When I was a young girl, I remember giggling at a sign that hung slightly crooked on my great grandmother's mustard-yellow fridge. It read: Everyone brings joy into this room. Some by entering, and some by leaving! Luckily, I grew up in a household where everyone was welcome in the kitchen. Never did my parent's chase my brother and I out with a wooden spoon. Instead they constantly invited us to watch and learn as they would dance about in a cloud of sweet spices, bubbling sauces, and waves of savory heat that wafted out from the mouth of the oven. My parents were masters of spices, always using fresh herbs from the garden. No matter where we lived, apartment or home, my mother always found a way to pop up a little herb garden filled with sage, mint, rosemary, oregano, and thyme. Often times my mother would call me into the kitchen, cover my eyes, and make me guess which spice was which just by smell alone. I loved it! It was one of the best techniques my parents ever taught me in the kitchen. So many recipes go by sight and taste, but hardly anyone goes off of smell. When it comes to finding the best and most innovative combinations of herbs and spices, always follow your nose! If the smells goes well together, it almost never fails that the tastes go well together.
One thing I had to learn for myself, however, was sweets. My mom was never a huge fan of sweets, and I can't say that my dad did a lot of baking. They both are amazing cooks, but I gladly took on the role of the baker. Ever since I can remember, I have had a major sweet tooth. I'm embarrassed to say, I was the chubby kid who ate every piece of candy in my Easter basket, including the giant chocolate bunny, before anyone else had even woken up Easter morning. Through the years I spent many nights scouring the house for some kind of sweet treat but was left sadly disappointed. But once I started to bake, all the ingredients that sat idly in the pantry suddenly became the doorway to a world of sugary goodness! So although I enjoy cooking, baking has become my speciality.
I firmly believe that a good cook must have a sense of adventure as well as a good sense of humor in the kitchen. Imagine that the mood you are in when you cook will be the mood people will feel when they eat your creation. If you mope around in the kitchen and serve up a plate full of bland indifference, than the same mood will be reflected in those who consume it. So roll up your sleeves, put on some good music, and try something new! Even the most simplistic of recipes can make the best of meals. And if something doesn't turn out quite right, take it as a learning experience for next time...and then call your local pizza place while you scrape whatever culinary disaster into the garbage can. Mistakes will happen in the kitchen. There is no need to literally cry over spilt milk--or in my case, a burnt batch of garlic bread. And it was going so well too....
So here we go! In my cozy little apartment kitchen, I will be showing you some of my all time favorite recipes, as well as some new ones that I will be trying along the way. I gladly welcome all comments, suggestions, and tips from you as we go and hope that I can help you feel the joy that cooking and baking brings me.
*Cooking tip of the day: When trying to peel the skin off of a clove of garlic, microwave the garlic clove (skin and all) for about 10 seconds on high. The oils in the garlic will surface, allowing to skin to slide right off.
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