Self-Improvement 2011

I am one of those people who is always making lists of things I’m going to do to “better myself” whether it be for a day, a week, a month, or a year.  I love when January comes around.  It gives us all an excuse to take a step back and look at our lives objectively to see what it is we can do to “be better.”  Whether your goals are physical, emotional, relational, professional, spiritual, or all of the above…they all have one thing in common – they represent change for the better. 

I think New Year’s resolutions can be healthy, but they can also be grounds for disappointment. Over the years, I’ve learned to make goals that are attainable, in order to not let myself down.  I can’t tell you the countless times I’ve said that I would “lose 15 pounds” or “exercise every day of the week”…you get the point.  There would always come a point during the New Year that I would (for example’s sake) miss a workout, or eat a brownie.  I would then see myself as a “failure” because I didn’t stick to my goals that I now know were impractical and unrealistic.

With that said, I’ve made a list for 2011 J  Some more serious than others.  Some I’ll stick to and some I won’t….that’s why there’s a list rather than one goal…you’ve got to give yourself some room for grace J

Here it is:

Read Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge from cover to cover. 

I have started this book numerous times but have never finished it.  I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about it.  It seems to be one of those books that everyone has read, so I am well aware that I am a little late in jumping on the bandwagon…better late than never I guess.

Take my vitamins (multi-vitamin and calcium).

This is one of those things that I should have been doing all along, but for some reason can’t get in the habit.  Did you know that you only build up calcium storage in your bones until you reach the age of 30, then your body begins to lose calcium at a fast rate?!  You can reverse this by 1) being faithful about taking calcium supplements and 2) exercising.  Walking is proven to be one of the best bone-building exercises out there!  So take your calcium and get moving!

Drink more water.

Water is good for everything.  Did you know that, if you are dehydrated, you won’t burn as many calories?  That’s right…lack of water = slower metabolism and slower weight loss.  The encouraging fact is the reverse it true…sufficient water intake = increased metabolism and faster weight loss.  The benefits of water are endless…

Lace up my tennis shoes more frequently.

I have been an avid exerciser my whole life…up until I started working the night shift.  My frequent walks, runs, and Pilates classes became less and less of a priority.  Now that I’m off the night shift, I have no more excuses!

Try a new recipe every week!

I’m really excited about this goal.  I have so many great cookbooks and recipes at my fingertips, but I never use them.  I get stuck in recipe ruts all the time and end up cooking the same ole’ thing every week.  There’s nothing wrong with go-to recipes, but I think it will be fun to broaden my repertoire. 

Floss.

I know what you’re thinking…”Gross!  She doesn’t floss?!”  And you’re right.  It is gross.  My brother’s girlfriend, Madison, said that when she worked for a dentist, he said that he would rather people floss than brush their teeth any day.  I think that did it for me.

Ok, I think that’s about it J  I’ll let you know how it goes. 

I’d love to hear what your goals are for this year, because I’m sure you’ve thought of something that I should add to my list J

Here’s the recipe I promised you earlier…

Frank Stitt’s Chicken Scallopini

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup all purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup Bread Crumbs (recipe below)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup dry white wine

½ cup sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 dried red chile pepper

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon heavy cream

½ pound (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter

Juice of ½ lemon

2 tablespoons diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.  Set out three shallow plates in assembly-line fashion.  Put the flour in one, the beaten eggs in the next, and the bread crumbs in the third.  Dredge each seasoned chicken breast in the flour, shaking off the excess, then dip in the eggs, and finally press them into the bread crumbs to coat thoroughly on both sides.  Set the breaded chicken on a plate.

Heat a large ovenproof sauté’ pan over medium-high heat, and add in the oil.  Brown the chicken breasts on both sides until golden, about 3 minutes per side; regulate the heat as necessary to achieve a uniformly browned crust.

Transfer the pan to the oven and cook the chicken until cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.  Transfer the chicken to a rack to rest briefly.

Meanwhile, combine the wine, vinegar, shallot, chile, and bay leaf in a saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until the pan is almost dry.  Add the cream and simmer until it reduces to about a teaspoon.  Whisk in the butter little by little over medium-low heat until the sauce is creamy and emulsified.  Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste and the juice of the lemon half.

Slice the chicken on the bias and arrange on serving plates.  Spoon the sauce over the top and garnish with the diced tomatoes and capers.

Bread Crumbs

8 slices baguette or other crusty bread (preferably a day old)

Remove the crust from the bread and cut it into chunks.  Pulse the bread in a food processor until you have an amalgam of fine, medium, and coarse crumbs ranging in size from that of a lentil to a juniper berry.

Note:  If you do not have any day-old bread, remove the crusts from a baguette and cube the bread.  Arrange the cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan and toast in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.  Remove and cool, then process to crumbs.

(I make more bread crumbs than I will need then put them in a freezer-safe bag and pull them out of the freezer whenever I need them!)

Recipes from Frank Stitt’s Bottega Favorita

Y'all have a GREAT rest of your week!  HAPPY HUMP DAY!