2011, It was a pleasure to know you.

This year is almost over.  Like, three more sleeps and then it is another year.  Remember how when you were a kid and it seemed like Christmas took forever to get here?  Now it just comes and goes in a blink of an eye.  Whoosh.

Looking back on 2011 I see this as my year of creativity being realized.  I had an article published in Guideposts Magazine, I took engagement pictures and maternity pictures and trash the dress pictures plus some more, and I really put myself to work in the kitchen.  And of course, I started this blog!  Obviously, there is a whole lot more to say about this year, mostly good, some bad, but that is what I will always remember this year for.  

Let's take a look at where this blog/this year has gone:

APRIL

It all started as a way for me to record my recipes and to keep track of how much money each one cost.  I was not concerned with getting into the "blogging world", I just wanted to share with my friends and family.

MAY

Learning to cook is a tall order.  Learning to cook while blending two cultures is a doubly-tall, doubly difficult order.  But it is fun.  Challenging things aren't always bad -- sometimes they are the motivation you need to keep things interesting.

(This is Prestigio Cake, by the way.  My husband's favorite.)

PS - We also went one month (yeah, you heard that correctly) without spending any money WHAT-SO-EVER on eating out.  One month. 

JUNE

Teaching my baby brother how to cook.  It took me years of begging him to join me in the kitchen, but he finally decided to humor me.  And he was good at it!  Don't let the badass tattoos fool you; he has many talents.  (Did I ever mention that he has a beautiful singing voice?  Beautiful.)

JULY

My first (and only) attempt at "cute food".  Yeah, there are some things I am not cut out for.

AUGUST

Challenge of one week, completely new recipes with fresh ingredients.  My favorite food week of the year.

 

AND

I hosted a Foodbuzz 24x24 party, themed "Festa Brasileira".  Not only did we get fourteen Brazilian and American friends together to eat and have a good time, but we had had money left over and were able to donate $100 to the World Hunger Project.  Win-win in my book.

Oh yeah, and I learned some more of that all-important-Brazilian-cooking.  Triple win.

SEPTEMBER

Being a lover of good photography, I decided it was time to bring my food-pictures up to the level I expect of all my pictures.  I don't always make it happen, but I do make an effort.

OCTOBER

October Unprocessed: one month of NOTHING I didn't make from scratch.  It was difficult, eye-opening, and fun.  I actually cried when I made vegetable stock from scratch.  To see that I have the ability to make something without relying of food companies to do it for me... exhilarating.

NOVEMBER

My friends and I gave thanks while trying give others a reason to do the same.  With a team of young adults and people willing to join us, plus a 7x matching opportunity, we raised enough money to provide 35,112 meals to those in need in Africa.  That's 35,112 reasons to give thanks.

DECEMBER

And that brings us to now, December.  What can I say about this month?  I realized that along with developing my cooking skills I have also developed my photography, my writing, and have connected with people around the world I would have never met otherwise.  I have become a better cook, for sure, but I have also become a more well-rounded person. 

2011, you have been a good one.

And now on to see what 2012 has in store for us...

May your New Year (eve/day/year) be filled with love, family & friends, good food, and laughter.  Thank you for being a part of my inner-creativity discovery process!