a recipe a week

Several years ago, when I was living in Winona with K and a friend of his, I had a great deal more time on my hands, and I used to try a new recipe every week. There were some small successes--hot wings, asparagus soup, spinach dip, gorgonzala dip, and strawberry-cinnomon muffins were among my favorites.

I think I want to try this again this year. January seems to be the month of trying to make some changes. And there are, of course, the standard ones--lose weight and be more financially responsible. I want to finish up my eleven (a few days ago I thought it was nine) projects I've started over time (some as old as five or six years ago) and haven't finished. I want to make that YMCA membership worth it. I want to catch up on grading without going insane. I want to be a better, more caring friend. I want to read more! I want to learn new things and take classes that I think I will enjoy (rather than just classes to retain my teaching license). I want to have a good wedding and be a good maid of honor.

And I want to try a new recipe every week again. This past week's recipe was Sesame Chicken and Noodles from the current issue of Cooking Light. (I'm counting it as last week, since we made it yesterday, and yesterday was Saturday. That way, I can try a new recipe today or tomorrow and not seem over-eager and about to burn myself out.)


KF and I made it before we addressed her wedding invitations. Or rather, before she folded and handed me invitations and I addressed them. The recipe was pretty bland (that's what you get for cooking light). I don't think either of us would make this specific recipe again, but if we did--less vinegar and more soy sauce and peanut butter, I think. Neither of us had cooked with peanut butter before (don't they just go with bread or sliced apples? apparently not!) and discovered it melts easily.