My Recipe Resolution
I love cookbooks. I have a shelf full of them, cut them from magazines, but oddly enough, I rarely use them! When I want to try something new I'll typically take out 4-5 cookbooks and create my own version of making what I want to make. Last month was my birthday and I decided on a resolution that, I'm excited to say, I have kept for the past 6 weeks!
I decided that for the next year I would make at least one new recipe every week. The key is that the recipe has to be created to spec and it has to be something I haven't made before. It's been so much fun and is also helping us to be more frugal with groceries and planning menus. I'm also making a point to try and do some healthier recipes to make cutting fat and/or carbs more fun. I use the circular each week to see what's on sale, then get out my recipe books and decide what to make.
So far I have made:
Spice Rubbed Braised Beef
Chicken Tacos with Avocado Salsa
A friends meatloaf recipe (although I like mine better)
Baked Pork Chops with Brown Rice Stuffing
Pan Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Bolognese Sauce
Potato Corn Chowder
Black Bean Tostadas
What I like about this is it's getting me out of my comfort zone. I always make the same things and have had fun trying new methods and preperations. I'm excited about my new project and thought I'd share!
By jessicheese
on Dec 9, 2009 10:15 AM
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I'm the same way with cookbooks! I like your idea. :)
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That's exactly why I started cooking with the COTM group. I've been cooking since I was 10 Y/O and after marriage settled into a routine that, after more years than I care to remember, began to bore me to tears...almost. On holidays I'd drag out my Mastering the Art of French Cooking or the Edward Giobbi books to make those meals special. I've been collecting cookbooks for a long time without taking them seriously. Now I'm having loads of fun trying new cuisines and new techniques, and enjoying the results immensely.
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I think this is a great idea. And I might add to it by saying to not repeat one cookbook until fixing recipes from "X" number of books.
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I like to get a new cookbook and cook exclusively from it for a week. This lets me know whether or not it's a keeper.
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You're a very disciplined person.
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Well, I try, but my post is more of a goal, rather than a reality; I'm always getting sidelined. For instance, I saw your post about Scargod's beer batter and grabbed some shrimp out of the freezer for tomorrow. Am looking forward to trying it.
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You won't go wrong, I'm betting. I was making it harder than it need to be til Scar reined me in :) BTW, I love all onion rings but made out of red onions is really great
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Hmmm, usually use Vidalias, but on your rec, I'll try some reds.
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Oh, my dear, I'm a real Southerner so Vidalias trump everything else. But I've many months to go.
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Have Vidalias been widely available in the South for a long time? My family lived there in the mid-50's, and I don't remember them. They popped up on my radar screen about 15 years ago.
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I don't have the answer for that. I don't remember them especially in Atlanta in the 50s, 60s and 70s but maybe we just took them for granted And I wasn't a cook then so had lowered antennae. BUT I've been able to get them for 20 years here on the Left Coast. We used to bring 10# bags of them on as our carryons back in the early 90s :)
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I first heard of them in the late '70's when I lived in Tallahassee. Didn't get to taste one until the mid '80's though.
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I love your resolution. I made a similar one for 2009 and promptly fell back into my boring rut. I am currently so sick of my current rotation that I can hardly eat my own food! I am determined to try again this year as I have a ton of recipes that I have clipped over the past year as well as an impressive collection of cookbooks. Keep posting about your experience...it will be fun to read along.
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I decided to start a blog about my project! You are welcome to check it out at:
http://reciperesolution.blogspot.com/
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We must be on the same wavelength. I too have over 50 cookbooks and rarely if ever use them. My resolution is to pick 5-10 recipes out of each book ( including sides) and prepare them over the next year!
Good luck to you!
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