Discover

Discover (verb):  find, encounter

The majority of my time recently has been in trying new recipes and new books -- my two passions:  cooking and reading!

First, I took some recipes that I already liked (i.e. broccoli cheddar soup) and tried some similar recipes (like broccoli potato soup) that I found through Taste of Home's website.  I also picked food that I really like (i.e. calamari) and found recipes with those ingredients (Calamari, Asparagus, and Tangerine Salad).  Taste of Home also send e-recipes on a daily basis (and some specialty items on a weekly basis).  That has really opened up my recipe list!  Different blogs I follow and Pinterest have also given me a lot of recipe and recipe ideas.  I also love watching Food Network; you can learn a lot of techniques and a lot about rare ingredients by watching different shows.

As far as reading, I have a long list of books I want to read (or re-read), but I have also been interested in some newer books, particularly a few that have become movies.  Something that really has helped with this is my Nook; I was able to download some free book previews to read a bit before buying the book.  Of course anyone can do this in most bookstores, but having it anytime on my Nook makes this really simple.

Over Christmas I re-read the Percy Jackson series and the available books in the Heroes of Olympics series (Mark of Athena comes out this Fall!); my husband bought me the Hunger Games trilogy, which I read in under 48 hours -- Warning:  I was so emotionally attached to the characters that it necessitated me finishing the books so quickly.  If you are not very empathetic, you might not be as drawn in, but the books are still very interesting.  I also really enjoyed Something Borrowed and Something Blue; it reminded me of Sarah Strohmeyer's and Sophie Kinsella's books.  One for the Money was also very good; I read before going to bed, and it became a little intense for me, but I enjoyed the book.  Doug just started reading Harry Potter for the first time; since I have only read through them once, I decided to read through them again!

For those of you who want to read more, I really suggest finding about 30-40 minutes every day that you can read.  Most of the time I read before going to bed; it helps me clear my mind for the day and begin to rest.  My husband reads more in the morning to wake up his mind.  The point is, anything that really matters to you, you will make time for.  Also, don't start with War and Peace (unless it's your favorite or something).  Pick an author or series that you like (or have friends who like) and start with that.  I like working through different series because the story lasts longer this way; plus, you already know the characters and context!

Anyways!  There is much more to discover than recipes and books; just don't be afraid to try something new or work to make yourself better!