A Cook in the Making

75. Learn 10 new recipes.

As I've said before, I've always wanted to learn how to cook.  With a LOT of help from my boyfriend, I learned to make the following items from scratch:

1. Blueberry muffins



2. Blackberry pie bars


(Thanks for the recipe, Jackie!)

3. Strawberry peach pie

(Thanks for the recipe, Jackie!)

4. Angel food cake


(Okay, I didn't make this one for my birthday, but I don't have a picture of the one I did help make.)

5. Chicken pesto pizza



6. Stuffed manicotti

Sadly, I don't have a picture of this one. :(  

7. Breakfast burritos

The best breakfast burritos are the ones that your boyfriend makes for you before a long swim invitational. :)

8. Scrambled eggs


I know that this one sounds a bit silly, but I learned an entirely different technique for this that involves butter. 

9. Apple pie


I made this (crust included) on my own.  The lattice may not have looked perfect, but the pie was delicious.

10. Chocolate chip buttermilk pancakes



Items completed: 44

Time Offline

94. Spend 48 consecutive hours offline.

It is difficult to escape social media in today's society.  I have moments where it is difficult to resist the urge to check my phone.  There is always something to check: texts, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, and fantasy football scores. (There will be a post about fantasy football once the season ends.)

Recently, my family took a four-day cruise to California and Mexico.  By the time we left the coast, I lost cell reception and was only able to use my phone's camera for two full days.  

In a way, escaping this form of technology was freeing.  I didn't have to check Facebook updates, check work emails, and debate about what photos to post on Instagram.  Instead, I was able to spend quality time with my family.  I was also able to fit in some quality reading time. 

Will I go offline again?  Probably, but I doubt that I will be able to stay away from my phone for another 48 consecutive hours.  Thankfully, my vacation forced me to do it this time, and for that, I am grateful.

Items completed: 43

Donations

99. Donate clothes to Goodwill every 6 months for two years.

When it comes to clothes, I buy two things in abundance: cardigans and tank tops.  Therefore, I feel the need to go through my closet a few times a year in order to get rid of clothes that I no longer wear.

I was able to go through my closet on a regular basis over the past two years and donate several clothing items.  This is something that I will continue to do.

Items completed: 42

Chicken Pesto Pizza Deliciousness

71. Make pizza from scratch.

I've always wanted to learn how to cook, but I never did anything about it. Recently, this changed.  I've learned how to cook a variety of things, including chicken pesto pizza.

With a lot of help of my amazing boyfriend, I made dough and pesto from scratch.

We grilled some chicken, added it to the pizza, and ended up with a very tasty final product.  I promise we did not burn it.  

I will definitely be making this pizza again soon.  :)

Items completed: 41

Bon Voyage!

9. Renew my passport.

I got my first passport when I was 16 years old.  I went to France and Spain in high school and somehow came back without a single stamp in my passport. I don't know how I managed that.

My goal is to visit another country (aside from Mexico) and get a stamp in this shiny new passport before the end of my 1001 days.  Fingers crossed.


Items completed: 41

Turning the Television Off

93. Go without TV for one week. 

If you know me, you know that I keep up with several television shows.  I even have an app on my phone that helps me keep track of the episodes that I need to watch.  Until recently, I was up to date on all of my shows.

Then my friend introduced me to the Outlander book series.

I read all eight books this summer.  I devoted almost all of my spare time to reading and turned off my television.  It was nice to focus on reading again; it's been awhile since I have been able to do that.

Items completed: 40

Red Lipstick Isn't For Me

69. Wear red lipstick for an entire day.

This item was a difficult one for me to cross off of my list.  I am not a fan of lipstick in general because it gets everywhere.  I also prefer to wear a light or neutral shade of lip gloss, so wearing a bright red lipstick pushed me out of my comfort zone.

I chose to complete this item on the Fourth of July. What better day is there to wear red lipstick? I sampled two different shades of red and went with the brighter one.

Removing the lipstick at the end of the day was a relief.  I do not think I will continue to wear this particular shade of lipstick.

Items completed: 38