What do you think of New Year's Resolutions? 

I have to admit that I'm no good at deciding what they should be or sticking to them!  Unless they have something to do with the kitchen, of course.  Excercise more?  Hmmm...I'll try.  Do jumping jacks in the kitchen with the blinds open and see if anyone confronts you in the parking lot later about why you were jumping around in the kitchen?  That I can do!

I was doing some reading and found that every year, tons of Americans make the resolution that they’ll eat healthier, lose weight and cook at home more often.  Great!  I think I can help everyone with that!  But then I read, statistics state that 45% of adults in America make one or more resolutions, but only 46% of those make it past the 6 month  mark.  

Sound grim?  I don't think so.  Why?  Because the experts at proactivechange.com say that most people don’t follow through because they don’t set sustainable goals. They expect immediate results but aren’t willing to shift lifestyle choices.   And not being willing to make a lifestyle choice isn't a bad thing.  I think it just means that the lifestyle choice wasn't realistic, maybe.

Ok, maybe not an EZ Bake Oven kind of easy, but simpler kind of easy.  haha!  For me, this means easy recipes, simplifying relationships and simplifying life.  Just keep it all simple so everything is attainable rather than one really lofty goal that overwhelms you everyday.

Waste less to save more. 

With my kookbook, Passion on a Plate, I’ve compiled an index based on common ingredients used in other recipes within the kookbook, so you can use what’s already in your pantry and never waste ingredients. 

A major factor in saving money is being sure that what you already have on hand doesn't go to waste.  Did you know that each year, Americans discard 96 billion pounds of good food?  Awareness alone can put a dent in this number and I'm proud that my great-grandmother taught me this so I could pass awareness on to those that choose "waste not, want not" this year and enjoy my "kookbook" recipes along with me!

Love my kooky self, every moment of every day. 

Yes, I always wanted to be Wonder Woman and it looks like I have finally achieved my goal...kinda.  haha!!

My great-grandmother, Mom Buck, continues to say "Mistakes? There are no mistakes. Only learning experiences." That goes for in the kitchen and out of it. Relationships, wearing a fancy apron so I feel good about myself and what I'm doing in the kitchen, lava cakes, gluten-free, dairy-free chicken and dumplings, career endeavors.   It's all connected and I'm going to love every bit of it!