Dinner Resolution(s)

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give these tropical blues, hand-printed, linen pillow cases by giardino a 12.

Ironically, while searching for a recipe for chicken cacciatore, I stumbled across an article from Fox that I'm thrilled to share.

(Don't ask how I arrived at Fox while looking for Giada De Laurentiis. I'm not even sure I could re-trace my steps if I tried. I prefer to take the scenic route when doing research.)

It's like the author climbed into my head and wrote this article. With one (glaring) exception, I love everything he said. I couldn't agree more with this concept.

The opening lines, by Dr. Dale Archer, read:

Each year, many of us choose to make a New Year's resolution in order to better ourselves, our loved ones and our lives in general. School days are here again, and this year I propose that you commit to a School Year resolution that will benefit all of the above. Your life will be better, your children's lives improved and you will give them memories that will last a lifetime. How much will this cost? Zero, yet it's priceless. It's time. Time spent as a family…at the dinner table.

I hope you'll consider making the resolution.

Mid-Year Resolution

Photo by Bernt Rostad

I hereby resolve. . .

...To use cloth napkins in my home. (My apologies to the Canadians who prefer, "serviette"--though "napkin" really is easier to say if you think about it.) For one, I don't like putting a piece of newspaper to my mouth mid-meal. Also, I believe the cloth napkin will further make a meal feel like a meal, (even if it is fish sticks or pizza).

...To wear an apron when I'm in the kitchen. There had to be a reason that all of those glorious women in the 50s wore aprons all the time. Maybe it was as much about preserving their clothes as it was enjoying their job. I'll give it a try and let you know.

...To use fresh fruits and vegetables all summer long. "Fresh" as in--from a place under a bridge or a stand on the corner that looks like the opening scene of a horror flick--not as in "I got this from the grocery 10 minutes ago." In reality, those carrots were probably picked last month.

(Or worse still, those carrots were probably made from apples.)

I am making resolutions all the time. Who says they have to be made on January 1?