Getting Started On My Resolutions........and the first giveaway of the New Year!

I am really serious about working on my New Years Resolutions this year. To keep from feeling overwhelmed, I am making a very reasonable plan as to how to fulfill them with my limited free time. Right now I am in the preparing stage. For my goals "Developing my photography" and "Learning to make bread" I am reading up.

I found two books that I absolutely love that are helping me start towards my goals. And as a nice little treat, I will be sending one lucky reader a copy of the book of their choice!

The first book I am reading is "The Basic Book of Digital Photography", by Michele and Tom Grimm.

I thought I knew a lot about basic photography, but there is so much I was missing! Even with my little point and shoot camera, there are simple tricks that I could have been using for years that would have made my photos immensely better. This book covers EVERYTHING. From the very basic principles of downloading photos to the computer and charging the battery to "professional" tips like photographing fireworks by keeping the shutter open and using a black card. They even talk about using a cel phone camera. I decided to read this book when I heard it referred to as the digital bible. :) I am finally beginning to feel like maybe this SLR camera won't be so totally overwhelming. After just a few chapters of this book, I started making some real headway with my photography.

The second book I am reading is Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I first picked up this book when I was looking for a great Christmas gift for a foodie friend of mine. Then I just had to have my own copy. It focuses on easy bread that can be made by busy people. The recipes are amazing and most of them focus on whole grains. Gluten free bread, whole wheat bread...chocolate bread. Hello! Yum.

The book was written by Jeff Hertzberg, M.D who is a physician with twenty years of experience in health care and Zoë François, a pastry chef trained at the Culinary Institute of America. In addition to teaching baking and pastry courses nationally, she consults to the food industry and is the creator of the recipe blog www.zoebakes.com. A doctor and a pastry chef coming together to write a healthy bread book. Um yes...count me in! Click here to see how to make pizza on a stick. These would be such a fun thing to serve this Super Bowl Sunday.

Want to win a copy? Just let me know in a comment which book you would like to win and why. For a second entry, let me know in a second comment that you are a natalie's sentiments reader/follower/subscriber.

I will announce the winner on January 17th. Good luck!

Contest open to US residents only.