Wifeys & Gentlemen,
We’ve all heard that the way to a mans heart is through his stomach. While this saying is definitely true, I think we can also agree that the same truth applies to the ladies.
We all love food!
I remember my first Christmas with my now husband, Mr. B. He bought me a lovely tin of Ghirardelli chocolate squares and I knew he was the one. & this was only the beginning people…years later, one of the biggest things that my husband and I share is our love of feeding each other great meals.
Of course, for many of us this is easier said than done. If you’re a broke college student with no extra funds, you likely don’t have the ability to treat your love interest to a nice meal or a tasty indulgence. On the flip side, while some might have the funds to spare, they wish that they could do something that is more from the heart.
Fear not! As a self-proclaimed foodie, I know it can be really hard to get started on your journey to cooking, but I am here to tell you it is SO IMPORTANT to learn.
Yes, even if you’re a millionaire with a private personal chef, you might one day meet someone that you’d really like to cook for. Maybe you want to bake them a cake on their birthday? Maybe you want to make them a hearty chicken soup when they’re sick with the flu?
In addition to loving food, the Taurus Queen/King truly values their independence and ability to do things for themselves. One of my greatest aspirations is to be wealthy enough to have a chef on hand, but I will damned if I can’t make my husband his favorite dinner and scratch cake for his birthday or an anniversary from time to time. I’d hate it if I couldn’t, one day, do the same for my kiddo.
You may totally disagree, and that’s okay, but as my husband says to all of his high school students, no matter their race or socio-economic background, it is ALWAYS a good idea to learn to cook.
So, where do you begin? I was lucky enough to be raised by and around women (& men) with cooking hands. While I believe I am a much better baker than I am a cook, like my mama before me, I know my way around a kitchen and have a few signature recipes that I know I can always whip up when I need to entertain, impress, or indulge.
I’m the kind of person who can find a couple of recipes for the same dish and synthesize/experiment until I come up with my own version. However, not everyone is like this and not everyone cares to be! So here are my top 3 tips and resources for learning how to make good quality, delicious meals for yourself and your loved ones:
Find a cookbook, chef, or cooking group that you like and/or admire and give their recipes a go!
Once I discovered that my cooking abilities were somewhat naturally inherited, I started watching The Food Network pretty religiously. I quickly found a handful of celebrity chefs whose work I admired greatly and sought out their recipes and cookbooks. From top chefs like Gordon Ramsey and Bobby Flay to home cooks like Rachel Ray, I found myself trying a wide variety of recipes from the comfort of my own home. I’ve made beef Wellington, gazpacho, sweet potato ravioli, gnocchi, pesto, vegan chili, and amazing desserts all because of my willingness to put faith in the chefs I love.
These days, cooking shows don’t seem to be as popular as before. While I still love The Food Network & Cooking Channel, there is a new wave of competition and travel shows that seem to dominate programming. This is great too! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives or Man Vs. Food and ended up hunting down a recipe for something I saw on the show!
You can find inspiration anywhere, you just have to look!
These are some great resources for beginners who are looking for fun ways to get into the kitchen:
http://www.cravingsbychrissyteigen.com
I just love her and her food is bomb! She is beginner friendly and has a great variety.
One of the most popular websites for all recipes and cuisines, they even have a section dedicated to quick and easy recipes and allow you to search based on ingredients and preferences.
One of the biggest websites for recipes of all types, you can also find guides, resources, and reviews to help narrow your search and selection. This is very beginner friendly and they even have a handy app for your phone.
This site is super cool! if you feel like cooking but don’t want to shop for ingredients, you can tell this website what you already have in your pantry and fridge and they will give you a great recipe using what you got!
This website is for the person who just wants to do the basics without spending too much money. For the cook who wants to spend less while also being able to enjoy a great variety. This site is PERFECT for beginnings on a budget and you can feel free to experiment without breaking the bank.
Meal kits, meal kits, meal kits!
I admit that I don’t have much experience with meal kits but I have tried a sample of a couple and know a lot of people who swear by them. You can go online and fill in your preferences and information and they will send you everything you need to create meals for multiple days each week. Of course, this level of convenience will cost you, but they do provide all the groceries you’ll need to create the meals and there is typically plenty of food to go around.
Personally, I have tried sample meals from:
but I have also heard positive things about:
Sun Basket (for organic meals)
Home Chef (for variety/elevated selections)
Dinnerly (for simple meals)
& Purple Carrot (for my vegetarians & vegans)
If you try any of these or have knowledge about them, please let me know. With a new baby on the way, I am considering going this route for a little while when we don’t have the time or energy to shop.
Crockpot/Instant pot creations
When I was fresh out of college and living on my own, the crockpot saved my life. You literally just put ingredients into the pot and walk away. 3-8 hrs later, you have a whole delicious meal ready for you to enjoy in front of your favorite show.
I’ve never experienced the wonder of the Instant Pot, but I am told that it takes things up a notch, even from Crockpot level. You can find these pots online for affordable prices and there are literally 100s of recipes to try. You won’t feel like you’re cooking, but you are! You can make tacos, stews, steaks, and even cakes!
Try out these pots if you’re looking for home cooked meals that will save you time and energy!
Feel free to share your recipes and cooking tips with me and your fellow wifeys/gents in the comments! I am always looking for new tasty meals to try at home and you know I get bored eating the same old thing each day.
Please note that none of these links or suggestions are sponsored in any way. As I mentioned with the skincare blog, I just like offering up ideas and suggestions for things I like! Feel free to try them and let me know what you think.
Until next time,
Carry on wifeys & gents!
Love,
OR
Photo by Maarten van den Heuvel from Pexels
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