a little pick-me-up

01.15.2014

image by Callie

hello! how are you? how's the year going so far? things are great over here. belinda was here last week and we got a good chunk of the cookbook shoots taken care of. lots of people have asked how it went. my answer? it was WONDERFUL! SPECTACULAR! the entire experience exceeded any and all expectations. we worked hard and played hard and ate hard. i was in heaven.

now i'm back in the saddle working on more recipes for the next time we are together. today i was lucky and got three recipes done. one of them is pictured above. i posted on instagram about it but i wanted to talk more about the experience here.

recently i've been thinking a lot about wisdom. and how i admire people who have it. and how i want more of it. actually, how i NEED more of it. life is no joke dudes. from marriage to children to extended family...really, any relationships we have in life. more wisdom in this department would be useful.

and i think i gained a little more wisdom today.

pineapple upside-down pancakes with coconut syrup was one of the first ideas that came to me when i decided to write the cookbook. i'd pictured in my head what it would look like and how it would taste. and the first run today was nothing like what i'd pictured. i'd set an expectation and was deeply disappointed by the result.

at one point i just wanted to be done for the day and call it quits. but i don't have the luxury of time. in order to stay on top of the rest of my responsibilities, i've allotted myself one cooking day a week. from the time the kids for school leave until the time they get home jon takes over completely and i get to get in the zone and work. and today was a cooking day. and i know how many recipes i need to develop each week to be ready for the next time belinda and i get together.

so today, instead of quitting (which i often times do when it comes to hard stuff) i kept going. i cleaned up my mess from the first try and started again. as i worked i had ideas of how to streamline the testing process and change ingredients around. an hour later i had a completed recipe in front of me that was better than the original idea. 

it felt so good! i was able to step back, slow down and re-evaluate the circumstance. i adapted, stayed calm and maintained focus. and the result was better than i'd hoped!

now if i can just apply that to relationships i'll be set! specifically to parenthood. yes. that would be good. the end.

and just in case you've got the january blues, here are a few links for a midweek pick-me-up...

speaking of parenthood, i'm completely addicted to the show. i've been hooked since it first premiered and jon wants to poke his eye balls out whenever i watch it. i'm also pretty sure i've cried during almost every episode. tell me i'm not the only one...

we've been on island for eight months now. but i still feel a little like i'm mom-dating. i love how sharon writes about it. check it.

my friend sent me a fascinating video just before i started writing this post. i literally gasped when i watched it. then i told jon about it and was like, "yeah, i totally saw that earlier this week." so maybe i'm the last one to know, but dudes. i didn't know separating eggs could be so cool. thanks again matthew!

good advice about kids and money.

i found a meta list of top cookbooks from last year. some of my favorites made it and i discovered some intriguing ones as well. take a gander.

another cool cookbook link...but first, you guys. i'm so embarrassed. remember my last post about cookbooks? i was totally wrong about when "the smitten kitchen cookbook" was released. it came out in october of 2012. i think our move and the lack of seasons here has warped my sense of time. still a great cookbook though and was even a finalist last year in the food52 piglet contest. they choose the top cookbooks of the year and have members vote to pick the top two and then they call in judges to make the final decision. this is my kind of contest!

everyone should make this once in their lifetime. and eat it many times. my friend meikel made the best one i've had up to this point in life. oh gosh it was good.

this looks like a good one too. and it's even on the lighter side for all the resolutioners out there!

here's a pin that came in handy last week during shooting. now we know!

and belinda, this pin is for you. and anyone else who wants to know more about meat for that matter.

this final link is very un-food related but very family related. since we're not having any more babies, i'm now living vicariously through others. this is a good one folks. great work lauren.

and p.s. to receive a couple extra "if i were..." menu ideas and secret recipes every month that i only share via email click here.