Time To Start Cooking Again

For some time, my wife and I had gotten away from cooking but we are starting to slowly get back into it. While there have been the quick meals thrown together on a number of nights I would really call it cooking. For many, they would consider what I do multiple times a week as making dinner, some would call it cooking, I just think of it as getting things done as quickly as possible while still making it taste pretty good.

I have always been a person who would throw things together without really following a recipe (the only exceptions being when I would be backing something). Directions just slow me down and I am a firm believer that as long as you know what flavors go together and the rough proportions needed to create flavors there is no need to go step by step. Everyone has their own method of doing this and, over time, you understand approximately how much your “pinch of salt” really is and what a “single” scoop is using a regular spoon.

I guess it is just something that I have picked up over the years watching my mom put things together when she got home from work. I have tried to show my wife this method and she has watched me many times but it is not something that is picked up quickly. However, my wife, regardless of what she says, knows what she is doing in the kitchen. It is a completely different way of doing things but it works for her.

The fact that we have completely different ways of going about things in the kitchen is a great situation. While many nights I can quickly throw something together, sometimes that can leave a limited selection of options given the usual time constraints. My wife, on the other hand, is rather methodical in her approach which while it takes her a little longer to make something it gives her greater flexibility in what she can make. Essentially, she has much more patience when it comes to cooking.

Now, everything that I have just written is something that you have heard me say before but I thought it was worth repeating. So, as we return to really cooking in the kitchen and making dinner on a more regular basis, I hope to record some of the successes, and some of the less successful, dishes that we make in the coming months. Maybe this would also help with my first resolution but we will have to see. Are there any dishes/meal, especially healthy ones, that you enjoy and that you would like to see us, read about our, attempt? Let me know in the comments below.

Stop Watching the Food Network and Cook

I have never been one that really enjoyed cooking. There is no relaxation in it for me. It is more of a hassle than anything else. I prefer the quick and easy. If it takes too long or too much effort I have to really have a hankering for it.

However, even though I don’t like to cook, I know how to cook… I guess there was a purpose to those Home Economics classes in middle school (I can sew too). Of course, I can’t overlook the value of watching my mom pull dinner together quickly when I was younger… just goes to show how much you can learn by simply observing (even when you’re not really paying attention). I know how to follow recipes and I know how to wing it (my preferred method). Many of the dishes that come out of the kitchen may not look the most appetizing but they taste good and, in the end, that is what counts.

The fact that I am able to do this, and do it in a relatively short period of time, seems to baffle my wife. She has asked me to teach her how to do it but, honestly, I don’t know exactly what to tell her. At least nothing that would constitute “how to” type of instructions.

It is more a few simple guidelines which support a general cooking philosophy. Essentially it comes down to this… learn about what spices and herbs go together and with what, experiment, and, in the beginning, don’t give a crap if the results taste like crap. As you learn what works together and what doesn’t, you will be able to throw almost anything together with ease.

Once you get this down and things start tasting pretty good then you can focus on the best ways to cook different items to make them better. This really is trial and error. Some methods will work and some won’t. What works for someone else may not be the best method for you. Some people are excellent at working a grill but can’t use an oven or a frying pan while others are comfortable in the kitchen but fail miserably when trying to be a backyard chef.

Find what works for you. Know your strengths and weaknesses. And don’t be afraid to share the cooking duties with someone who may be better at cooking a particular item than you are. There is no such thing as too many cooks in the kitchen if each person has a specific job to do.

This is how I cook. What is your method in the kitchen? Are you more like Julia Child or the Swedish Chef?