Summer, Beans and Life’s To Do List

Yesterday may as well have been the first day of summer.  Officially, it’s actually June 21st.  However, I consider it summer when the fire pit is brought onto the deck and dad takes out the roasting sticks. 😀

I also consider it summer when I take that first bite into the sweetest corn on the cob.  This was so fresh, it didn’t even need butter.  Just a lil’ salt.  Yes, my friends, summer is official. 😀

The entire night was filled with other such summer foodie favorites.  First there were salads, followed with the corn cobs and then there were the roasted Al Fresco Sweet Italian Chicken Sausages (my favorite flavor…it’s spicy by the way, not sweet, contrary to what the name might make you think.) 

There’s something about cooking your own food over an open fire and then eating it outdoors too.  It always tastes amazing. 😀

Especially when blanketed inside a whole wheat roll and piled high with sauteed onions, green bell peppers and ketchup.  Ah-mazing. 😀

Of course the night didn’t end there.  We moved on to more summery things, like campfire singing (that would be mom 😉 ) and making deliciously oeey-gooey hot s’mores.

BEFORE

AFTER

I think I ended up with more chocolate on my face than I did in my stomach.

Here are some updates…

The Baked Beans came out amazing…really, really simple and really, really delicious.  Seriously.  They were sweet but not too sweet.  And they came out thick but not too thick.  Pretty much perfect.  It was a great recipe. 😀  And I’ll be posting it next week when I make a batch for us.  I was going to double it and keep some, but decided against it just in case it made an overwhelming amount (wouldn’t want it overflowing in the oven!)  Stay tuned though…it’s on my meal list for next week along with homemade skillet cornbread. 😉

Life’s To Do List is complete…yay!!  I can’t wait to work on these throughout my life and add more to the list as I go (but the rule is that I can’t erase any of these ideas unless I actually do them!)  Oh, and you’ll notice that some are going to take a lot of time to achieve, some are difficult, and some are downright simple.   I like to have goals that are both challenging and achievable to keep me motivated. 😉

Life’s To Do List

1. Run a marathon.
2. Hike all of the 48–4,000 ft. mountains in the White Mountains, New Hampshire.
3. Watch the Red Sox play (and hopefully beat) the Yankees.
4. Read John Adams (my dad says every American should read this book.)
5. Plant a tree on earth day.
6. Give a random person an umbrella in a rainstorm.
7. Try every cheesecake flavor at the Cheesecake Factory (I’m well on my way to completing this one…haha.)
8. Take a yoga class.
9. Learn how to make at least one pottery dish.
10. Pass the Dietetic Internship.
11. Pass the RD exam and become a Registered Dietitian.
12. Attend a cooking class.
13. Do something special for someone who will never find out.
14. Go scuba diving.
15. Be able to do an unassisted pull-up.
16. Make Julia Child’s version of beef bourguignon.
17. Spend the entire day at a spa.
18. Be registered as an organ donor.
19. Throw a party for someone.
20. Adopt an animal from the shelter.
21. Go to one of my favorite bands’ concerts.
22. Run 5 miles in 5 different states.
23. Host a dinner party.
24. Go horseback riding along the beach.
25. Earn a Masters Degree.
26. Spend a week being entirely selfless by serving others.
27. Eat a croissant in front of the Eiffel Tower.
28. Be able to run Summit Hill (it’s a steep road in New Hampshire, and so far I have been unable to make it—someday I’ll arrive prepared!)
29. Swim in the Pacific Ocean.
30. Order something completely new that I’ve never tried before at a restaurant (falafel sandwich, maybe?)
31. Visit New York City.
32. Try wine tasting.
33. Read the entire Bible in one year.
34. Carve a pumpkin.
35. Have the ultimate “girls only” weekend trip with Nicole and my mom.
36. Grow my hair out long and donate it to locks of love.
37. Run through a sprinkler while out running on a hot summer day.
38. Pull an all-nighter (24 hrs of being awake.)
39. Ride in a hot air balloon.
40. Travel cross country in a Volkswagen bus while sporting a Peace! Shirt…yes, I’m serious.
41. Buy an icecream from a traveling icecream truck.
42. Learn how to swim (the ‘doggy-paddle’ doesn’t count…ha!)
43. Give blood.
44. Ride a motorcycle.
45. Own a goat farm.
46. Fly in a plane.
47. Learn how to change a tire.
48. Land a job that I love.
49. Cook my way through an entire cookbook (Julie and Julia, anyone?)
50. Help someone else achieve something that’s on their own “life’s to-do list”.

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Weekend Post: life’s to-do list

I decided to create my own version of “life’s to-do list.”  The movie The Bucket List—as well as the book, The Next Thing on the List—have inspired me.  I’ve always envied people who have set goals and ideas for themselves, then follow through by actually doing them.  And how fun would it be to check off the list as I go?  It’s still in the works, but I’m excited to see what new adventures it will bring my way. 😀

I can tell you at least one “to-do” that will definitely find it’s way onto that list: Try something completely new at your favorite restaurants.  Or something along those lines.  I’m such a creature of habit.  When I saw black bean soup on the menu at Panera this afternoon, it was the oh-so-obvious choice.  On the side I had 1/2 of a Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich and an apple.  Mmm…how I love Panera’s soups.

It was so much fun eating out for lunch with this girl.  I told her that she needs to order the Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich next time we eat there so that she can figure out what’s in it and then recreate it at home (and teach me how.)  😉  I don’t know how she does it, but somehow she knows exactly what’s in a meal so that she can make it again. 

Trying something new isn’t easy, but advertising helps a little. 😉  Starbucks has been promoting their frappucino’s for a while now, with the claim that “you can make it your way!”  I’ve been wanting to try a soy version for a while now, and today was my chance.  Nicole ordered their caramel light frappucino (um…amazing!) and I ordered the tall soy mocha light frappucino.  It tasted just like a wendy’s frosty—only better. 

What a fun treat! 😀

Creating my own version of “life’s to-do list” will be challenging and fun.  Who knows what new foods I’ll try?  What excursions I’ll go on?  What kinds of people I’ll meet?  What lessons I’ll learn?

Of course I’ll share the completed list as soon as it’s complete. 😉

Question: What are some things you would add to your own “life’s to-do list”?  I need some brilliant ideas to add to the list!