In regards to goal #21 and diversifying my reading- the mix has gotten a bit out of hand lately.

I’ve been reading The Fountainhead since September- my decision to join a book club in the fall resulting in the slow progress. I’m dying to know how Rourke ends up, and I’m slogging away at it, but it hasn’t been a speedy process.

I know what you’re thinking when ‘bookclub?’ drips off your tongue in disdain- stuffy crowd, Oprah’s vacuous recommendations, uncomfortable seating arrangements- but the group I’m thrilled to be a part of  hardly fits the mold. What I appreciate most about the crowd is the fact that the genre of reading varies significantly each time- since I’ve joined we’ve read “Under the Banner of Heaven,” “Party Favors,” and now “When Will There be Good News” by Kate Atkinson. For one thing, there is a good chance I would’ve never read any of these books on my own, and I appreciate the exposure, for better or worse.

When it comes to my magazine subscriptions, not only does my reading time get crowded, but it becomes oh-so Upper East Side. At the moment I’ve got the New Yorker, Vogue and Vanity Fair coming on a regular basis, with Domino starting soon. An interesting, if not completely realistic, story on “green,” jobs and ways to keep kids out of jail. Just doing my minuscule part to keep print journalists afloat…

To address both #21 and #15-  brought L’Etranger home with me after the holidays. Can’t say as I remember understanding much of it when I was taking French, so I think this will prove more difficult then I hoped.

Surprisingly enough, my kitchen has not had much of a rest over the last few weeks. I’ve tried out quite a mix of new recipes and improvised with some creations of my own. Most notably:

HOMEMADE. CINNAMON. ROLLS. Nothing screams holiday poundage like slow rising dough rolled in butter, cinnamon and powered sugar, doused in a healthy coating of cream cheese frosting.

Lucky for me I attempted this recipe found on Tastespotting, (a great site when seeking inspiration; an awful site when sitting at your desk at 11:30 craving lunch and all you have to look forward to is a Trader Joes microwavable Indian food experiment), while at home over the holiday. Mom’s KitchenAid bowl mixer really comes in handy when whipping up the yeasty dough.

I hadn’t attempted cinnamon rolls before, but this was a pretty easy-to-follow recipe. It does take a solid 4 hours for the dough to rise, so plan ahead. Also make sure you read through all the directions because it does require some maneuvering- i.e. having to put a pan of boiling water in a cold oven with the cinnamon rolls prior to baking.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I couldn’t find a recipe that seemed to contain the ingredients I envisioned, so I borrowed from a few and added in what I wanted. If you’re looking for a very authentic style of tortilla soup, with a clear broth, read below. If you prefer less spice, leave out the added chili pepper.

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil

1 chopped red onion

4.5 cups chicken broth

2.5 cups pre-cooked shredded chicken

1.5 tsp. cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

1 can of tomatoes with chilis (a few brands make this- I used Rotel)

Half of a diced green chili pepper

5 sprigs cilantro

¼ tsp agave syrup (Not really necessary, but gives it a good flavor)

¼ cup of cilantro, chopped

1/2 lime – zest

1/2 lime – juice

Garnishes

Chopped avocado

Sliced radish

Shredded cheese

Tortilla chips

1) Saute onion in vegetable oil for about 2 minutes, before browning

2) Add chicken broth, chicken, cumin, s/p, green pepper, 5 sprigs of cilantro and agave. Simmer for 15-20 minutes

3) Remove cilantro stems

4) Add lime juice, zest, cilantro and simmer for about 5 minutes

5) I haven’t gotten crazy yet and made my own tortilla chips, so throw in store-bought, top the soup with a little more cilantro, avocado, cheese and radishes, and you’re set.

Voila:

I’ve also tried out a few dressings, marinades and rubs lately.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP blog, as out-of-touch and superficial as it can be at times, has had some great recipes lately. One I’m currently obsessed with is a great carrot-ginger dressing, much like the kind you find on green salads at Japanese restaurants.

In a blender/food processor, mix:

1 large carrot, chopped up

1 large shallot, chopped up

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped up (For tips on how to work with fresh ginger, she’s very helpful)

1 tablespoon sweet white miso (I got mine at Cost Plus)

2 tablespoons rice vingegar

1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil

One blended, while the blender is still going, add in:

¼ cup grapeseed oil

2 tablespoons water

For a blackened swordfish, I combined equal parts dried oregano + thyme, (about 1 tablespoon each), with a little cumin, a little chili powder and salt and pepper. I doused the fish in olive oil, and coated one side with the rub. I don’t have a bbq, so to cook the fish I got one pan red hot and cooked the fish, rub side down, for about 2 minutes to sear it. I then transferred it to another pan, going at med heat with olive oil, to cook the other side for about 6 minutes. Came out with great flavor!

It’s been a tasty few weeks in Apt 9 lately, which has significantly pleased the SO.

Since I’ve started cooking, I’ve been afraid of soups. For whatever reason, I incorrectly assumed that they were challenging and that only a master chef could actually achieve a full bodied and flavorful soup. However, in the last year or so, after 5 years of living on the East Coast and finally accepting the fact that it is much colder here then San Diego, I should get use to “cold weather” foods and learn how to make and appreciate them.

That being said. I had three ears of corn that had be

en in my freezer since September. The thought of thawing them out three months later and having to eat them in all their mushy, non-summer glory kind of grossed me out, which is when I decided to attempt corn chowder. I picked out this recipe. What made cooking this especially easy was the pre-diced mirepox (onion, carrot,celery) I bought at Trader Joes. 

The only ingredient I didn’t have was bacon- so it’s a vegetarian version. I had low fat milk, but mixed in some half and half to give it a creamier consistency. I also decided to throw it into my blender at the very end. When I think of chowder, I think of a mildly chunky, hearty, rich soup- and this recipe didn’t seem blended together enough for my taste.

And how was the chowder? The perfect essence of warmth and summer on a dreary winter’s night.

I turned 24 only a few short days ago and I’ve come to the conclusion that I repeatedly let each year go by without accomplishing personal resolutions that I wish I’d achieve. Given that next year is the big quarter century mark, I want to cover some ground with several irreverent and only occasionally meaningful goals. 

Giving myself one year, between now and November 26, 2009, I want to achieve the following 25 actions, (their significance is ranked): 

25) Go the end of every line of the DC Metro. I don’t know much about my new locale, I’m thinking this might be a way to find out more about the broader area I live in.

24) Learn the rules of football. I consider myself a tomboy and yet there is not a fiber of my being that appreciates football. This is one small gesture for the SO.

23) Cooking. I love it, and already do it. My goal here is to try one new recipe a week.

22) Go to every free museum in DC

21) Diversify my reading. I’ll track here exactly how I end up mixing it up, but I expect to combine my awesome Book Club’s monthly assignment with magazines I usually don’t have time for, along with fiction/non of my own choosing. Oh, and that French stuff I already agreed to.

20) See a National’s game

19) See all of the films on AFI’s Top 100 list. I’ve seen about 30% already, so this is more about filling the list in.

18) Plan a trip with my college friends to reunite…already in the works. I’ll fill you in on the progress.

17) Identify my “adult drink.” The one to order when around suits and ties.

16) Map my family tree. I’ve been told I’m related to Pocahontas; let’s see if I can make it happen.

15) Read French. I’m not getting ambitious here and expect myself to re-learn the 6 years of it I studied, but I do want to become refreshed, so I’m going to read blogs/newspapers in French and see what happens.

14) Hike, locally, including a section of the Appalachian Trail

13) Take a vacation without my SO.

12) Put myself in situations that make me uncomfortable. This is an awkward one to explain but I’ve realized I become complacent with the status quo and don’t force myself into out-of-the-ordinary situations because I don’t see any need for it. I’m going to seek out awkward conversations with people completely unlike myself. How fun!

11) Re-learn how to play my clarinet. I expect several videos will be posted to capture this progress. (Part of my desire to get back into my clarinet comes from seeing Wild Man Blues about 10 years ago… Netflix it.)

10) Write for fun- which should be accomplished here

9) Try beer from the top 50 America craft breweries. I’m basing this on the Brewer’s Association 2007 list, available here.
(I’m actually knocking #12 brewery off at this moment- Magic Hat’s Roxy Rolles) 

8) Visit Philly’s stadium, but I refuse to call it Citizen’s Bank Park

7) Start an apartment garden on my fire escape

6) Attend at least 1 concert per month

5) Become a member at a local museum

4) Identify a regular volunteering project and make it part of my routine

3) Visit Camden Yards

2) Run a half marathon

1) Shake hands with Barack Obama