recipe challenge!

I didn't realize that cooking is a hobby of mine until we moved to Frederick. Sometimes I think my hobbies sound so boring. Reading, writing, crosswords ... blah, blah, blah. But cooking! Cooking isn't boring! Especially when I get to use my cast iron skillet! Oh wait, I've just confirmed that I'm secretly 85.

I like the idea of going into 2014 with a few new dishes under my belt, and I love the idea of having a few friends do the same! Who wants to join me in trying four new recipes in February? OK who wants to try at least ONE new recipe in February? I'm lookin' at you, boo.

I'll be picking a bread, a veggie side dish, a pork entrée and a recipe taken from a magazine. You could do the same four categories as me, or you could change them up to fit your interests. (A soup? An ethnic dish? A Super Bowl appetizer? Something from Pinterest you've always wanted to try and never got around to because it looks intimidating but the picture is pretty and you think maybe one day I'll make that five layer cake with homemade ganache?)

pics from halfbakedharvest. com and realsimple.com

Here are a few recipes I'm considering:
Bread- Pretzel sandwich buns or Naan
Veggie side- Kale chips or Sauteed Bok Choy and Broccoli
Pork entrée- Braised Pork Ragu or "Pork in Milk" (milk clusters?!)
Cookbook/mag recipe- Chicken and mushroom farro risotto or Spiced dal with cilantro yogurt

In case you missed them, I recently added two new recipes to my Recipe page: a crave-worthy meatloaf and spicy fish and potato soup.