New Year's Resolutions

I have decided to set resolutions for the new year, which is a big deal for me. I usually don't set these goals for fear of not accomplishing them, but I am making a genuine effort this coming up year to succinctly set resolutions and attain them by the end of 2013.

I think it's really important to know what you're doing before you do it. So, I've looked up and recalled some things to get my mind going in the right direction. Google defines resolution as 'a firm decision to do or not to do something.' Synonyms for this term are determination, resolve, solution. When making any goals, or resolutions as we like to call them this time of year, it's important to make S.M.A.R.T. goals. I learned this acronym from my internship this past fall. S- specific, M- measurable, A- attainable, R- realistic, T- timely. Click here to see how to set S.M.A.R.T. goals. I am such a broad-thinking person at times, so for me the M (measurable) part is going to be most difficult. But I'm ready! 

So, that is what I am doing for the next three days - making resolutions. My roommate and I are going to make a few, clear goals and paint them on canvases to hang in our apartment for the upcoming year. I am hoping that this constant reminder will help me put in action the goals I've set for myself. I am pretty excited :)

Cheese Muffins de Jim-n-Nicks

I found this recipe from a friend's blog and am so excited to see how wonderful they taste!

Here is all you need.

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten well
4 tablespoon butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients separate from the wet ingredients. Next, combine them both and add the cheese! Butter muffin ti or cupcake pan and place them evenly. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the top is slightly golden. You don't want it to be dark because they will become chewy.

I can't wait to try this recipe out and see how delicious they are; my friend said they taste so delicious and the exact same as Jim-n-Nicks. Yum!

Jewelry Organizer

Just like everyone else in the world, I love DIY and crafty things. I wish I was 10,000 times better at it, but it's still a nice hobby. So, last weekend I made a jewelry organizer that I've been seeing on YouTube and Pinterest. It is honestly so easy to make.

    What you need.

Any type of cork board

Two types of ribbon, any size

Tacky glue

Pushpins

   Method.

This is really self-explanatory - so easy! Take your ribbon and glue it to the edges of your cork board. Try to place the glue on both edges of the ribbon piece and once in the middle. I took one ribbon for both lengths of the board and then another ribbon for the sides. Now, let it dry for 20 minutes or so and you're ready to start hanging jewelry. 

Culinary Independence via Tortillas

For the first blog post, I felt as though a recipe would be nice. Last night I found myself wanting Mexican food, but we were out of tortillas. What a crisis! So, like any practical human being I googled it. I found this AMAZING recipe from a lady who found it from a lady (thank you Cynthia Detterick-Pineda) that worked out wonderfully. I have tweeked the recipe a little because I don't know many people who have lard sitting around waiting to be reconstructed into delicious tortillas and some of the measurements were off (for me at least). It's pretty amazing that this is my first personal recipe. I've baked and cooked for years, but I have such a confidence in this recipe to call it my own. Yay for culinary independence!

Homemade Tortillas

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 cup warm water

First, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; do not sift. 

Using your hands (you technically could use a pastry cutter, but what's the fun in that?) cut in the butter. There is a possibility you may need more butter - it just depends on how warm or cold your butter is. 

To know that your dough is ready for the water, take a handful of the crumbly mixture and squeeze it. If the dough sticks to itself and resembles a play-dough consistency, then it's perfect. If it is too crumbly, keep working the butter in the flour mixture. If it is still too crumbly, add more butter. 

Now, add the warm water. Using your hands (or a fork), gently work the water in to form a sticky dough. 

Remove the dough from the bowl and knead a few times until the dough is not sticky anymore. Form into a ball and place dough back into the bowl. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for five minutes. 

Pull 1-inch chunks off of the dough ball, kneading each a few times, and place into a bowl. You should get 14-18 one-inch dough balls. Cover and let these rest for ten minutes. 

Fun part!! Get a skillet screaming hot and do not put any butter or oil in the pan. Roll the small dough balls into a round shape - as big or little as your heart desires. 

Then, flop the discs onto the pan. Each side should cook 30 seconds - 1 minutes.

And there you have it! Homemade tortillas that take not even 25 minutes to make from start to finish. The dough freezes really well, too! These taste so much better than the flour tortillas in the grocery store. It is both cheaper and more delicious.