Hello all. I mentioned in my last post that I have roughly 338 recipes to try in 329 days.
Today, I spent time counting out those recipes, grouping them, and combining side dishes with main courses to see how I might make some kind of meal plan or schedule for the completion of this project.
Here is what I have:
110 Main Course Meals
Some of these use main course AND side dish recipes; Others are just main dishes to which I will add my own sides. This works out to 2 meals per week for the next 11 months.
8 Lunch specific meals
I will use these during the school days with the kids, or just whenever.
25 Breakfast Meals
Of course, there is no way that I will save them all for the breakfast hours, I am sure. This works out to one breakfast meal every other week.
11 Soups
This equals one new soup recipe a month until the end of the year.
5 Salads
1 new recipe every other month for 10 months
40 Beverages
This comes out to 1 a week for the rest of the year (minus 7 weeks).
There are also 4 recipes that I set aside to use specifically for church picnics, since we always need sides/salads, and these will keep well sitting outside (no mayo or eggs!).
Finally, I also had 75 various dessert, cookie, and snack recipes. I have decided that I am not going to stress over whether or not I get these worked into the schedule. These recipes I will use for church picnics, special occasions, or parties. Some of the snack recipes I could also use for quick suppers when I don't really feel like cooking. I made this decision because, at this point in our lives, we have a retirement pending, and maybe a move, and I didn't want to spread myself to thin and have something else to stress about when this is supposed to be fun. I also didn't want to risk quitting before I really got started.
My goal: to finish this task before the end of the year. I will settle for completing the task in a year, but I believe that I have worked this out so that I can complete my goal by the end of December. Since January is all but gone, I have 11 months to meet this goal.
So, I hope you all are ready to hear all about my cooking exploits - as well as, I am sure, many other rants and raves, praises and complaints, OH, AND, recipe reviews (maybe even from the family instead of me) and pictures of the dishes - because, FOR BETTER OR WORSE, y'all are stuck with me until the end of the year. So just know, if you are a friend of mine in the Fort Meade, MD area (or wherever we may end up after retirement), and you are reading this, it is entirely possible you will be fed something I have never made before. LOL!
One last thing before I go:
I have a back-up plan already too. Supportive as he is of my plan and my project, and as eager as he is for me to make tortillas (both corn and flour), chorizo, and tomatillo salsa, my husband has already given me the green light to order pizza or make PB-n-J if the recipes flop. PHEW!!
Next week I will begin! Are you ready for the ride?
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
What was I thinking?
Oh wow. So, I figured, how hard could my little recipe undertaking be.
The girl in the movie had 524 recipes to work through in 365 days. That's not me, so I ought to be okay.
Well, it's a different story when you decide to set out to do the task, and start committing the plan to paper.
As it turns out, I have 338 (or so) recipes to make in 329 days.
I have 45 poultry recipes alone; that's nearly 1 a week for the rest of the year. I also have 44 veggie recipes.
Now, I have to admit, right up front, that I did make a New Years Resolution this year. It may seem a bit generic at the outset, but I assure you it has kept me challenged.
The resolution: to not be dictated to by unreasonable fear. My goal this year is to stare down whatever it is that comes my way that causes me to shrink back, or second-guess myself, and really examine it. If I am deciding not to do something, say - for instance, trying octopus for the first time - simply because it looks weird and a little creepy, well...that's just not a good enough reason to not do it.
Don't get me wrong! Stupid, I am not. I have no death wish. I will not be bungee jumping unless the life of one of my children is at stake. I have never had any desire to put myself in that kind of peril. But, when it comes to food, if its dead already, COME ON!
It is from that place I am operating, and from that place that I have decided that, even though this idea feels absolutely ridiculous in the cold, stark light of day, I will proceed.
After all, we eat 3 meals a day. So when I break the goal down THAT FAR, to cop out before I even get started is nothing more than letting fear dictate my action.
To quote former President George H.W. Bush, "Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent."
So, with that, I have come up with a plan but, I'm not posting it right now because its 1:30 am, and I have to be up in 5 hours to babysit a sweet, sweet little girl.
Good night, er... I mean, good morning.
The girl in the movie had 524 recipes to work through in 365 days. That's not me, so I ought to be okay.
Well, it's a different story when you decide to set out to do the task, and start committing the plan to paper.
As it turns out, I have 338 (or so) recipes to make in 329 days.
I have 45 poultry recipes alone; that's nearly 1 a week for the rest of the year. I also have 44 veggie recipes.
Now, I have to admit, right up front, that I did make a New Years Resolution this year. It may seem a bit generic at the outset, but I assure you it has kept me challenged.
The resolution: to not be dictated to by unreasonable fear. My goal this year is to stare down whatever it is that comes my way that causes me to shrink back, or second-guess myself, and really examine it. If I am deciding not to do something, say - for instance, trying octopus for the first time - simply because it looks weird and a little creepy, well...that's just not a good enough reason to not do it.
Don't get me wrong! Stupid, I am not. I have no death wish. I will not be bungee jumping unless the life of one of my children is at stake. I have never had any desire to put myself in that kind of peril. But, when it comes to food, if its dead already, COME ON!
It is from that place I am operating, and from that place that I have decided that, even though this idea feels absolutely ridiculous in the cold, stark light of day, I will proceed.
After all, we eat 3 meals a day. So when I break the goal down THAT FAR, to cop out before I even get started is nothing more than letting fear dictate my action.
To quote former President George H.W. Bush, "Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent."
So, with that, I have come up with a plan but, I'm not posting it right now because its 1:30 am, and I have to be up in 5 hours to babysit a sweet, sweet little girl.
Good night, er... I mean, good morning.
Monday, January 28, 2013
My New Project!
I checked out the movie Julie & Julia from the library last week, and have watched it 3x. I have been inspired to work through some of my recipes. I've been thinking about it for a while anyway, but the movie has convinced me. Well, that, and the fact that I do believe I am a recipe hoarder, and maybe even a cookbook hoarder in training.
In an effort to do something with my collection, I have resolved to work through my recipe box and Pinterest Foods board. And, in an attempt to pay homage to what has now become another one of my favorite movies, I'm going to blog about my experience.
I have 174 recipes (that I have never made) in my recipe box, not including the "Cookies & Bars" section. There are 52 cookie/bar recipes - one for each week. I also have 152 Pinterest foods I'd like to try.
So, I'm gonna. And as I work through the recipes, I will be deleting/discarding those we don't like or that I know I won't ever make again. This way, I can reduce my hoard of recipes or add to my repertoire of recipes that I make more often rather than falling back on the same old-same old. Hopefully, it'll turn out to be a little of both.
The reason for the blog, because I have to have a reason - that's just how I am - is: there are plenty of Pinterest recipes that I have that I would likely never try but like the looks of, and I am sure I'm not the only one. So, maybe, this will inspire some one to bust out of their "same old-same old" rut and try out some of the recipes in their stash. Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm just doing this because I like to talk and that, in all actuality, nobody really reads this or cares, but I need something to do to occupy my time. In any case, I don't really care, because I'm gonna do it anyway.
After all, it's good to have goals. Right?!
Who knows? After this project is good and underway, maybe ill start working on some of my other Pinterest board projects and subject you all to my ramblings about them as well. ;)
In an effort to do something with my collection, I have resolved to work through my recipe box and Pinterest Foods board. And, in an attempt to pay homage to what has now become another one of my favorite movies, I'm going to blog about my experience.
I have 174 recipes (that I have never made) in my recipe box, not including the "Cookies & Bars" section. There are 52 cookie/bar recipes - one for each week. I also have 152 Pinterest foods I'd like to try.
So, I'm gonna. And as I work through the recipes, I will be deleting/discarding those we don't like or that I know I won't ever make again. This way, I can reduce my hoard of recipes or add to my repertoire of recipes that I make more often rather than falling back on the same old-same old. Hopefully, it'll turn out to be a little of both.
The reason for the blog, because I have to have a reason - that's just how I am - is: there are plenty of Pinterest recipes that I have that I would likely never try but like the looks of, and I am sure I'm not the only one. So, maybe, this will inspire some one to bust out of their "same old-same old" rut and try out some of the recipes in their stash. Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm just doing this because I like to talk and that, in all actuality, nobody really reads this or cares, but I need something to do to occupy my time. In any case, I don't really care, because I'm gonna do it anyway.
After all, it's good to have goals. Right?!
Who knows? After this project is good and underway, maybe ill start working on some of my other Pinterest board projects and subject you all to my ramblings about them as well. ;)
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