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It seems like just about everyone makes at least one New Year’s resolution. We think that every good cook should make a New Year’s resolution for their cooking. Try these cooking-inspired resolutions to get you started:

“I will cook healthier foods” One of the top New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight. So it makes a lot of sense that many cooks will be making this particular New Year’s resolution. It used to be that low fat and healthy cooking simply was no fun: foods just didn’t taste that great. But today foods can taste delicious while being great for your body. Try a low fat or even a diabetic cookbook for some healthy ideas your family will love.

“I will try new foods” This is a great New Year’s resolution for every cook to make. There are so many foods out there – and no other time has it been more possible for you to eat them so easily! You can literally eat your way around the globe, all while staying right in your own neighborhood. Try new fruits, veggies or even different dishes that look delicious.

“I will teach my children to cook” What could be better than teaching your children how to cook your traditional family recipes? Or making fun kid-style foods like homemade pizza or cupcakes? Children develop a sense of pride as they help out in the kitchen and help to prepare a meal. Teaching your child to cook helps them to develop math skills as they count and measure ingredients they are cooking with. Best of all – you spend time together and share a delicious meal!

While New Year’s Eve parties are popular, a New Year’s Day brunch is gaining in popularity with many. You can easily hold a New Year’s Day brunch as an Open House style of event where people can drop by within a certain time range. This is a fun way to gather with your friends and family and often costs a lot less than holding a New Year’s Eve party, as less alcohol will be consumed.

There are so many fun “brunch-y” types of foods you can make. Many people love frittatas or even to have a make-your-own omlette station. Muffins and croissants are also ideal classics to be found at any brunch. The best brunch has a variety of foods for guests to choose from. You often don’t need to serve large quantities of food. If your brunch has delicious foods with variety — you’ll please many people.

Another excellent option is to look towards some fusion cuisines. Try making mini egg rolls or sushi to add an Asian element to your brunch. Or create mini burritos for a Mexican flavor. Guests will welcome these fusions of cuisine and this is a great way to try out some of your favorite dishes as brunch foods.

Brunch is a great time to serve coffee, espresso, mimosas and herbal teas. You’ll want to have some variety when it comes to beverages. Some guests will be eager to reach for a mimosa and others will be just as happy to see an espresso on New Year’s Day. Espresso machines today have gotten so inexpensive and easy to use that just about everyone can serve espresso with their meals simply.

Wishing you a Happy 2009!

New Year’s Eve is an ideal time to entertain your family and friends. But for many cooks and hosts, this evening feels very intimidating as they feel their guests are expecting the “ultimate” experience.

This isn’t completely true. Guests don’t expect you to entertain them the way Siegfried and Roy can fly tigers through the air in their act. But they do expect to be welcomed into your home and hope that you will serve food and drinks that are appetizing.

For some parties this will mean having a full bar. But other parties you can simply serve a champagne toast at midnight. You’ll know your guests and what they enjoy the most. Another option is to make a champagne punch using fruit juice, gingerale and champagne. This is a very sweet way to enjoy your Happy New Year toast!

The best New Year’s Eve cocktail parties have lots of little yummy snacks that people can enjoy — with plenty of variety. don’t just serve “chips and dip.” Try serving nachos with cheese and guacamole. Or crispy wontons with a sweet duck sauce. Look for appetizers that will be popular favorites. Try to find appetizers that will compliment the style of your party — if you are doing a 1950′s retro party, then serve classic h’ors deourvres. Or if you are doing a black tie style cocktail party, you’ll want only the crème de la crème appetizers like crab cakes and shrimp puffs.

Fondue is also a fun option for your New Year’s Eve party. Guests can enjoy dipping pretzels, fruit and pieces of bread into chocolate or cheese and enjoying the different tastes. Having several types of fondue can be lots of fun.

Remember that appetizers are an important part of any New Year’s Eve party to make sure that guests don’t overindulge in alcoholic drinks.

Easy Appetizers Everyone Loves for the Holidays with Hanukah, Christmas and New Year’s Eve/Day right around the corner, many cooks are discovering that they need to serve appetizers to their guests.

Having a short cocktail and appetizer hour is a great way for your guests to socialize in a relaxed way while you put the finishing touches on the meal. Many cooks appreciate having this extra time in the kitchen to prepare the meal. Here are some easy appetizers that everyone loves.

Spinach dip in bread. This is an easy appetizer that has been around for years. Make from frozen spinach and sour cream, you simply cut the center out of a round loaf of bread. Cut that round center into small square chunks for everyone to dip into the spinach dip. Add the spinach dip into the center. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Cheese and crackers is a classic appetizer that can be quite simple but still very delicious. The key is finding the right cheese and the right crackers. Try a cracker with sesame seeds or peppercorns on it. This is also the ideal time to try a different type of cheese. Get a fresh goat cheese or gouda cheese, something you don’t normally have.

Pigs in blanket. Some cooks might shudder at the sight of these little appetizers, but these are one of the most popular appetizers you can choose — and they are literally one of the easiest things you can make. You’ll need mini franks, croissant roll dough and mustard. Simply heat them in your oven and they’ll be ready to serve in minutes. They’ll also disappear in minutes!

A traditional dish in the Southern USA is Hoppin’ John, made from black eyed peas and rice. Served on greens and often with ham it is a real favorite. This is a very lucky dish to eat at New Year’s time and many across the USA choose to eat Hoppin’ John on New Year’s Eve to bring a little extra luck their way.

Making Hoppin’ John is relatively easy. Begin by putting olive oil and chopped onion into a pan. Add spices to taste. Most people like to add ham or other types of meat to their Hoppin’ John. Some people prefer to make their Hoppin’ John spicy and others like them mild. Add your black eyes peas to the dish. Serve over rice and greens.

This is an ideal dish to serve for your New Year’s celebration to share with family and friends. Who wouldn’t want to start the year out with an extra bit of good luck?

Learn more about making Hoppin’ John by watching this video: