New Year's Resolutions

Calissons

I'm not making any of those unrealistic, unattainable resolutions like, lose 20 pounds, not worry so much, be nicer - come on! Some recipes I want to try this year: (if I can photograph and post about every one, that will be one resolution down!)

1) Calissons - I love almonds in desserts and these Marzipan like sweets look way more appetizing because they're not trying to be fruits. Their perfect texture and shape make me starry eyed. First, I need to get some almond meal and orange flower water.

Christian Louboutin and Lauduree's Macarons

2) They come in every color and flavor under the rainbow. How could you not love them? Often, they're mistaken for macaroons, the coconut confections that are nothing like them. Also made with almonds, almond flour to be exact and eggs white. The recipe is more about perfecting a technique than anything else, but it will be so worth it if I am able to make them.

Cheese Souffle

3) Cheese and eggs! What more is there to say?

I just realized these are all French recipes, but where better to start than with the classics? If you have any recipes to recommend, feel free to share! What do you want to make this year?

*Photos are borrowed from other sites, reachable by the link below each photo.

Green Tea Matcha Cookies

Healthy or moldy cookies? Neither, actually. Well, they are yummy shortbread cookies with matcha green tea powder, supposedly one of the healthiest types of green tea. The antioxidant yada yada properties are higher than in other teas because this comes in powder form and you basically eat the leaves as well. But there's also a stick of butter in the recipe, so you make the call. I love baking cookies that come out perfectly round though - it makes me think I'm a skilled baker. This cookie recipe comes from the late Amai Tea & Bake House in Grammercy.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

I'll keep this short and sweet. A bag of cranberries, 2 cups of sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, zest of orange/tangerine/lemon and its juices. Cook until it boils and simmer about 10 minutes, cool. Enjoy! Happy Holidays!

Red Velvet Redux

My first attempt at red velvet cupcakes was a little disappointing. I used a recipe from Martha Stewart's Cupcake book, and maybe it was the wrong type of oil, or the amount, but they came out too oily, the oil going through the paper cups. Eck. A lot of red velvet recipes I've come upon use oil, and I'm not sure why. I know the vinegar and cocoa powder are important for contributing to their famous hue, but not the oil. Anyway, I found a recipe that uses butter here. I only had half a bottle of red food coloring, instead of the two bottles it calls for but they still came out nice. It was a much lighter cupcake and not oily. To give credit to Martha, I topped it with her cream cheese frosting which is very easy and tasty (I mean, butter + cream cheese + sugar, yeah it's gotta taste good). For next time, I want to try for a denser cake.