10 New Year's Cooking Goals (and 20 Recipes to Get You Started)
By Sarah Jampel
Some resolutions — flossing every day, regaining the ability to touch your toes, spending less money on fancy salts — fall in the category of more necessary than fun. But the right cooking resolutions can be both attainable and pleasurable.
So set out to actually use the appliance you got for Christmas three years back and to make friends with your butcher. Soon, you’ll be enjoying delicious food while celebrating your accomplishments.
1. Break in the slow cooker.
Whole Slow Cooker-Poached Chicken and Southern Slow Cooker Choucroute
An easy one-pot chicken. (Photo: James Ransom/Food52)
But this is just as easy on the stove: just pile everything in a pot, cover it, and cook very, very slowly. (Photo: James Ransom/Food52)
2. Get over that fear of lard.
Leaf Lard Biscuits and Welsh Cakes
Using a mixture of lard and butter gives these biscuits an incredible flavor and a beautiful tender and flaky texture. (Photo: James Ransom/Food52)
Whether eaten with afternoon tea or with butter and jam for breakfast, this griddle scone variant is adaptable, tasty and oh-so-good. (Photo: Bobbi Lin/Food52)
3. Think beyond all-purpose flour.
Buckwheat Thumbprint Cookies with Cherry Preserves and Crisp and Tender Almond Flour Pancakes
These flavorful melt-in-your mouth cookies are an easy way to start baking. (Photo: Mark Weinberg/Food52)
Make this recipe anytime you want delicious pancakes without the heaviness. (Photo: Mark Weinberg/Food52)
4. Make soup ahead. Make soup ahead. Make soup ahead. Make soup ahead.
Anna Thomas’ Green Soup and Red Pepper and Cauliflower Chowder
This is an excellent recipe, but also a template. (Photo: Mark Weinberg/Food52)
A chowder is a milk-based soup, if you’re wondering. Which this is, and which is the only kind of soup worth souping. (Photo: Alpha Smoot/Food52)
5. Eat some greens that don’t start with “k” and end with “ale.” (Yep, we heard you.)
Pink Greens and Red Chard with Festive Spices
This may be the most thoughtful sautéed greens recipe we’ve ever encountered. (Photo: James Ransom/Food52)
A side dish that tastes – and looks – like the New Year. It’s a food and décor 2-for-1. (Photo: Alpha Smoot/Food52)
6. Order (a little) less take-out.
Multi-Layered Scallion Pancakes and Joanne Chang’s Hot and Sour Soup
This is a perfect starter for anyone who’s scared to bake bread. (Photo: Mandy Lee/Food52)
A crowd-pleasing soup with a mystery ingredient! (Photo: Mark Weinberg/Food52)
7. Bake bread at home.
Maple Oat Breakfast Bread and Homemade Naan
A good slice of toast can totally make a breakfast, and this bread - which balances between sweet and savory - makes darn good toast. (Photo: Emily Vikre/Food52)
This naan is wonderfully easy to make, and the results are delicious. (Photo: Carey Nershi/Food52)
8. Reduce kitchen waste.
Vegetable Stock and Chicken Stock
Make soups and stews more flavorful with whatever vegetable scraps you have on hand. (Photo: James Ransom/Food52)
Learn the secrets to the best DIY chicken stock. (Photo: James Ransom/Food52)
9. Step up your salad game and make dinner-worthy creations.
Roasted Pear and Rainbow Chard Salad and Quinoa and Mango Salad with Lemony-Ginger Dressing
Life is difficult, but your salad greens don’t have to be. (Photo: Elizabeth Stark/Food52)
The crisp, deeply-flavored onions and the creamy, tender avocado wrap everything together like the gift that this salad is. (Photo: James Ransom/Food52)
10. Get familiar with unfamiliar cuts and types of meat.
Roasted and Whipped Bone Marrow and Crepinettes with Kale and Shallots
Spread it on toast, cook eggs or roast vegetables with it, or let it melt over your steak while it’s resting. (Photo: Mark Weinberg/Food52)
Don’t know what caul fat is? That’s okay. But we highly suggest you start cooking with it. (Photo: Mark Weinberg/Food52)
