Happy 2009! Tis the season to set some resolutions. Since I tend to be a little unconventional in the whole “bettering yourself” category (see August Resolutions) I haven’t set any traditional resolutions. Sure, I want to lose ten pounds. Yeah, I want a promotion and to write a novel and discover the cure for cancer and solve the nation’s financial crisis.
But let’s start closer to home, shall we?
So here are some of my foodie-related New Year’s resolutions.
1. Host a cocktail party with fancy appetizers.
2. Cook on Sunday, eat all week.
3. Stop at one serving.
4. Try at least two new cuisines.
5. Make fresh hummus.
6. Bake pasta from scratch
7. Try a new recipe that contains cardamom.
8. Beef stroganoff - I’ve never tried it! Color me curious.
9. Donate cookies to food pantries or charity twice in the next six months.
10. Cut down on the cookies and eat more good fats.
11. Buy more seasonal produce fresh from the greenmarket.
12. Eat more vegetables.
13. Polenta.
14. Improve my food photography.
15. Clean as I go.
16. Make risotto at least once.
17. Panzanella
18. Roast something. A chicken? Pork tenderloin? I want to cook more and bake less in 2009.
19. Learn how to flip pancakes without breaking them.
20. Take a course at the Institute of Culinary Education.
Since today begins a new year and a new chapter I want to take a moment to thank all of my readers (and I know there’s a few of you out there!) for constantly motivating and inspiring me with your enthusiastic comments and your own beautiful blogs. I couldn’t write this blog thing without all of your support and I’m continually amazed each day by what a unique community I’ve joined this year.
Now tell me some of your 2009 food resolutions!
January 1, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Happy New Year! Looks like you’ve set some really good ones … risotto is well worth the effort, by the way.
Food related resolutions? Eat fewer cookies, eat more veggies. Let Will do more in the kitchen. Post more regularly.
January 1, 2009 at 10:43 pm
I, too, want to improve my food photography skills. It helps that the architect is a good photographer, and we have a good camera – I just need to work on my skills.
I love risotto, and am sad that I don’t make it more often. It’s really not hard.
My big goals is to spend less but get better food – to waste less, and to learn to make really good Mexican food.
January 1, 2009 at 11:20 pm
I want to learn to cook more and bake less too. Great goals!!
January 2, 2009 at 12:54 am
My resolution is to be a better blog mom and help you with some of your resolutions. Really. Photography and panzanella and cookie donations, for a start. Happy New Year!
January 2, 2009 at 10:12 am
My plan for 2009 is to be healthier which i think means I’m finally going to have to start at least TRYING to cook! So if you know of any good websites with low-fat, EASY recipes, please feel free to let me know!
January 2, 2009 at 11:17 am
You’ve got some good ones. I love beef stroganoff, its a dish I grew up with. I did some resolutions on my blog too.
January 2, 2009 at 11:55 am
I hope you have a great 2009!!
January 2, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Great resolution!
I never tried and make Beef Stroganoff either.
My resolution, learn to be less anxious about anything!
Cheers,
Era
January 2, 2009 at 12:20 pm
my food resolution is no more fast food! EVER.
also, happy new year!!!
January 2, 2009 at 12:30 pm
i want to be less afraid of my cast iron skillet and learn to cook a few things in it. HAPPY 2009!
January 2, 2009 at 2:26 pm
You have some great ones listed here. One of my resolutions is to incorporate savory cooking into my blog. I do it all the time but have yet to post about it- making pasta from scratch is something I’d love to try as well!
Cheers and Happy New Year!
January 2, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Cool! Look forward to reading about the products of your resolutions (and maybe giving a few of them a try myself!)
My friend Ray did an interesting post about making fresh pasta: http://dcrainmaker.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-make-fresh-pasta.html
January 2, 2009 at 10:00 pm
I wish mine were half as tasty as yours
January 2, 2009 at 10:17 pm
oooh…i’ve always wanted to make homemade pasta. good one.
i want to cook more often & eat out less!
January 3, 2009 at 11:36 am
What fun resolutions…and, you know, they are entirely within realistic reach.
Happy New Year, Maris!
January 4, 2009 at 12:02 am
Happy New Year, Maris! Your resolutions sound like good ones to me.
I want to cook more and bake less this year. And I want cooking classes at a local kitchen store to work into my schedule because it’d be fun!
January 4, 2009 at 12:36 am
I tagged you in my blog, but please, feel no pressure to do it. It’s the 7 Interesting Facts tag. Have a great 2009!
January 4, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Mine continues to focus on learning how to cook. If you come visit you’ll have to give me pointers. But I love your idea about cooking sunday and eating for the week. I do that!
January 4, 2009 at 8:39 pm
that ‘try new cuisines’ one is a good idea. i would love to branch out from my usual chinese take-out and pizza.
but really my “food resolution” is to learn how to cook. i need to.
January 5, 2009 at 12:11 am
I admire your ambition in the kitchen for the new year, and the challenges that will broaden and enrich life’s experiences seem so much more fulfilling than strict self-improvement resolutions. Your fresh and thoughtful look at life through your blog has inspired me more than once. Thanks from a reader and a fan who looks forward to reading more in 2009!
January 5, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Do you like Chai tea? I have an authentic Chai recipe that includes cardamom- it’s an easy place to start.
Chai Tea
2 c. milk
1 c. water
2 T. loose leaf black tea
1 ½” cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
1 ½” piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into chunks
10 green cardamom pods, crushed slightly
7 whole cloves
4 black peppercorns
1 T. sugar (or more to taste)
Combine all ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover and steep for 15 minutes. Uncover, return to boiling; serve hot. Can be chilled.
I love risotto too. There’s a few topics on my blog about risotto and an easy method. No matter what you read….it does NOT have to be stirred constantly!
I like your food resolutions. You’ve covered a lot of ground.
January 5, 2009 at 10:41 pm
I want polenta in my life too.
I love your resolutions.
January 6, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Happy new year Maris! I’m working on a similar list of my own, and some of the items on mine are exactly the same as yours – specifically, the fancy appetizers, cleaning as I go, and roasting SOMETHING. I’ll probably start with a chicken. I know it’s supposed to be easy, but there’s a total fear of the unknown there, so I need to just do it already!
January 7, 2009 at 10:04 am
[...] Maris at In Good Taste has some delicious foodie-related resolutions [...]
January 7, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Maris! I love these resolutions. Can’t wait to hear what you make with Cardamom. (What is Cardamom anyway?)
I miss you friend
January 7, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Food bloggers are the best, aren’t they?? I love being a part of it all.
I like your cardamom and polenta ones because I want to try both of those as well. And roasting (meats OR vegetables) is my favorite way to cook. I have never once roasted anything and had it turn out badly.
My own resolution is to lighten up and not pressure myself to cook gourmet all the time. I need to often remember that simple and easy can also be wonderful.
January 8, 2009 at 5:16 pm
i took a 5-week ICE course last year and loved it! and another pastry course in november. right now i’m still thinking about the cake decorating sequence, but it’s hard to justify taking a week off work for a cooking class! but they have lots of good options — excellent new years list!
January 15, 2009 at 8:11 pm
I love them! I may steal a few…donating cookies is a great idea…