january 9th was my one year blogging anniversary. it's been a pretty incredible year as i've watched this blog grow from a handful of page views per day to hundreds. it's humbling, to say to the least, to know that people i've never met care about what i write. 279 posts into this journey, and i feel like i have learned so much. i've learned that real, true friends can be made online. i may never meet any of these people, but they have helped to shape who i am as a person and a mother. i've learned to take the bad with the good. with this wonderful community inevitably comes a few haters. speaking of which, i've learned that it's perfectly acceptable to block cruel comments. this is my space, and i have the right to censor it.
i've learned that this community can also be a detrimental thing. there are thousands of other mothers to compare myself with and thousands of other babies to compare sylvie to. there are mothers who appear perfect, but we all know how easy it is to post only about the good times. there are mothers who have berated me for my decision to stop breast feeding my daughter, which was the best call for her. she is a happy, healthy, giggly, thriving 5 month old. i've learned to ignore (pardon my french here) the bitches. those girls who insist on being self-righteous and hurtful. you may have nursed your child into toddlerhood, but are you really setting a good example for little susie by cutting me down?
i've learned that i LOVE blogging more than i thought i would. i've learned that writing everyday is good for me. it's fun, cathartic, and it gives my mind some exercise. i think writing, like anything else, takes practice. i've enjoyed having an audience of willing readers to practice in front of.
i've learned that my readers are incredibly kind people. thank you for making 2010 such a fantastic year for me and this little blog. thank you for stopping by to read what i have to say. thank you for commenting and for offering support in those times that i needed it. thank you for being family, friends, and strangers. your overwhelming kindness inspires me to be a better blogger, friend, wife, and mother. 2010 was the year my life changed forever. i think 2011 has the potential to be even better. thank you.
i think the best way to end this post is with the reason why i started this blog in the first place.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8Tf1mVqKHk]
tonight i made bucatini with bacon and leeks for dinner. it was quick, easy, and delicious so i thought i would share the recipe here. i cooked this intuitively as i went, so all measurements are approximate.
BUCATINI WITH BACON AND LEEKS
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
6 strips of bacon (you want to use 3 strips per person), sliced
1 large leek, halved lengthwise and sliced
1/4 cup of heavy cream
8 ounces of dried bucatini** (about half of a package)
a handful of kosher salt
black pepper
grated or shaved parmesan
1. melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. in the meantime, boil some water and the kosher salt in a large pot to cook the pasta.
2. add the bacon to the skillet and cook until crisp, about 10 minutes.
3. once the bacon is crisp, start cooking your pasta.
4. add the leeks to the skillet and cook until very soft, about 7 minutes.
5. stir the heavy cream and some black pepper to taste into the bacon and leek mixture.
6. once your pasta is nicely al dente, drain it, reserving about 1/4 cup of the cooking water. add the pasta to the skillet and toss to combine. add some of the pasta water to help thicken the sauce if need be. top with the parmesan and serve immediately.
**if you can't find or don't have bucatini, you can substitute any kind of pasta you like.
i served this dish with a side of roasted radicchio tossed with a balsamic reduction.
sylvie had leftover curried peas for dinner. i don't think she's quite ready for bacon yet!
stay tuned for a lot of new things happening on the blog. i registered a new domain on typepad and am currently working on the design of a new blog. not too worry, i plan to export all of my old posts to my new internet home! i'm so excited to expand my blogging beyond being a mommy. thank you so much to everyone who commented on my last post. your kind words and sage advice made my weekend that much brighter.
also, i now have a twitter account! sarawithoutan_h. you can follow me by clicking the link in the sidebar! happy monday!
