simple syrup (1 part water to 1 part sugar) for 1 hour. Drain and let cool. Dip in melted bittersweet chocolate chips (I threw in a bit of butter to ensure a shiny finish) and there you have it...homemade orange sticks. Enjoy!

First Success

So sorry for the iPhone picture, but it's all I had at the time, and I was too excited to miss the moment. I had my first gluten free baking success! It only took 3 tries at a relatively simple scone recipe to convert it to gf and still have something that stayed together when picked up...and didn't run all over the oven when baking. I really under estimated the complexity of gluten free baking and any of you that are reading this who've been doing the gf baking thing much longer than I, you're probably thinking, "well duh". I know, I read it over an over again, that it's a process, and takes time to get the flour combinations just right and the fat, to baking soda combinations just right, but i still went on confidently thinking it just couldn't be that hard...there has to be a magic substitution that works for everything, and, well, that's just not the case.

So over the last several weeks, while the posting has been sparse, I've been experimenting, and failing, at baking gluten free. I have found some great, although expensive, prepared gluten free food, and have also learned quite a few tolerable restaurant options..including navigating through a company Christmas party held at an Italian restaurant of all places. Anyway, I have many other adventures and failures to share, but I wanted to start with a success...(I hope it wasn't just a fluke!)

Cranberry Cream Scones
adapted from Smitten Kitchen (as usual!)

2 1/2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour mix (I used Pamela's Baking Mix)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tablespoon baking powder (1 if using a gf or g flour mix that doesn't include baking powder)
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Whisk flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum together in large bowl. Drop in ice cold butter cubes and cut in with pastry blender (or you can use a food processor if you're afforded such luxuries...but I'm not judging) until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cranberries and put back in refrigerator.

In another small beat egg and yolk until foamy and stir in cream. Remove flour mixture from the refrigerator add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined.

On a well-floured surface with floured hands pat dough into a 1.5-inch-thick square and with a large knife or pizza cutter cut into 8 wedges. Place wedges about 2 inches apart from each other on a piece of parchment paper and stick in the freezer for 15 minutes (if freezing for later use wrap in plastic wrap and stick in freezer bag at this point after the initial 15 minute freeze). Pull out of the freezer and place, with parchment paper, on baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.

Remove parchment paper with scones from hot baking sheet and serve warm.

Keep refrigerated individually wrapped in plastic wrap and foil.

I want this

I'm in love with this rug. Wouldn't it be perfect in a kitchen? Not sure the bf would like it or if it goes very well with the Jayhawk Crimson red wall in the dining room....but I'm keeping it in my wants file anyway

I've always been a little hesitant of yellow rugs, but this room serves as great inspiration for tying in yellow on the floor.

Have a great weekend!