First of all, I accidentally missed my blog’s 1st birthday. Happy 1st Blogoversary to 52 Kitchen Adventures, a 2010 New Year’s resolution that was actually kept and finished!
Lists of the top posts of 2010 and recaps of last year have been flooding the blogosphere, but I already recapped the 52 adventures here a few weeks ago (and you can see every adventure by visiting the “Kitchen Adventure” category). However, for the sake of yummy food pictures, I’ll put in pictures of my top desserts of 2010 in here.
I’ve had a lot of questions about the future of the blog, from what I’m going to write about to how often I’ll update. My goal is to post around 2-3 times a week, but some weeks may be more, some less. I’m going to write about all sorts of food and kitchen adventures (coming up: making butter from leftover heavy whipping cream), and will probably expand to include things like restaurant reviews and other food experiences outside of my own kitchen.
Peppermint Chocolate Souffle Cupcakes (a new favorite)
I made very different New Year’s resolutions this year, some about personal stuff that’s not related to food or blogging. However, I made one major resolution that will definitely affect the blog: I’m not eating processed sugar (or sugar substitutes) for the month of January. I’ve had a big sweet tooth my whole life, and tend to crave sugary snacks that aren’t good for me and will only cause me to feel more hungry. I want to go without eating sugar to: 1) see if I can do it; 2) improve my diet; 3) hopefully change my taste buds so I don’t sweeten things like tea and coffee so much and can appreciate things like wine more. We’ll see if it works!
Another goal of mine is to do more meal planning and therefore shop less often for food and have more healthy things on hand. I stocked up on groceries yesterday, including lots of veggies, almond butter with no sugar, sprouted wheat bread, etc. I made mini frittatas for this week’s breakfasts (post coming soon), snacked on almonds, and made a great pasta dish with walnuts, edamame, and some veggies (another post coming soon). I resolve to eat healthier snacks, more veggies, and actually cook dinner, even when I’m home alone (usually if it’s just me, I’ll eat easy things like frozen waffles).
This ended up being quite an ironic post! Full of pictures of desserts but words of healthy intentions. I’ll keep you posted on the sugar-free challenge, and perhaps share some desserts that don’t use sugar. What are your New Year’s resolutions?
Roxan
January 3, 2011 at 10:30 am (14 years ago)Happy blogoversary! I think it’s a good goal to try cutting down on processed sugar. I can say that I cut down on sugar for a while and it really helped with my sugar cravings, but as soon as the holidays rolled around and I started eating a lot of cookies my sweet tooth came back with a vengeance!
My resolution, as silly as it may be, is to take a couple ballet classes. It looks like so much fun.
Magic of Spice
January 3, 2011 at 11:23 am (14 years ago)These all look fantastic and I can’t wait for the butter post, cool!
Happy anniversary 🙂
Joy
January 3, 2011 at 1:57 pm (14 years ago)Good job. I enjoyed your weekly adventures. I can’t wait to see what you come up in the next year.
Kita
January 3, 2011 at 2:20 pm (14 years ago)that baklava looks to die for! Happy blogaversary!
Stephanie
January 3, 2011 at 3:06 pm (14 years ago)Roxan – ballet classes sound like a lot of fun! That’s a great resolution.
Magic of Spice – thanks! I’m looking forward to the butter too 🙂
Joy – I love hearing from readers, it’s hard to know who is out there or if anyone is enjoying my posts. Thanks for your sweet feedback 🙂
Kita – thank you! The baklava was good. I gave some to a co-worker who had never had baklava before and she loved it so much she talked me into making it for a recent potluck.
LauraT
January 3, 2011 at 3:45 pm (14 years ago)I haven’t commented enough on your blog but I have been reading it religiously thanks to google reader! Congrats on sticking with it, and I’m looking forward to seeing where you take it this year. 🙂
Amanda @ BakingWithoutABox
January 3, 2011 at 3:46 pm (14 years ago)I love recaps! That baklava has me salivating. What gorgeous things you made. I don’t keep up with my blogoversary either. Shhhh. 😉 At least you caught yours belatedly. So happy blogoversary! Look forward to the butter post. I used to churn butter. Hope you lead me down an easier path!
sweetlife
January 3, 2011 at 4:55 pm (14 years ago)great recap, so many great treats! happy 1st bloggversary!! great ideas for the future of your blog, I try to post 3 times a week , but sometims our schedules gets crazy!! great resoultions, I i didn’t make any this year..keeping it simple!! lol
sweetlife
Stephanie
January 3, 2011 at 5:22 pm (14 years ago)Laura – thanks! Glad you’ve been enjoying it!
Amanda -this will be much easier than churning, I promise!
Sweet life- thanks! Keeping it simple is great too, and sometimes the saner thing to do!
Tiffany
January 4, 2011 at 2:23 pm (14 years ago)Good luck with your processed sugar fast!!!
Lynn Brown
January 4, 2011 at 5:45 pm (14 years ago)Great blog! Great pics of great food. I plan on trying to eat/cook more vegetables, I have a terrible sweet tooth. I also want to make bread pudding! and learn to use my camera!!! :0) Happy 1 year anniversary!! Congrats!
Stephanie
January 4, 2011 at 5:55 pm (14 years ago)Tiffany – Thank you!
Lynn – Thanks! Good luck with your goals!
Sandra
January 4, 2011 at 6:23 pm (14 years ago)Happy Anniversary and many more. Your pictures are very good as are your recipes.
Jessica
January 4, 2011 at 7:17 pm (14 years ago)Great post! The pictures make me want to get in the kitchen and bake up some more treats – the baklava really looks fantastic!