New Years Resolutions

I guess I should get my New Years resolutions up here before any more of 2010 disappears.

We have talked a lot lately about our family goals as well as our own personal goals for 2010! Some are a given : Phil will be graduating, taking the bar, and starting his job at Barret & McNagney in September. Luke will be taking on the roll as "big brother" to baby Micah. I will be giving birth to baby Micah in the next month or so and we will all be moving as a family to Ft. Wayne! So much change is in store for us. (Good thing that I LOVE change! Phil...not so much.) These are all very wonderful and exciting things but there are a lot of "unknowns" still on the horizon. The kind of unknowns that can make a couple like Phil and I (who LOVE to plan) go a little crazy with restlessness.

All of that being said, I hope that I don't bore you too much with my personal list of goals for 2010:

1) Bake and perfect an authentic French croissant in my own kitchen! There is a wonderful recipe in the book "French Woman Don't Get Fat" Please don't be turned off by the title of this book. And also, do NOT assume that her croissant recipe is "healthy" or anything like that. I have put it off because her recipe requires a three day process. I also have picked up a few tips from Julia Child in this area! (No joke) She worked hard to recreate French recipes and cooking techniques for the American kitchen. Love her.
2) Make my own homemade yogurt! Yet another recipe from "French Women Don't Get Fat" book. She actually makes hers authentically French but she does use a yogurt making machine. I have done some research and discovered a few recipes that you can make in your very own crock pot. This is a little more realistic for me since I don't see myself investing in a yogurt maker at this point in my life!
3)Experiment more and expand my cheese making skills. You know how I LOVE cheese? My friend Kristin and I made mozzarella last winter and it was a great success. We both got ourselves cheese making kits and we made a stringy and beautiful batch of cheese! The main reason why I have been putting this task off is because you need "raw milk" to get the best results. I would actually prefer to use and buy raw milk for my family but you have to be very careful about foods like that when you are pregnant. Raw milk is not fully pasteurized and that is a big no no for pregnant moms! I do so look forward to all of the wonderful cheese combinations that my mind can think up!
4) Teach myself how to can green beans. My grandfather had a huge garden every summer and he canned green beans like clockwork. I grew up not even knowing that you could buy cans of green beans in the store! They were heavenly though. I have not yet been able to recreate the flavor of those green beans. I do know that the process is a lot of hard (hot) work. From picking the beans to cleaning them and then the canning process some might say that it is not worth it? Of course that does not discourage me at all, it only fuels my fire of desiring a challenge! I am always looking for the next challenge.

That's it! That's my list. Short and certainly sweet but in reality deceivingly difficult. All four culinary adventures. You may be wondering why, oh why, all of my goals involve the kitchen? Well, because at this current season of life I find myself taking care of little ones at home. I have discovered that a lot of practical creativity can take place in the kitchen. Everyone has to eat everyday so I might as well have some fun making that happen!

I send you lot's of love in your own 2010 ambitions. I do hope that you have them. Goals are important stepping stones for personal growth! I am not putting any pressure on myself to achieve any of these goals...but be reassured that I will update you with my adventures/findings along the way.