Last year, I made New Year's resolutions. I don't want to make them this year and I'll tell you why. I think it's silly to save resolutions for January 1. If you want to make a change in your life, do it now. Do it today. Do it on April 14 or November 29, but set your goals, whether you're jotting them in a notebook or sharing them with a cross-country support system.
With that said, I'm not one to break tradition. I'll set some 2010 foodie resolutions and I'll probably tell you about them. But first, let's reflect. Here are the 20 goals that I set in 2009, most of them achieved and most of them documented here.
In italics are the resolutions that didn't exactly happen this year. But stay tuned...2010 will be a big year in my tiny kitchen.
1. Host a cocktail party with fancy appetizers.
2. Cook on Sunday, eat all week. I did. Sometimes.
3. Stop at one serving. Still working on this one.
4. Try at least two new cuisines. Wow. A fail. I had Portuguese food, the only new one.
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. As I write this, I'm eating a cookie. Whoops.
11. Buy more seasonal produce fresh from the greenmarket.
12. Eat more vegetables.
13. Polenta.
14. Improve my food photography (Thanks, Lydia and Alanna!).
15. Clean as I go. If I were perfect all the time I'd be boring, right?
16. Make risotto at least once. Looking forward to it!
17. Panzanella
18. Roast something. Pork tenderloin?
19. Learn how to flip pancakes without breaking them.
20. Take a course at the Institute of Culinary Education. Doubt that's happening this year either, oh, since I live 800 miles away from it now.
What are your plans to ring in the new year? Whatever it is, I hope it's a safe and happy one!
Happy Healthy New Year to my favorite blogger!!! I hope you are as proud of your accomplishments as I ma of you.
Posted by: Daryl | December 31, 2009 at 08:30 AM
Looks like you accomplished quite a few of your resolutions. Good for you!
No massive plans for tonight myself. Just going to have a couple of drinks at the pub, then hang out with my friend and her boyfriend at their flat to ring in the bells. I'm not a big fan of New Year.
Posted by: Paula | December 31, 2009 at 08:44 AM
There is a great beef stroganoff recipe in the Bon Appetit Cookbook! (in case you're looking for one - I think I only used half the amount of meat though because it's an expensive cut.)
I have a list of my own foodie resolutions on my blog right now too.
Wishing you all the best in 2010!
Posted by: Megan | December 31, 2009 at 09:19 AM
You did get through a lot of those though. Happy New Yeat
Posted by: kat | December 31, 2009 at 10:20 AM
We have a few friends coming over to our place to hang out but that's really it. It's going to be very laidback!
Posted by: Good Taste. Healthy Me | December 31, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Now that you're in Chicago, the greenmarket resolution shouldn't be a challenge - the Green City Market in Lincoln Park is fantastic!
Happy New Year!
Posted by: erin | December 31, 2009 at 12:27 PM
You still have some wonderful "resolutions" ahead. For new cuisines, Chicago is the place to be, and you'll have fun exploring your new city at the same time as you're finding new foods. Happy new year, from snowy Rhode Island!
Posted by: Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) | December 31, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Yay for accomplishing so many of your resolutions! And you are right about making the change no matter what the date. That said, the New Year is a new beginning (however technical) and it's a good time to reevaluate where you are and where you want to be.
Posted by: Sarah Caron | December 31, 2009 at 02:42 PM
Congrats on acheiving so many of your resos! Lets make a risotto date...one of my favorite cooking techniques. Also, the farmer's market is my favorite spot in the world in the summer. We'll have lots of fun with the seasonal produce for sure. So glad you're here in CHI now. Happy New Year!
Posted by: Rebecca_C | December 31, 2009 at 03:06 PM
What a great mix of a list. Lots of great foodie things to do there. Had a lovely evening with my husband at a little French bistro here in Brisbane. Tres bon!
Here's to tackling more food challenges in 2010!
Posted by: Julia @ Mélanger | December 31, 2009 at 05:17 PM
Congrats on working on such a great "foodie list"! I think all of those sound great, and you should continue to strive for more experiences this year :)
Posted by: Jenny | January 01, 2010 at 11:07 AM
Happy New Year, Maris!!
Posted by: mandy | January 01, 2010 at 02:32 PM
Great goals! I made some foodie resolutions this year too, one of which was actually organizing the recipes I want to make :) Happy New Year!!
Posted by: Kerstin | January 02, 2010 at 01:53 PM