#15 Learn to Cook/Bake Something New

Let's face it...I am a horrible cook!  Most likely because I don't really eat anything so I have no idea how it is suppose to turn out.  And when it comes to baking I have a few tricks up my sleeves but nothing that impressive.  Everything that I do know how to cook and bake are family recipes like Grandma's mac 'n cheese and of course our holiday candy that we are required to make every year (seriously, I think my friends would hurt me if I didn't make the candy one year).  So I decided that when I completed item #15 I wanted it to be something that was a family recipe and tradition.

Christmas is my favorite time of year because of the traditions both old and new.  One of my traditions is putting White Christmas on and watching it while mom bakes our famous Orange Cookies (and by famous I mean "everyone should know about them and love them but only our family does!").  I usually go in every now and then to help but I have never sat down and made them from start to finish with mom.  This year was going to be different, little did I know that I wasn't going to help mom but instead she was making me make them all by myself!

Our famous Orange Cookie recipe has been passed down from generation to generation for awhile now.  Mom thinks that the recipe is over 100 years old.  But let me clarify something here, when I say recipe what I mean is a list of ingredients.  That is all.  And even the ingredients are iffy. 4-5 cups of flour (mom says it depends on the amount of juice you get from the orange).  Or my favorite for the icing...powder sugar.  That's it nothing else.  Mom says you just know! Who would have guest that my most adventurous post would be "Bake Something."   

I learned that making these cookies is an art and the more I make them the more I will be able to "just know" like mom!  They turned out great and even taste like they are suppose to!  I guess the real test will be on Boxing Day when the fam eats them!

PS~ Quick word of advice...when going to use an electric mixer make sure it isn't on too high!  I learned this the hard way!

#11 Grow Something

There is a comedian that my sister and I like to quote.  I can't remember his name but part of his act is mentioning that he once had a cactus but he killed it, "The desert is officially more nurturing than I am."  My sister and I laugh because no matter how we try we can't keep plants alive!  My mom has an amazing garden so who knows what happened to Kelly and I!

I decided that I was going to conquer my un-green thumb by making one of the items on my list to grow something.  I got some daisy seeds (my favorite flower) a pot, and some soil and set my mind to making this thing grow!  I mean how hard could it be...it wants to be alive right??  WRONG!!  Things started off so well.  One little sprout lead to two and before I knew it I had 6 stems growing!  But as quickly as they popped out of the soil they started to take a turn for the worst.  And before I knew it my hopes and dreams of growing something were completely dead. 

But the goal of this item was to grow something!  And I like to think of myself as an optimist!  I DID grow something!  The item wasn't to grow something and keep it alive!  So technically I succeeded!  Much like when in college and I had to pass intermediate Spanish to graduate!  All I need was a D- and I pulled off a C.  My dad was kind of appalled at a C grade but when all you need is a D- and you get a C you kind of succeed with flying colors!!!!! 

So mark #11 off the list!!  One step closer to completing my 30 before 30!!

The beginning of the end...