Jenny Crocker and the crock pot?

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I love cooking. However, I don't cook nearly as often as I bake. And even though I am home with a readily available oven and (more or less) adequate counter space, I haven't been doing any baking lately. I'd like to blame my inherent laziness for this unfortunate fact, but I've never had emotional blocks on my baking before. If anything, my strong emotions usually encourage me to bake, whether my problems concern a less-than-desired soccer result or just another quarrel with my parents. My life as of recent has been filled with both, so what am I doing moping on Twitter and not putting any effort into a chocolate cake?

There is an abundance of creative and delicious cupcake recipes out on the internet. I have a cute little recipe book as well! But perhaps I need a change. Maybe I should try cooking actual savory meals more often. I have many other cookbooks that are not being put to use. But despite the new and exciting recipes that I could try out, I think emotional cooking should involve a dish that does have an emotional pull on me. And what better than my favorite dish: boeuf bourguignon.

I usually get bored of eating the same things over and over again. I can bare one night of leftovers, and any more is dreadful for me. But I can eat boeuf bourguignon for a week and not ever be bored of it. It's simple yet delicious, and honestly...how can you go wrong with a pot full of beef?

Whenever I have some, it's when my mom is up for making it and popping open a nice bottle of red wine. My mom is a great cook, but as the "reality" years of my life are being imminent, it's only appropriate that I make a greater habit of cooking. I could try to cook all sorts of dishes this summer, and maybe I actually will. But for now, my little goal is one thing: to perfect a nice pot of boeuf bourguignon.

I'll admit, this is kind of daunting. Where do I begin? What cut of beef should I use (this is very important), what wine? Are pearl onions really necessary? How do I let the wine condense without drying out the beef? If I'm going to perfect this, I need to know the specifics. And it might take time, but I'm totally up for it.

This dish will do for now, and trust me, this might just be enough for me to handle. After all, I did mention something about not biting off more than I can chew in my previous post. Though I think with boeuf bourguignon it may be difficult for me not to do so.

A {school} year gone.

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I've been home for almost three weeks now. And it already feels as if I've been home for months.

Needless to say, I'm missing city life. A lot. I could go without the infinite amount of essays and articles and deadlines and obligations, but I miss having the independence and liberty that I did at school.

I came home a different person. I'm a little wiser, but perhaps not as cynical. I figured out a bit more about the person I want to become in the next three years. Not to mention, I learned a lot about myself as well as some things to live by.

Little tidbits acquired from the first year of college:

Don't be a pushover. I tried so hard to please everyone, yet still try to keep true to myself. It's a difficult balance, and quite frankly, staying true to myself is more important to me for now. It may seem a tad selfish, but I want to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground by my rules. As time passes by, I realize that I cannot be a happy person with people walking all over me. It's about time I establish some ground rules for my life, and people need to take note!

Keep my word. In this crazy world, being loyal is sometimes the strongest quality in a person. I have made some mistakes in biting off more than I could chew, but I've learned that a kept word can speak a thousand words about a person.

There's nothing wrong with dreaming. Deep within my goals are big dreams, things that I've always wanted to accomplish but was too hesitant to act upon. And why not? It never hurts to try. If I don't get my feet wet, I'll never be able to swim. Even if my bigger-than-reality plans don't work out as planned, as least I'll have a hobby I can latch onto.

Take better care of myself. I need to be healthy and happy both internally and externally. One compliments the other. One small change in lifestyle can make a significant difference. Whether it be exercise, eating habits, or just mental outlook, a proactive, healthy me is a happy me. It's a nice thing to think about when I opt for water instead of a can of Coke.

With that all said...I should get my bum off the internet and do something, right? Fix up my résumé, find fall semester internships, maybe even take up a craft? I'm already regretting doing every little in my first weeks back home, I hope that I can find inspiration to be more productive in the months to come.