2011 Kitchen Goals Recap

For the past 2 years instead of New Year's Resolutions, I have created a list of 11 - 12 kitchen goals to accomplish throughout the year.  For 2011 I set 11 goals and as we enter the last few days of the year, it is time for an accounting of my progress...

Goal 1 - Eat from the Pantry - SUCCESS!
During the month of January, we shopped from the store very little and really reduced our food costs as well as used up items nearing their expiration date or that had been in the freezer far too long. 

Goal 2 - Select and prepare 2 recipes/month from my extensive Southern Living cookbook collection.
While I did not do this every month, I did try several new recipes from my collections and even added a few to our meal rotation.  Our very favorite -- Peanut Butter Granola.

Goal 3 - Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day
I still haven't done this... maybe the third year will be the year of success?

Goal 4 - Less Processed Foods - SUCCESS!
This was a year long goal for me and I did very well.  We know consistantly make our own salad dressings, granola, biscotti, all cookies, jellies and relishes, marinades and pizzas. 

Goal 5 - Create a list of 8 - 10 pantry meals - SUCCESS!
This has been a great help.  I have several meals I can just throw together from what is in the pantry, freezer and refrigerator in about 30 minutes.  I will be sharing these as a series later in 2012.

Goal 6 - Better garden plan
This started out really well, then hit several snags.  I did test my soil and augment it, I rotated my vegetables from last year and used a great fertilizer.  I got most of my garden planted a bit late, and I was out of town for 24 of 20 days in June, making it difficult to water, maintain and harvest as needed.  Then, ants infested my strawberry bed and I had to have it exterminated, killing all my strawberry plants and leaving that bed useless for the rest of the year.  The start of school in August was hectic and much of my produce from August rotted on the vine.  I have much better plans for 2012.

Goal 7 - Preserve more - including dehydrating - SUCCESS!
I canned a greater variety of jellies, jams and relishes this year than ever before, including roasted red pepeprs.    I also put my dehydrator to good use, drying peaches and blueberries as well as my first attempt at sun-dried tomatoes.  I even taught one of my friends how to can jams and jellies. 

Goal 8 - Make homemade tortillas
I never got around to this one.  I have been able to buy them so inexpensively and freeze that I haven't had the need to.  Maybe next year?

Goal 9 - Make homemade hummus - SUCCESS!
I found a great recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Hummus on allrecipes and it has become a favorite.  When my food processor broke in August, one of the recipes I missed most was my hummus.  Now that I received a new food processor for Christmas, I plan on trying other varieties.

Goal 10 - Find a freezer pizza crust recipe and make up Pizza Kits
This one didn't work out for us.  My TNT pizza crust recipe takes only minutes to create and my family has such different tastes in pizza toppings that pizza kits just don't work.  I found that throwing together a pizza with leftovers from the week was more successful. 

Goal 11 - Learn to bake and decorate sugar cookies - SUCCESS!
I just got this one in under the wire, baking them last week on Christmas Eve for Santa.  I finally found the perfect recipe from sweet sugar belle and a great icing on allrecipes.  These turned out perfectly and everyone loved them.  I will be making them again very soon, probably before the end of the year.

6 Successes (1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11)
1 tried and didn't like (10)
2 modified (2, 6)
2 didn't get around to (3, 8)
Overall - not too bad! 

I will be posting my 2012 Kitchen Goals soon. 

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