Learn to bake, dessert 101

So its a new decade and with that comes my mile-long list of resolutions. Year after year I promise myself to consistently partake in the typical get-healthy/get-organized activities and year after year I fail miserably. Until last year, that is, when I decided to add something fairly simple and attainable to my resolution list along with the larger, life-altering commitments.

Last year I vowed to make my bed… everyday. And this is the first resolution I’ve ever kept. Well, okay there have been a couple of days where I just pulled the covers up, but generally speaking, I accomplished something that may seem trivial to most, but in fact has made me feel one step closer to ‘completely organized’ and therefore very happy.

I have a point, or three. The point is, I’ve realized that small things count, and baby steps towards anything are still steps. I also understand that accomplishing smaller goals just feeds the fuel for accomplishing the larger ones. Lastly, if it doesn’t work for you, change it.

So this year, my resolutions are different and so is my mindset. I won’t bore you with the entirety of my list, but I will tell you that I’m banishing the notorious ‘eat less sweets’ resolution, and doing quite the opposite, embracing dessert!

I have always had a sweet tooth, but can honestly say that I haven’t baked much more than a Betty Crocker cake and a roll of Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies. Most of my dessert consumption consists of mini chocolate bars, spoonfuls of Ben & Jerry’s from the carton and cakes, pies, cookies that others have so generously given me or served to me at a restaurant. However, it’s time for that to change.

I’m taking on a challenge to learn to… bake? Or shall I say, make dessert, since not all sweet deliciousness comes from the oven. I want to try it all… soufflé, flan, mousse, torte!… yet I do realize, this may just be something that I truly loathe, and therefore shouldn’t over-dedicate to the cyber-world, even if it is only a few readers who would notice.

Therefore, I’m giving myself through the month of January. Once a week, I will prepare a dessert from scratch and happily eat it. If things go well, I may just continue this challenge and let you hear all about the sugary details. If it doesn’t go well, we’ll all just forget it happened and quietly move ahead. I’ll still be posting tidbits on other food-related happenings, so check that out too.

First stop, carrot cupcakes with orange icing. Wish me luck!