New Year’s Resolutions – Number 1 – Day 1
So, I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions at the beginning of the new year, I usually reserve them for my birthday, look back at the year then, and make resolutions for what I want to accomplish before I become one year older. These are usually fairly serious resolutions and not for public consumption.
So, I decided this year to work on some practical resolutions. And for those of you worried that I will suddenly become a neat freak and start cleaning house more frequently — don’t worry.
Resolution 2012-1 involves my cookbook collection. My cookbook collection is quite extensive and looks really good on the custom crafted bookshelves that were part of the 2011 kitchen remodel. However, many of them have never been used — read, yes, but not used. So, Resolution 2012-1 is to use my cookbook collection more and to keep track of what I cooked or baked and how we liked the results. I do have a problem of trying a new recipe, declaring it a “keeper” and then not being able to find it when I want to recreate it.
Getting the new year off to a fast start, I have Almond Biscotti in the oven from the book Chewy, Gooey, Crispy, Crunch, a 2010 cookie cookbook that I ran into in my local book store, Books on the Common, last year.
So far, so good — the almonds needed to be toasted and I didn’t burn them. The dough needed to be 12″ by 4″ to bake and it easily molded to that shape. So, they’re in the oven for the first baking and in 25 minutes, I’ll slice them and put them back in for the second baking. Delayed gratification, this cookie is. I’ll be putting them out to cool and headed to bed — taste testing reserved for tomorrow’s tea-time snack while watching the Rose Parade. Speaking of which, what’s a new year going to turn out like when the Rose Parade is scheduled the DAY AFTER New Year’s Day?