black-eyed pea dip

I made you dip. Well, technically, I made me dip. And I made my family dip. However, in light of the upcoming SuperBowl, I'm sharing this dip with you. Because SuperBowl is perhaps the last hurrah of the "I'm just gonna have dip for dinner" holiday season and it must be celebrated in all its melty, cheesy glory.

I actually made this dip on New Year's Day because of that ol' black-eyed peas = good luck in the new year wive's tale. I don't want to tell you exactly how much of this dip I ate, but let's just say it was enough to bring me luck for the next five years or so. So I got that going for me...which is nice.

I'm not quite sure whether that old wive's tale has a statute of limitations on when the black eyed peas must be devoured. Like a good luck expiration date. Let's hope these post-New Year's Day black-eyed peas will still have their magical good luck powers. And, if not, maybe you can just send your bad luck to the other team this Sunday. You're welcome!

Black-Eyed Pea Dip

Ingredients:
1 can (14-ounce) black-eyed peas
¼ whole onion, chopped fine
¼ cups sour cream
8 slices jarred jalapeños
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 Tbsp salsa
Hot sauce, to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Drain black-eyed peas and partially mash, leaving some whole. Add all other ingredients, stirring to combine.

Spread into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Serve with tortilla chips!

Yield: 12 servings

Source: The Pioneer Woman

blackberry sour cream coffee cake

Important announcement: this spring semester marks my final semester of graduate coursework. Yup, that's right. After 21(!) straight years of school (K-doctorate), I've reached the beginning of the end. And, I kinda don't know how to handle it. I'm having a bit of an existential life crisis, I think. What am I if I'm not a student? Where do I go from here??? What does it all mean?!?!?

Okay, not really. I'm actually pretty pumped that the end of homework is in sight. Three and a half months...let the countdown begin! But, then again, the end of coursework also marks the beginning of comprehensive exams and (gasp!) dissertation work. Soooo, maybe I should appreciate these last few months of homework a bit more? Sigh...

Whether it's homework stress or dissertation stress, at least I always have my go to stress reliever...baking. I've been wanting a cast iron skillet for a while now and my darling brother got me one for Christmas this year. I'd bookmarked this coffee cake months ago, in my pre-cast iron skillet life. And, I'll tell you, it was worth the wait. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you could also bake this in an 8x8" pan...or you could take the Katy tactic and wait months until someone gifts you a skillet. But you probably shouldn't wait months to make this. Just sayin....

Blackberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup sour cream
12 ounces blackberries

Crumble Topping: 
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
3 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan (or cast iron pan) and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ginger. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Mix in the sour cream. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until fully incorporated. The batter will be thick. Spread into the prepared pan and top with blackberries, pressing them into the batter slightly.

Make crumble topping: In a mixing bowl, blend together the sugars, butter, flour, cinnamon, and salt until well mixed. (I just used my hands, but you could also use a pastry blender or even a mixer.) Crumble the topping on top of the cake; the dough will be a bit sticky so try to get small pieces evenly distributed.

Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for several minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Note: The original recipe called for one egg. However, I realized at the last minute that I didn't have any eggs so I substituted with 1/4 cup applesauce. You could do either, depending on what you have on hand.

Yield: 1 9-inch cake

Source: slightly adapted The Pastry Affair

pasta ponza

Life has been a whirlwind lately, as usual. I spent the past week in the Big Apple, taking in the sites. The Met. Shopping on 5th Avenue. The Brooklyn Bridge. Authentic New York pizza. Levain Bakery. All of the best parts of New York. The city is really at its prime in the winter. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate NYC any ol' time. But, winter is especially fabulous and romantic.

Plus, if you've ever been to New York during the heat of the summer, you are probably well acquainted with the pungent aroma of the hot garbage that occupies every sidewalk. You are probably also well acquainted with the sticky heat that beats down on the city and bounces up off the sidewalks, broiling everyone in the vicinity. There is no escape. New York in the summertime < New York in the winter.

No matter the season, though, some of the best parts of New York are the food. I may or may not have devoured multiple bagels with copious amounts of lox cream cheese, gigantic slices of pizza, a decadent peanut butter chocolate ice cream sundae at Max Brenner, and a few softball-size cookies from Levain Bakery. There may or may not have also been gyros, deli sandwiches, and cannoli added to that mix. All in all, I'm in desperate need of a cleanse. However, we know how well that worked out last time.

So, in lieu of such drastic measures, I've been adding lots of fresh fruits and veggies to my normally scheduled meals. This is one of my favorite pasta dishes. It starts with four cups of roasted cherry tomatoes and capers. These are poured over hot pasta, topped with a handful of cheese, and mixed. But the end result is much more than a sum of its parts. Somehow tomatoes + pasta + cheese = heaven. Maybe not exactly healthy, but we're taking baby steps here.

Pasta Ponza

Ingredients:
4 cups (24 ounces) red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
1/2 cup Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs
1 pound ziti or other short tube-shaped pasta
1 1/4 cups Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Directions:
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a glass baking dish. Set aside.

Place the tomatoes, capers, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in the prepared baking dish. Toss to coat. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the tomato mixture. Drizzle the top with olive oil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden. Cool for 5 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

Place the pasta in a large serving bowl. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the pasta. Add the cheese and toss well. Thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Source: Giada de Laurentiis

man day: the perfect first suit

Welcome to the first installment of my men's fashion posts. I toyed around with inventing a name for this sub-section of my blog. Something reminiscent of Sprinkles & Champagne, but more testosterone-infused. Cufflinks & Bourbon. Pocket squares & Scotch. I dunno. It's a work in progress. Any good ideas? Feel free to share.

Nevertheless, I thought I'd start with the basics. Man Style 101. The perfect first suit. 'Cause guess what, fellas? Many of you are doing it wrong. Sorry to break it to you.

First things first, a first suit should not be black. It shouldn't be brown. It probably shouldn't even be grey. For your first suit? You want navy. Check out the infographic from the Huffington Post below...

navy suit 101

A good navy suit is appropriate for business, not overly dressy, and super versatile. You can pair it with almost anything. For shoes and belt...black, brown, or cognac would all work. For shirt and tie...the sky is the limit. :)

Check out the image below. A classic navy suit done right with cognac accessories. Muy caliente!

navy + cognac

You can wear the pieces together, sure. But the blazer and pants are just as useful as seperates. It's like three outfit options in one.

Navy Blazers:

plaid shirt + sweater vest + bright tie

white dress shirt + suit vest + mono-chromatic tie

khakis  + oxford shirt +  fun tie

Navy Pants:

white dress shirt + red sweater + cognac accessories

bright sweater + casual belt and loafers

Okay fellas, navy or bust!

rugelach sweet rolls

My cinnamon roll streak continues today. My apologies upfront if you are gluten-free, vegan, or just plain sick of pastries. But, guess what? Can't stop, won't stop. I'm just a cinnamon roll fiend. You should know this by now. I'll be baking cinnamon rolls 'til the day I die. That's not a threat, it's a promise.

My love affair with the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon roll dough has been well documented. But, let me once again sing her praises. I made this batch of dough back in mid-December with the good intentions of baking a pan of Orange Marmalade Rolls for a holiday brunch. However, while the dough was rising, I came down with a wicked 18-hour bug and was confined to my bed. Luckily, I recovered in time to fly home for break. However, this batch o' dough was quickly shoved in the freezer and forgotten about in the hustle.

I took it out upon my return to the Baby State a month later and, lo and behold, it still produced a perfect batch of cinnamon rolls. I'm fairly certain one could do anything to this dough and it would turn out perfectly. It's like a good boyfriend, reliable and trustworthy. You can count on this dough. It will never break your heart. Trust.

These cinnamon rolls here may be the craziest version I've yet attempted. The dough may be taken from Pioneer Woman but the filling inspiration is straight from Smitten Kitchen. This is a variation on rugelach cookies, a traditional Jewish pastry. These cinnamon rolls still have the standard cinnamon sugar and butter on the inside. But they're also stuffed with jam, pecans, and chocolate chips. Add a cream cheese glaze and we're good to go. Gah, good thing my New Year's resolutions didn't include any weight loss!

Rugelach Sweet Rolls

For the Rolls:
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 package active dry yeast or 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
4 cups (plus 1/2 cup extra, separated) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (heaping) baking powder
1/2 tsp (scant) baking soda
1 tsp (heaping) salt

For the Filling:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup jam (raspberry and/or apricot are traditional, but I used cherry)
6 Tbsp butter, melted
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup finely semisweet chocolate chips

For the Glaze:
3 Tbsp butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk, approximately

Directions:
For the dough, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm, approximately 30-45 minutes. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.

Add 4 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. (I usually put my dough in the oven, set over a pan of hot water.) After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1/2 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (The dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)

To assemble the rolls, remove dough from the pan/bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.

Stir together the sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon and set it aside. Spread your jam evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch margin at the wider ends. (If your jam is cold from the fridge, you can heat it slightly in a small saucepan or in the microwave, not until bubbling hot but until warm enough to easily spread.) Drizzle melted butter over the jam layer. Sprinkle the jam and butter layer with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, then the nuts, and end with the chocolate chips.

Beginning at the long side farthest from you, roll the dough in a long roll toward you; being careful to keep it tucked tightly. Pinch edge to seal. Cut rolls into 1 to 1 1/2 inch rolls and place into a buttered 9x13" pan or two 9" round pans. Allow to rise for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake rolls for 25-35 minutes, until they’re golden at the edges and the filling looks bubbly.

Let the rolls mostly cool on a rack.

Make the glaze, beat the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk together in a bowl with an electric mixture. Drizzle glaze onto warm rolls and devour.

Source: adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Yield: 12 servings

every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed man

It's been pointed out to me that I haven't done a fashion post in a long while. That's true. But here's what...I haven't posted about fashion because nothing has really caught my eye lately. I dunno. I mean, I've done my fair share of shopping lately. But I've mainly been stocking up on the basics: jeans, dress pants, sweaters, cardigans, boots. Nothing shocking or edgy.

In fact, lately all I have really been interested in is...wait for it...men's fashion. Gasp! What? Surely that must be a mistake? But no, it's true. I am fascinated by men's clothing lately. Not in the sense that I want to pull a Diane Keaton and throw on a tie. Just in the sense that I really want to dress a man. Any man. All men. Show me a dude and I'll outfit him. I even made a Pinterest board about it. That's how you know I'm serious about this.

So I thought I might start doing some men's fashion posts? Trends I like, outfit suggestions, shopping advice, etc. Nothing better than a well-dressed man. Am I right? :)

chocolate hazelnut crepe cake

The holidays are officially over. I've said goodbye to my family and all of my friends, I've packed up my belongings once again, and I'm flying back to the Baby State. I still have a couple more weeks until the spring semester begins, but I'll definitely need those weeks to finalize teaching plans and work on the upcoming graduate conference. Today, however, I'm enjoying one last day of mental rest before the planning insanity ensues. I'll be spending that day on a number of planes and camping out in a number of airports, but by 6:30 Eastern time tonight I'll be back to the coast.

During my time at home, I did plenty of baking but this cake was by far the most memorable. My brothers birthday happens to fall three days after Christmas so I'm always home for his big day. This year, I handed him my new Smitten Kitchen cookbook (which I love!) and instructed him to pick any dessert he'd like. Of course, like a typical little brother, he picked the most complex and time-consuming recipe in the book. (sigh) But, being the fabulous sister I am, I made that danged thang. And it was awesome.

You might scroll down and see that epically-long recipe and want to click away immediately. But, I urge you to then scroll back up and look at these pictures. Just look at all those crepes, layered with pastry cream, smothered with chocolate ganache. How can you say no? You can't.

Bonus: this cake tastes just like Nutella. Just. Like. Nutella. So there's that.

Here's some real talk. Yes, this cake is time-consuming. I wouldn't want to make this cake on the regular. But it's an awesome special occasion cake. It makes an impact, no doubt. So, the secret to making this cake manageable? Break down the steps over a couple days. When I made this cake, I made the crepe batter and the pastry cream the night before. Then, the next morning, I tackled crepe-making and assembled the cake. Then, that evening before serving, I quickly made the ganache, poured it on the cake, and added the hazelnuts. Viola! Done. (phew)

Now back to the real world...

Chocolate Hazelnut Crepe Cake

Crepes:
9 Tbps unsalted butter (for both crepes and pastry cream)
2 1/3 cups whole milk
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar

Cooking spray for skillet

Hazelnut Pastry Cream:
1 1/3 cups hazelnuts (for both pastry cream and topping)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tsp hazelnut liqueur (I used Frangelico)
1/4 tsp salt
3 1/3 cups whole milk
7 Tbsp sugar
5 large egg yolks
5 Tbsp cornstarch
Butter reserved from crepes above

Chocolate Ganache:
6 oz. (about 1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp heavy cream
1 Tbsp hazelnut liqueur

Make Crepe Batter:
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once it's melted, reduce heat to medium-low. The butter will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden, and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir butter frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you go. Once the butter is brown and nutty-smelling, remove it from the heat and transfer it to a bowl. Let cool to lukewarm.

In a blender, combine milk, eggs, flour, salt, sugar, and 6 Tbsp cooled browned butter. (I didn't have a blender, so I combined all ingredients in a bowl and whisked until combined.) Cover finished mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour or up to 2 days.

Toast/Skin Hazelnuts:
Preheat oven to 350 and spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet. Toast for 10 minutes, rolling around halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool. 

If your hazelnuts still have their skins, rub nuts between your palms to remove skins, and discard. Mine, however, were skin-free. Feel free to ignore this step if that's the case.

Make Hazelnut Pastry Cream:
In a food processor, grind 1 cup of nuts (set the other 1/3 cup aside for topping the cake), confectioners' sugar, liqueur, and salt together. Keep running the machine as hazelnuts grind from a coarse chop to a powder and eventually into damp-looking crumbs that combine in small clumps. Do not over mix, or you'll make a hazelnut butter!

In a saucepan, combine the hazelnut paste, milk, and sugar over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring a bit so it doesn't scorch. In a medium bowl, whisk together yolks and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly stream small spoonfuls of the hot milk into the egg yolk bowl while whisking. Repeat this a few times until egg yolk mixture is hot. Now, go in reverse, slowly stirring warm egg yolk mixture back into the hot milk in the saucepan, whisking constantly, until the two are combined. Continue whisking while you bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 2 minutes; the mixture should thicken upon boiling, to a loose pudding consistency. Remove from heat and stir in the reserved 3 Tbsp browned butter from the crepe batter recipe. 

Transfer to a bowl, press plastic wrap on top of custard, and refrigerate until set, at least a couple hours. 

Make Crepes:

Preheat a medium (9-10 inch) non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium-high heat. Once it's heated, brush pan with butter or spray with  non-stick spray. (I repeated this approximately every three crepes to keep the pan super non-stick.)

Pour 1/4 cup batter into skillet and quickly tilt pan until batter evenly coats the bottom and cook, undisturbed, until the bottom is golden and top is set (1-2 minutes). Carefully flip and cook on other side for 5-10 additional seconds to set. (It may take a few crepes to get the hang of this process. Mine really started looking good around crepe three. And that's fine, there is plenty of batter.)

Transfer finished crepes to a paper towel-covered plate and stack; they won't stick together. (I found that the batter actually made close to 20 crepes, but you'll only need 16 or 17 for this recipe, as the pastry cream only makes so much.)

Assemble Cake:
Lay first crepe on your cake plate or stand. Spread with 1/4 cup pastry cream. Repeat with remaining crepes until you're out of pastry cream. Chill in the fridge until you're ready for the ganache.

Make Ganache:
Put chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream and liqueur to a simmer in a small saucepan and pour over chocolate. Let sit for a minute, then stir until smooth.

To Finish:

Remove cake from fridge, pour ganache on top and gently push some off the sides, so there are a few drips on the edges. Decorate the top of the cake with remaining hazelnuts. Set cake in fridge until the chocolate is set.

FINALLY, serve!

Yield: 12 servings

Source: Smitten Kitchen cookbook

blueberry lemon sweet rolls

Whenever I come home to Kansas I know exactly what I'm expected to bake for the men in my family. For dad, anything with chocolate, peanut butter, and/or cinnamon sugar. He is particularly fond of a certain stacked cinnamon sugar bread that he requests every time I am home. That reminds me, I really need to bake some of that before I head back to the Baby State or else deal with dad's wrath for the next few months.

For brother bear, on the other hand, it's anything with blueberries and/or lemon. I can appreciate both of these things, but my brother is truly obsessed with all things lemon blueberry. So, when I saw this variation of Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls, I knew that little Rick would approve. And so they happened immediately upon my return to the Midwest.

I swear by Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls in every way, shape, and form. The original is hard to beat with its maple glaze. My mouth is watering just thinking about those rolls. However, the orange marmalade version is just as ridiculously good, filled with orange marmalade and brown sugar. Delish.

This version did not disappoint either. It's like a cinnamon roll in spring attire. These rolls are filled with lemon zest-infused sugar and blueberries, then topped with a lemon glaze. They're good any time, but these rolls taste like spring to me. And that's definitely a good thing.

Blueberry Lemon Sweet Rolls

For the Dough:
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 packages active dry yeast, 0.25 ounce packet
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (additional) all-purpose four
1/2 Tbsp (heaping) salt
1/2 tsp (scant) baking soda
1 tsp (heaping) baking powder

For the Filling:
1 stick butter
3/4 cups sugar
2 whole lemons, zested
1 cup (heaping) fresh blueberries

For the Glaze:
2 whole lemons, juiced
1 whole lemons, zested
3 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp milk, or as needed
1 dash salt
2 Tbsp melted butter

Directions:
For the dough: Mix milk, sugar, and canola oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Heat over medium heat until very warm but not boiling. Remove from heat and allow to cool until warmer than lukewarm but not hot.

Sprinkle yeast over the surface of the liquid, then add in 4 cups flour. Stir gently until totally combined. Mixture will be very wet and sticky. Cover with a tea towel, keep in a draft-free place, and allow to sit for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, add in an additional 1/2 cup flour, as well as the salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix until combined. Refrigerate dough, covered, until you need it. (Refrigerating the dough helps make it easier to handle.)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter a large baking dish (or a couple of smaller dishes) generously. You could use a 9x13 or two 9-inch pie pans.

Melt 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted remove from heat.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Roll into a large rectangle, about 30 inches wide by 10 inches deep. Roll as thin as possible! Drizzle melted butter over the dough, using your fingers to spread evenly.

Using your fingers, mix sugar and lemon zest so that it's a nice, light yellow sugar. Sprinkle it all over the butter. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the surface.

Beginning at the side furthest from you, roll dough toward you until it’s in the shape of a tight log. Tuck as you go so the roll stays tight. Pinch the edges to seal the seam shut. With a sharp knife, slice into 1-inch thick rolls and lay the slices, cut side down, into the buttered baking dishes. Allow to rise for 20 minutes, then place in oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until deep golden brown on top.

To make the glaze: Add lemon juice, lemon zest, powdered sugar, milk, and dash of salt in a bowl. Add melted butter and whisk together until smooth. Taste it and add more of whatever it needs.

Remove rolls from oven and drizzle the glaze all over the rolls. Be sure to get it all around the edges and covering the surface so they’ll be nice and moist!

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: ~20 rolls

Source: The Pioneer Woman

resolution time

It's resolution time, y'all. Do you make New Year's resolutions? It seems like most people love 'em or hate 'em. I don't get it. What's to dislike? A new year, a fresh start, and a chance to better yourself. Nobody's perfect, right? So why not make some solid steps towards becoming a better and/or more well-rounded person in 2013?

Every year, I try to make three resolutions. In the past I've typically made a work/school resolution, a health/fitness resolution, and a resolution pertaining to my personal relationships. This year I'm busting out of those specific categories, but I'm still keeping the magic number three. Three is doable for me...as long as I remember what my resolutions are! So, to hold myself more accountable this year, I'm documenting my resolutions here for the world to see.

1. Be more thoughtful and conscientious in maintaining my relationships with friends and loved ones. This is my top priority resolution because I know it's where I am the most lacking. Unfortunately, the craziness of life often distracts me from calling/texting/emailing/video chatting my friends and family back home and meeting up with friends nearby as often as I should. That all changes in 2013! My goal is weekly quality time with all my favorite people, whether that's in the form of a phone call, a cup of coffee, or whatever, I'm going to be a better daughter, sister, and friend.

2. Create a budget for myself and stick to it. As a student and TA, money is not exactly flowing. However, I always make it work. This year I'd like to do more than just make it work, though. I'd like to make a detailed budget, complete with money set aside for future expenses I have in mind. This is gonna be a tough one for me...especially considering my love of shopping. Oy gevalt.

3. Be more efficient in all that I do. I have a pretty intense Pinterest/online shopping/crap TV habit that aids me in procrastinating anything and everything I need to do. This spring is my last semester of coursework and I'd like to go out with a bang, just dominating my classes, my teaching, and the graduate conference I've been working to plan. To do that, though, I need to kick my procrastination habit in the booty. This semester, I'm imposing a strict schedule on myself. That way I can enjoy my down time that much more, not stressing about school when I should be spending quality time with loved ones...this one will also help with #1 hopefully!

Okay, so that's my big three. What are your resolutions?