Bad Home Cooking

My bright future

If I'm not careful, you might be reading more about me in the future.

Seriously. It could happen.

Bad Home Cooking: Eight resolutions for 2009 (and six things that make me happy)

I love a new year. Like a newly-cleaned house or a freshly-scrubbed kid, a new year is a clean slate, full of potential and hope. I like to keep my expectations low in the kitchen, but I thought it was worth coming up with a list of possibly actionable items that will make my life (and that of those forced to live near me) that much better in the new year. To wit:

Here are EIGHT resolutions for 2009:

1.) I will learn to dice an onion (Kelli, if you're still knitting me those gloves, you might want to subtract a finger or two...)

2.) I will learn how to roast a chicken in one go.

3.) I will figure out something to do with the tin of tomato paste I've used one tablespoon of other than cover it with tinfoil and let it go fuzzy in the back of the fridge.

4.) I will update this blog once a week, damnit. And OK, I'll try to fix the photos, too.

5.) I will not waste so much food. If my kids won't eat it, I will find someone who will. Any volunteers...?

****************************** crickets *********************************************************************

6.) I will learn the ancient art of timing. That is, I will learn how to get three things on a plate and serve them before any of them get cold.

7.) I will bake Linda's white bread this year. I will not be afraid.

8) I will identify three more meals my kids will both eat. (It's the both part that will prove tricky)

What'dya think? Are any of these doable? I think they all are, but you, plucky readers, may think otherwise. Which one(s) is/are the most likely to fall through the cracks?

Oh, and in other news, I found out that I've been sent my first Blog meme of 2009, along with a little award of unknown provenance. I saw my blog mentioned on a food blog called Joie de Manger, written by a woman trained as a chef and now trying to juggle cooking and family (and dog).

If I understand these things correctly, I'm supposed to do something (in this case, list six things that make me happy), then pass this award onto six other deserving blogs. This does seem like the blog version of a chain letter, but hell. I'm flattered enough to do as I'm told,

As such, here are six things that make me happy:

1.) Hearing, "Mom! Can I have some more of your (insert home-made foodstuff here).

2.) Dinner parties with friends

3.) Farmer's markets

4.) Noodles of all sorts

5.) Flamenco, especially live, when it's caught fire

6.) Cute scarves.

I pass this forward to:

Elfini
Matt Bites
Bananaberryfarmgirls
xxstream -- Housewifery in real time
Talk of Tomatoes
The Perfect Pantry

Visit these excellent blogs and see what they've got for you.

HOPE...

Despite appearances, I'm still not bitter enough to think things can't change. They can. I know it. I still have hope.

Get out and vote today, friends.

Red, red wine...

This just in: In a New York Times report today, researchers are saying that red wine may slow the aging process. The study is based on dosing mice with resveratrol, an ingredient found in some red wines (Merlot? Please say it's merlot!).

True, the scientists dosed mice with the equivalent of 35 bottles of red wine a day, but given the other resveratrol-like compounds that may also be beneficial, and taking into account a mouse's higher metabolic rate, a mere four, five-ounce glasses of wine “starts getting close” to the amount of resveratrol they found effective, according to the report.

Four glasses of wine? If I could work up to that, the effects on my cooking might be disastrous, but at least I'd regain my youthful spark. What d'ya all think? Worth a try?