A New Year: 2012

Now that the holidays are finished, it's time to take a breath and give some thought to this new year.  It's a time for resolutions, for goal setting, or at least for thinking about making some changes. 

I've read many blog posts these past few days about goals for 2012, some lofty and some small.  There are some bloggers who are choosing one word that represents their main focus for the new year (I like this idea).  One blogger has projects planned already for each month of the year.  I find all of this to be extraordinarily impressive!

I love goal setting and planning, but I know myself well enough to realize that making specific plans for my whole year now isn't going to work for me.  However, I know that there are some areas of my life that need some help.  Meal planning, for example, hasn't been happening regularly for some time. 

So this morning, I took a look at the contents of the freezer and began thinking about what we will be eating this week.  I found a ham bone saved from a meal in November, and it's now simmering in a pot of water on it's way to flavoring a pot of beans.

Before being mowed down by the holidays, I had developed the habit of checking weekly grocery sales, stocking up, and planning meals around what I had in the freezer and pantry.  It's time to get back to that practice.

So today, I'll be taking inventory of supplies on hand, making a menu plan, and posting it over my desk.  Next, I'll be organizing my family's favorite recipes and searching for some new recipes to try.

Any suggestions?

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