by Ashley from Illinois
When I was growing up, I didn’t spend much time in the kitchen, aside from the occasional cookie bake-a-thon. I watched a lot of the professional chefs in action on TV with my mom, but this didn’t truly inspire me to get in there and try, until I had moved out on my own and I realized that I had to start cooking for myself!
It was also around that time in my life when I started work for a grocery store bakery and deli. There, I learned a lot about baking, which I already enjoyed, and cooking a few staple meals like chicken, meatloaf, and an assortment of vegetable sides. But even then, I still had much to learn; if I wanted a variety of meals, I had to learn them on my own. My family is quite small, and has very few recipes to pass down, so I turned to the internet for ideas, tuned back in to some of the cooking shows from my childhood, made notes of what I wanted to try, and practiced on my own. Eventually, with enough experience, I had memorized enough recipes of my own to cook meals for the whole week.
Then I began to realize that once you have learned to cook one thing, you can often use that technique to cook something else. Meals like eggs, oatmeal, sandwiches, pastas, soups and stir-fries are a lot more versatile than they seem.
My family loves to have chili during the cold winter months, and for years, I only ever made it with ground beef and tomatoes. But it can also be made with chicken and cream, beans, peppers, steak, turkey, and so much more. Once you’ve perfected a recipe, it pays to experiment with it and make something new that the whole family will enjoy.
My advice to anyone learning to cook is to try, try, try again! That practice makes perfect. It may sound totally cliché, but that’s only because there is truth to it. It took me years to start making omelets that didn’t stick to the pan, or hashbrowns that didn’t burn at the edges. Now, cooking and trying new meals isn’t scary, but an exciting experience for the whole family.
This blog was written by one of our guest bloggers, Ashley.
About Ashley. . .
My name is Ashley. I’m 31 years old and living in Tennessee. I have two wonderful daughters aged 2 and 4 years old. I used to work in retail management, and now I’m a stay at home mom. In my free time, I enjoy reading, cooking and playing video games.
Want more inspiration in the kitchen? Check out our Health eKitchen at www.wichealth.org. We have beginner, intermediate, and experienced recipes for all ability levels.
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