I love to cook. I cook a lot, as often as I can. I don't cook every single day, though. But, certainly, a few days a week, I will either try out a new recipe or whip up some quick comfort food.
What's most important to me about cooking? It's got to be easy, and it's got to taste good. Many of the meals I make have similar ingredients because there are certain things I always keep on hand. I also try to use ingredients that are easily accessible. Flavor, of course, is also important. My favorite meals are hearty, savory, and flavorful.
Who/what are my food influences? My mom almost never used recipes to make dinner. She followed her instincts in the kitchen, and I try to do that as well. I write my own recipes now, just so that my cooking is consistent, but I do have some cookbooks that I really like.
The best resource I have is Mark Bittman's "How To Cook Everything". He makes cooking very approachable and satisfying, and his recipes are extremely flexible. I also rely on Rachael Ray's "30 Minute Meals" & "30 Minute Meals II" for a lot of my "go-to" meals (chili, rubs for meat, vodka cream sauce, etc.). Mind you, I can rarely accomplish her recipes in the 30 minute time-frame, but that's only because I take my time.
What's the purpose of this blog? Each week, I'll be posting about the best meal I've made in that week. Some things work; some things need more work. I hope you'll try out the recipes that I'll include, and send me feedback about your results. Hopefully, blogging will inspire me to take new risks in my cooking and make me a better cook too!
