Cooking

THE 3 MINUTE READ

IS COOKING YOUR NEXT THING?

I've watched far too many of my friends have the same frustrating experience with cooking. They go to all of the trouble of picking out a recipe, going to the grocery store, and spending an hour cooking a meal only for it not to taste good. Does that sound familiar at all?

After they force themselves to eat their bland meal, they end up saying that they "don't know how to cook" or that they "don't like cooking." I totally understand that. Why would they go to all of that trouble and spend all of that time when the apps on their phone make it so easy to order or pick up take-out food?

The thing is, they haven't set themselves up for success. Cooking is not difficult. It really isn't. But to enjoy it the end result has to be worth the process. And that doesn't happen by accident. It happens with a set of basic skills and practice. That's what this THING is all about. I have everything you need to go from someone who "can't cook" to someone who would rather cook at home than eat out because it's just as delicious, not to mention cheaper and healthier.

MY EXPERIENCE

Despite growing up in a family that rarely ate out, I didn't develop any cooking skills until I started living on my own. I learned how to cook in college, which means I learned how to cook on a budget. I've spent the past 8 years refining my
skills in the kitchen and adding recipes to my arsenal. Now I consider myself a competent and passionate home cook and I love sharing my knowledge about food with others.

If you have literally never cooked before or if you have years of cooking experience, this THING has a starting place for you. By choosing cooking as your next THING, you will develop a lifelong skill, you will certainly eat healthier, and you will save money. Sounds like a good deal to me.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

I started cooking when I was a junior in college, so you can imagine the kind of money I had at my disposal for ingredients (not a whole lot). That being said, if you
saw the food I was cooking, you might have been surprised what I could prepare on a budget. Whether you are pinching pennies yourself or you have some room to
splurge on ingredients, I have recipes in this THING to fit your budget.

"Cooking is not difficult. Everyone has taste, even if they don’t realize it. Even if you’re not a great chef, there’s nothing to stop you understanding the difference between what tastes good and what doesn’t."

- Gerard Depardieu

"Cooking is at once one of the simplest and most gratifying of the arts, but to cook well one must love and respect food."

- Craig Claiborne

"We all eat, and it would be a sad waste of opportunity to eat badly."

- Anna Thomas

WHAT YOU'LL GET

The Basics

You will receive a comprehensive guide on everything you need to know to get started in the kitchen. From the super basics like essential kitchen tools, how to stock a pantry, and basic knife skills, to the more in-depth basics like understanding the 5 flavor profiles, learning the range of cooking oil temperatures, and vegetarian ingredient swaps, The Basics Page will equip you with all of the knowledge you need to start cooking delicious recipes.

The Recipes

The Recipes Page features over 55 recipes that I've personally cooked and recommend. I've sorted the recipes into categories by cuisine, such as breakfast foods, recipes from Latin America, sandwiches, and side dishes. I've also ranked the recipes in each category by difficulty, from easiest to most challenging. There truly is something on the Recipes Page that matches everyone's taste and cooking skill level.

The Meal Plans

Sometimes the most difficult part of cooking is coming up with a plan (and a grocery list) for what to eat each week. Fortunately, the internet is full of 5 and 7 day meal plans if you know where to look. Lucky for you, The Meal Plans page is the only place YOU have to look to find week-long meal plans complete with shopping lists, prep steps, and simple recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack each day. These meal plans take planning out of the equation and let you focus on cooking and eating healthy and delicious meals all week.

Make Cooking Your Next THING