In general, I don't make New Year's resolutions. I'm a teacher so my new year is that Tuesday after Labor Day and I make my share of unfulfilled promises then. But over the past five years or so, I have accumulated a healthy collection of cookbooks and food magazines that I pore over and then promptly forget when it's time to actually cook. In order to break this habit, I have committed to trying out one new dish each week.
And thus, a blog (however informal and grammatically incorrect!) is born.
I do have some... well, let's say... ah... quirks about food that are important to upfront about. These are listed in no particular order:
1. I don't like seafood at all. In general I don't cook or eat it. It's something I really don't like about myself. (There is one unsettling exception: I LOVE tuna from a can. It makes no sense, but it's true.)
2. I have recently developed some weird ass fruit allergy to pineapple, strawberries, and kiwi. I am fine with the pineapple and kiwi, but damn do I miss strawberries.
3. When I was in college, I got really into the Atkins diet for about six months. The carb free life didn't last long, but I do tend to focus more on protein and vegetables when I am thinking about meals. That being said, I am an absolute freak for potatoes. I am trying to branch out into other starch/carb arenas.
4. I am obsessive about meal planning. Right out of college, I was pretty broke, so I got into this habit of really thinking about what I was going to eat in the coming week and only buying the stuff I needed so I didn't throw anything away. The habit turned ritual. Every weekend, Will (my husband and kick ass cook in his own right) and I sit down and plan out all our meals and make a grocery list. I have tried going to the grocery store without the list, but I end up with a block of cheese and Chips Ahoy.
5. Admission: I'm not super into the organic foods movement. I would like to be, but I can't really afford it. If I'm being really honest, I also have to admit that I do about 70% of my shopping at a pretty urban Shoprite. The rest comes from the Reading Terminal Market (produce and sometimes meat) and Trader Joes. I'll try to be up front with where my ingredients come from.
6. I don't have a traditional kitchen. Our home is under renovation and has been (and will be) for some time. My cooking elements are limited to a convection toaster oven, microwave, and two electric burners. We also have access to a gas grill when the weather is nice.
7. I prefer savory/salty to sweet. I don't do any baking.
I also have some writing quirks. I'm certified by the state of Pennsylvania to teach English, so I know the difference between "right" and "wrong." I know that sentences are not supposed to end in a preposition. I know that all sentences are supposed to have a subject and a verb. I know where commas, colons, and semi-colons do and do not belong. But mostly, I think writers should write what they mean. And sometimes I mean to end with a preposition or to skip a comma. It's taken some time, but I'm finally ok with it. I hope you will be too.
My game of 52 pick up starts in just two days. In the fall, my younger sister, Jenna, made some pretty bang up vegetarian chili. I'm going to make a few tweaks and then take my own turn. Fingers crossed.
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