72. Bake 10 kinds of sweet treats.

Truthfully, I have made plenty of new recipes since I started down my "1001 Days" journey.  For one of two reasons that have not been posted here.


1. I forget to document the process and halfway through dinner (which I am ravenously eating after arriving home starving after work) it dawns on me that I could have put it in the blog.
2. Sometimes, I'm just lazy.


But today I decided to be all domestic-y and make mini-pecan tarts for a work Thanksgiving party.  (ok, technically it's a staff meeting too)

Recipe:
Mini-Pecan Tarts
Makes about 24

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 cup sifted flour
1 egg
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash salt
2/3 cup chopped pecans



Combine cheese and 1/2 cup butter.

 J: "Anything that starts out with those two things involved has got to be good."  I would also agree.

Slowly add flour while mixing. Mix thoroughly and chill, covered, 1 hour. Preheat over to 325F. Divide into 24 small balls (at this point I lightly grease the tin for help later on) and press into sides and bottom of 2 ungreased minature muffin pans. 

Combine egg, brown sugar, vanilla, salt & remaining 1 tablespoon butter; beat until smooth. 

Sprinkle 1/3 cup pecans equally into 24 tart shells. Divide egg mixture equally among 24 tarts, pouring on top of pecans.

Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup pecans on top of tarts. Bake 20-25 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

so good.

After this was presented to me from bakery heaven (aka my oven)- I immediately scrounged around to find enough of each ingredient to make another batch just for J and I.

yumm-o.

77. Go on a date with J once a month. (October 09)

On October 28th - J and I went on our monthly date day. After work on Wednesday we went to the Olive Garden for unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks. Now this might not seem like a great time to some - so let me elaborate: 1. We had a gift card... = Free food, 2. I LOVE the salad, and 3. We had a window view overlooking Times Square. Sound better now? 

Afterwards we headed to Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center for a performance by the

Escher String Quartet.  

Quartet being 3, Violins, 1 cello, 100% percent amazing. All of the performers were so talented - and the music was fantastic. A few of the movements were 30-45 minutes long - yet after they were finished - I felt like only a few minutes had passed. Performances like this really makes me wish I wouldn't have given up the clarinet in 4th grade. sigh.


Regardless - it was a wonderful time.  I am truly blessed to be able to attend events like this - all in my big, smoggy, concrete jungle of a backyard...

...and I wouldn't change it for the world.

56. It's the most wonderful time of the year...

As the seasons change from warm-awesomeness to arctic-tundra here in NYC - it was the perfect opportunity to sort my summer clothes and donate those who have seen better days. Such as the bubblegum pink tube top I have owned since 8th grade and several pairs of cut-off jean shorts. I have no idea why I have been dragging these around with me for the past few years - but I believe they have gone to a better place - and if no one desires such treasures, at least I know they will probably become part of a rocking Halloween costume next year.

53. Contribute to retirement account every pay period.

So I finally took the plunge and met with the oh-so-friendly retirement account representatives at work. I am now set-up with an account which will withdraw a certain percentage from each pay period before taxes. Score! Now I just need to work for 40 more years :)