I just can't cook...

Over the past year I have been more adventurous in the kitchen.

My new adventures of cooking should make me proud, yet I just haven't mastered the confidence of becoming a great cook!

Before I was married I was very limited in my cooking skills. I could cook things out of a box (macaroni and cheese), boil water to cook pasta and add ragu or prego (which ever one was on sale), and make a mean salad (with the assistance of the George Forman Grill to "cook" my meat). My stove in my town home was occasionally used to bake the occasional per-prepared chocolate chip cookies.  As a matter of fact, when I left a job and my co-workers gave me a going away gift basket it included a cook book that was titled, "The, 'I don't Know How to Cook' book." 


So needless to say, I didn't know anything about cooking - and really had no desire to learn.


When I became involved in a long term relationship we decided that we would start cooking together. At first it was fun, we would just experiment with things and just throw spices and seasonings over some chicken and just see what happens.  Well, there is only so much you can do with McCormick's Montreal Chicken packets!


So, after my son was born, I decided it was definitely time to really learn how to cook. I wasn't fooling around, I wanted to be able to make healthy and yummmy meals for him once he was able to eat table food. Thankfully I was introduced to Pinterest and found that there were some amazingly easy recipes to follow, with the added benefit of having pictures of ingredients, steps to follow, and the finished product. It was also helpful to hear people's reviews on the specific food item.


So, I started saving recipes on Pinterest and trying them out! My first few recipes came out great! My husband gave me praise and actually seemed excited that he was getting a hot, home cooked meal! I slowly started feeling myself get some confidence in the kitchen. I slowly started enjoying the process of cooking. Every 3 recipes we would come across a meal that we didn't particularly like, but we didn't get discouraged, we kept on trying new foods.


Then it came to a several successful recipes and my husband suggested that we start repeating the good ones that we enjoyed, so that I could get some "under my belt." I agreed with his suggestions so I attempted to do the recipes we liked again. Round 2!


Even though I had the recipe in front of me, I must have gotten overly confident in my amateur cooking skills. Instead of measuring I would just "feel it out." I tried to make the recipe my own, too fast. The end result was a not so good meal, borderline disappointing.


So that's why I decided to start this blog. To share my easy recipes, share what I may have done wrong, and possibly get some suggestions on how to make our meals just as good as the first time around!


I'm also hoping that starting a food/cooking blog will motivate me to continue to try new recipes (hey, maybe that's all I should stick to?? New recipes that I concentrate so hard on that it has no choice but to come out right). 


Hoping that if others have made the same foods that they will share their advice on how to "get things right." 


Until the next meal... This Mama Can't Cook!!