Obviously Belated: Plans for 2011

Never mind that we're 13 days into this grand new year of 2011 and that I do not really like rabbits at all (so I don't know what's up with my image selection, above) - I'm tossing out my ideas for food-related aspirations in 2011.

Hear ye, hear ye: Hungry Times Two will take on the following this year:

- Learning our way around the chicken, so to speak. I took a cooking class last weekend with the fabulous Mrs. Wheelbarrow and learned how to use the feathered bird in stock, roasted, and for pot pies and dumplings. I plan on trussing my first chicken and roasting it up, trying all the recipes from the class, and hosting a dinner party with my classmates and friends I.J.. A.M. and M.G. to show what we've learned.

Also, this Southern woman I claim to be has never fried a chicken. Doh. That needs to be remedied. Healthy, it may not be, but hot damn, I'm going to try.

- This brings me to my second point --how convenient. Buy the Lodge cast iron skillet, already. I have threatened for years to have one and I never buy one when I see it. I always shy away from recipes that call for using a skillet. This needs to end. Who cares if our wee kitchen can't handle one more item to stow away? I will cram that baby in - even if I have to sleep with it or tuck it under our sofa.

Plus, I've always wanted to clock someone over the head with a skillet. If our area's safety issues keep up, I'll have my chance. *grimace*

- Finally cook from the 660 Curries cookbook gifted to us several years ago. Curries intimidate me for the sheer overabundance of ingredients they tend to require. I just need to delve in and go for it. Any recommendations or tips, Peaches & Curry?

- Stop eating over-processed crap. I'm talking about you, candy and cookies, chips and the like. You need to leave our cupboards and my office desk, pronto. Goal: end the sweet tooth addiction, or at least find suitable homemade and healthy treats.

- Returning to live in a place where we can "entertain." Yes, I used the word "entertain" like I am Martha Freakin' Stewart. I'm the daughter and granddaughter of ministers' wives and we church folk tend to want/need to provide "refreshments" and play hostess all the time. It's in my blood, mmmkay? I like having people over, and yes I know I have reinforced too many times our issue of our wee apartment, but gee whiz is it wee. I am ready for bigger and better things!

- Learning more about wine. I don't like anything sweeter than a Chardonnay or drier than a Pino Grigio, and I learn towards reds like Malbecs and Tempranillos, sometimes a Shiraz. That's about all I know about the bottled varietals. I'd like to learn about pairings. Drinking some in the process wouldn't be too painful, either.

- Travel eats! My 2010 Napa Valley excursion fell through, but this year I may visit Italy! La Dolce Vita is calling Mama Mia Margaret and I in celebration of her 65th birthday -- this would be epic and so incredibly fabulous. Crossing my fingers! Scott and I also want to do some solo traveling. All of our vacation time seems to wind up with friends and family -- as marvelously wonderful as they are, it's high time we get in some just-us journeys.
One of the best trips Scott and I took together was waaaaay back in Summer 2004 (I think) to Cobleskill, New York and Burlington, Vt. We took a ferry across Lake Champlain and gobbled up farm stand cherries, blueberries and cheese curds while riding the picturesque back roads of Vermont. It was so relaxing and fun!

This about sums it up -- here's hoping some if not all of these are accomplished - cheers to a fruitful 2011!!