resolution inspiration #1

please welcome domestic becky, author of project domestication and utah loves cupcakes and real life friend of mine. she is a domestic goddess and baker/cook extraordinaire, not to mention one of the coolest chicks i know.





A signature dessert is just as much an accessory to a person as a statement necklace is to the perfect outfit. We'll need to do some self exploration and set rules first…


The Working Girl = You live a busy life. Find a recipe that isn't going to take hours to make or possibly one you can make in advance.

Idaho Girl = Use a family recipe. History makes dessert special.

Less is More = Dessert is a date-type situation; leave your guests wanting more. Don't make your portions huge.

Fresh is Best = Support local. Fresh and local ingredients are the way to go.

Style = Buy some serve ware that fits your personality. Check out online sales and go to stores like Ross and TJ Max. Be sure to buy 4-8 dishes.

With these tips in mind, allow me to recommend five potential signature dishes.





Each dish includes three basic components. It's up to you to decide how involved you'll be. Depending on time you could purchase the item, buy a mix or make from scratch. I would begin by mastering one component and build up to all three, making it your very own.

Let's dive right into options for the Holly Cake. Say you decide to master a pound cake recipe, but don't care about the other components. Easy, buy whipped cream and fresh fruit, then garnish with fine sugar.

To focus on the whipped cream: purchase the dairy from a local vendor and make it yourself. Play around with flavorings like real vanilla beans, amaretto, Mexican vanilla or rum to make it your own.

If fruit is most important, try making a coulee. This basically takes any combination of fresh berries/fruit, mashing and cooking a portion with flavorings, then adding whole fruit at the end.

So there you go Holly Girl! Good Luck, I expect to see some chic and saucy desserts soon!