Recipes for Success: 2008

I said on my birthday post that I don't make New Year resolutions, and I don't. But I do make lists and I am always thinking about improvements I want to make to Redacted Recipes, so when I saw that Lalaine at The CookMobile is hosting a challenge to list and then implement challenges/improvements for our blogs in 2008 I knew we had a match here. The rules of the event are to come up with a five-step plan for the next year consisting of four improvements/changes to your blog and one recipe you have always wanted to master. I already spent the month of December adding a recipe index, and thinking of other ideas, so I have a bit of a jump-start. Here is my plan:

1) A new banner for Redacted Recipes that conveys the tone and personality of the blog and also somehow references the rather wide-ranging nature of our writing-- Anglo-American outlook, an ongoing interest in art, a love of food prepared by ourselves and others, wine, travel, ad infinitum

2) An About Us page that will tell you all a little more about, well, us!

3) Global Navigation right under the header so that you can quickly find recipes, or The Artful Kitchen series, or Jack's Bad Teeth and Lousy Food pieces

4) For those who are more visual than textual, I'd like to put together a companion photo calendar with links from each photo to the relevant post (I'd call it a mini-Tastespotting, but my photos just aren't that good, though the link does go to a collection of the most popular photos for the first week of January and my Macaroni and Cheese is amongst them, by some odd twist of fate)

5) A post proudly showcasing and describing how I learned to make religieuses-- a pastry I absolutely adore

I've already started on a number of these items (I started working with an artist on the banner in December, in fact) and look forward to revealing them to you soon. Naturally I will want your feedback on each and every attempt. :-)

Comments

[Manggy]

Best of luck with your list, Ann!
By the way, I had to do a double take, because on my first read:
"Global Navigation right under the header so that you can quickly find recipes, or The Artful Kitchen series, or Jack's Bad Teeth, and Lousy Food pieces"
Haha. How's that for illusory punctuation.

Can't wait to see your religieuses!

[french tart]

i too don't believe in resolutions, but i am super fond of lists in general. i am in process of mentally making my "goals" list for the year. i hit a good portion of last year's "goals" list, and don't feel too terrible that i didn't meet all of them; i can always do them this year!

[JEP]

I want to start submitting more comments on blogs I frequent---I personally always like feedback whether it is positive or said to be helpful. btw--when Tastespotting accepts a photo, you know it's good food porn:)

[Pasticcera]

I'm with you on the lists. I might even adapt your list to mine as it has several things on it that matches some of mine...

[Adele]

Religeuses! I haven't had one of those in years. I eagerly await your write-up. :)

[Suzanne]

Can't wait to see all the new changes Ann! I love About Us pages. It's so fun learning more about everyone!

[Ann]

Manggy I did a little editing to remove any possibility of an imaginary comma and save Jack's Brit reputation. :-) I may be emailing you for advice on the religieuses!

french tart, how wise to call them "goals".

JEP, I have another criteria for a good post-- and that is when you take the trouble to drop in. :-)

Pasticcera, we should egg each other on. Let me know how your goals work out!

Adele, it may be a while. I have to perfect choux pastry and then fondant. But I'll get there!

Suzaane, you like change because you like design. The two go hand-in-hand. :-)