I'm not a huge New Years resolution person, but there are some goals I would like to set in the kitchen for the coming year.

1.  Keep up with meal planning - I feel like I did a pretty good job meal planning in 2016.  With the exception of July, I kept up with my meal plan pretty well.  I would like to continue this habit into the new year.  It helps me keep our grocery budget down.  And it helps for me to keep sane during the work week.

2.  Wastes less - Even though I meal plan, we still semi-regularly have things that get lost to the trash bin.  Whether it's freezing food, making smaller portions, or coming up with new ways to use leftovers, I would like to better combat waste.  While I know it could be a lot worse, there is always room for improvement

3.  Cook more from cookbooks - I find myself always drawn more to cooking from food blogs and other online sources than I do from cookbooks.  I think I gravitate to online sources as that's where I make my grocery list, set my meal plan, ect.  But there's something really nice about cooking from a cookbook and I know there are a lot of recipes to be found hiding on my shelves!  I'd like to set a goal of utilizing my cookbooks a bit more.

4.  Try some new recipes - I'm always trying new recipes, so I'm not really sure if this should be a goal.  But, I do want to jot down some specific recipes that have been on my radar for awhile.

• Sweet Potato Gnocchi via Pinch of Yum
• Indian Spiced Cauliflower Soup via Smitten Kitchen
• Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp Noodle Bowls via How Sweet Eats
• Roast a chicken
• Homemade eggnog
• Plum Squares with Marzipan Crumble via Smitten Kitchen