Happy New Year!

I've never been very good at making *new* New Year's resolutions. I tend to just re-commit to the old standard ones like save more/spend less, eat healthfully/exercise... I think I do pretty well with these at this point, but there is always some room for improvement. I also set my mind to new goals whenever the mood strikes, at any time of year. But I do like the feeling of 'newness' of the New Year!

My main short term goal at the moment is to get busy looking at the garden catalogs, focus on what I actually need and do some seed orders. I could be winter sowing now! But even if I don't get going with the sowing until February and beyond, it will be ok, as long as I get the seed packets as soon as possible and develop a plan for the garden.

I love looking at all the beautiful pictures of veg and flowers in the catalogs. I start to suffer this time of year, from missing all the fresh foods from the garden! I do the best I can with what I have frozen and what the grocery store offers.

Yesterday's grocery shopping trip really reflected our cravings as it was all lettuce and salad type veg! Today, I washed and chopped all the Romaine we'd bought, stored most of it in the fridge, and made up a big bowl of Greek inspired salad for lunch. We'll probably eat like this for several days or even a week, and then, I'll feel like making some winter food again like soups. I want to try the cauliflower and cheddar soup in the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution book. I also want to do some curries.

I try not to make this blog about 'OMG, look what I bought!', but we have just been through the season of some moderate indulgences and I am so excited about a kitchen appliance that Jeff and I bought the other day at Williams Sonoma when we were out shopping at Garden City. I'd been admiring it all fall since first seeing it in the catalog. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I broke down and got it, but now that I've used it--I am in awe! I still don't understand how it works--it seems like magic! If you love lattes or cappuccinos or hot cocoa, and make them at home all the time, this is for you! It is the Breville Electric Milk Frother.

It wasn't on display in the store, so I figured they did not have it, but when I asked at the checkout, low and behold, they had it out back. It seemed meant to be!

One of the best things about my coffee set up at this point is that I can make more than one nice cappuccino or latte at a time, and share!