Jay Shetty recently said that you don’t start your New Year’s Resolution on January 1st: you start working on it now so that you’re ready for January 1st.
Monday’s article was about resigning from my photography business to pursue a territory that has been calling me, and the reactions were mixed. So many people have said “But you’re so talented, why are you giving up on it?” or “You can’t focus on that one person.”, which are all sentiments I agree with. It’s been a beautiful, creative, decade of my life that I’m so grateful for.
There’s a point I didn’t speak about on Monday, and it’s this: my “adult” life has been defined by always having an escape plan. When I lived in a different state, I knew I had my childhood home to return to. When I needed money, I knew I had photography to fall back on. It’s been a precarious web of always waiting for the shoe to drop- always making sure I had a way out: that all changed this year.
When I moved into our apartment in January, I immediately felt “home”. A feeling so unfamiliar to me that it took me months to figure out what it was. My comfort zone was this sticky web of hustling, backup plans, secret plans of a tiny mobile home, and cash stashes- security in myself and my decisions has been new territory.
What I’m quitting is the habit of not believing that I’m good enough. I want to step outside my comfort zone even further and pursue a dream I’ve had since I was eight years old: writing.
With that said, this will be our last weekly Salt. This last year with Salt, with Soul, has taught me consistency, and the importance of time. This last year has helped me find my voice again. It’s my favorite project I’ve ever started, and it feels like it’s only just the beginning.
In taking Jay Shetty’s advice, I’ve been creating a plan for 2024. I want to make this space more sustainable, more community-oriented, more valuable, and more of a reflection of my voice. The mind map/vision board is absolutely beautiful, and I can’t wait to tell you more about it on Monday. I’ll give one hint: Themes.
Alright, now that I’ve secret-projected you, let’s get into our recipe.
This week’s recipe is something I like to call “It was in my fridge.”
We’re so used to buying items for a recipe, but if you’re like me and hate wasting food, this is a fun game to play. In this case, we had figs that were about to go bad, and chicken thighs I thought we were going to use for a different night just sitting there, so I made this little recipe up. It’s flavorful, very “rustic Italian”, and so easy to put together.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
1 package of chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs)
1 package of rosemary sprigs
2 tablespoons of butter
3 garlic cloves (halved, or full- I love big chunks of garlic but I know that’s personal so you do, babe!)
5 full figs, halved
1 red onion, quartered
16 oz of Ginger Miso Broth (I found mine at Trader Joe’s)
Salt, Pepper, Garlic
Chile Peppers, if your spicy ( I have a chile pepper plant that I love to use in soups and recipes like this)
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER:
First things first, unpack your chicken thighs, pat them down with a paper towel, and season them with salt, pepper, and garlic.
In a frying pan, heat your butter on high and when melted, place your chicken thighs in the pan and sear the skin. This will lock in the flavor and juiciness of the meat.
Remove the meat but keep the butter, lower your heat to medium, and add garlic to brown. Then, add in 8 oz of ginger miso broth (save the rest for the crockpot), add your rosemary sprigs (full), your figs, and your red onion. Let simmer on low-medium heat for 3-5 minutes. (I cook with gas, so I go low, but on electric I’d suggest medium).
While that’s cooking, put your chicken thighs and the remaining 8 oz of ginger miso in your crockpot. Then, pour your fig, red onion, and miso over the chicken thighs, cover, and cook on medium for 3 hours.
When finished, your meat should come off the bones. I served mine over an instant bag of rice. (there are two things I’ve failed to master: pudding and rice.)
Be sure to tag me in my photos or send me a love letter if you made the recipe!
As always, I’m grateful you’re here. On Monday, we’re going to dive right into the mind map for 2024- and I cannot wait to hear your feedback.
If you’re holiday shopping, we have some new drops at the merch shop.
If you’re looking to be entertained by my dogs, or us putting up a tree today, follow me on Instagram (@) Leannegelish
Enjoy the weekend, friends.