I have been blogging for 3 years now and I like it more each day. Food photography is the easy part on the blog. The difficult part is the cooking, because as I always said, I am just at the begging of cooking life. I am happy that I still have my fingers and I am getting better every day. Here are some things that I learned in the kitchen that can hopefully help you in your own home cooking.
- Failure is an option. Learn from your failure and move on. You can write in a notebook about failure or success. It will help you not to make the same mistake again.
- Don’t compare yourself with anyone, but you. You are the only chef in your kitchen and you need to get better every day.
- You always have to work clean. That’s how you stay organized.
- If your knives are sharp, you look sharp. It’s as simple as that.
- Practice, practice, practice. You will get better with lots of practice.
- Patience in the kitchen. Some things simply need time to cook, and pushing the ingredients around in the pan isn’t going to help.
- Improvise. Creativity is around the corner, or next to the knives. If you don’t have an ingredient from your recipe, try adding something else. Just stay close to the recipe. Recipes aren’t perfect. It’s important that you make something you’re happy with and excited to eat!
- If someone says something negative about your cooking, try not to take it personally. If it’s some good advice on what to do next time, treat it like a free cooking lesson learned that will help you make tastier food. If they’re saying something just plain mean, well, ignore it and keep on cooking!
- Ask for help. If you are stuck, or you don’t know about something call a friend you know cooks better that you, ask your mom or mother in law (they have so much experience), check on the internet.
With these new ideas in hand, I implore you to jump into your kitchen and start cooking. Not sure where to start? Any recipe will do. Have fun!
Cooking Without Limits 
#3-5 Ring very true! But #6… Anyone else still compares their cooking to their mums? Once I’ll be able to make a cheese souffle without a kitchen scale, I’ll know I’ve made it!
It seems that what applies for cooking applies for life! I enjoyed reading your post and thanks for liking mine
Thank you
Creativity is a must. I follow recipes, sort of, but I often have to improvise my way through.
I love this list! Ever since we started buying seasonal organic produce over 5 years ago, we’ve learned to be VERY creative cooks…
Reblogged this on Susan Lancaster, LMT, CYT Wellness Coach and commented:
This is a wonderful blog I came across on my search for other common sense bloggers. thanks for this wonderful article.
Thank you
Welcome, I always appreciate a thoughtful blog post.
Great post and good advice for more than just cooking! You have been Heard!
Thank you
Thanks for your response to my Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow. For that reason I found you. Do come often
I will
Thank you for your “like” of my story about Thanksgiving pumpkin pie without the pumpkin. I visited your blog and, with many, enjoyed reading this list. As I’m sure others have noted, there are words for life within. I’ve only been blogging for a few months and so truly feel a beginner. I admire the photograph at the top. I couldn’t begin to tell you what the utensil in the center’s for. Again, Thank you.
You are welcome
Unqualified agreement with all of the above. Cooking is fun! I just wish I had a better palate…
Good advice! I needed that!
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. It was a pleasure to discover your blog and I look forward to following your food adventure..!!!
You are welcome
I love this post! 7, 8, and 9 are dear to my heart. I’ve learned so much about cooking because I’ve had to improvise, and also because I needed to call and ask my mom for tips!
Thank you
Thank you for visiting my photoblog at mctravelpics.com!! These “lessons’ are applicable to everything in life – thank you for reminding me!
You are welcome
Excellent advice!
Thank you
Great advise!
Thank you
Reblogged this on I Love my Husband, I Love to Cook, I Love to Read 🙂.
A really good list! If I should add 2 cents worth, it’d be two things – read (or in this Internet age, watch) and experiment. The studying is great for everything from basic, basic technique to wild ideas. I readily confess that my basic knife skills have improved a lot from some studying – and it makes such a difference. And experiment – comes close to your idea of substituting for ingredients missing but just takes it that wee bit further. Like standing in the supermarket and go “hmmmm – those look nice. Let me try to do something with them.” Doesn’t always work like you dreamt it – but when it works, it’s awesome and you grow with the experiences any which way it falls out 🙂
Great post! I’m in culinary school and have my own food blog so I’m learning this everyday. Failures only help you improve. I find the hardest thing for me is coming up with my own recipe that has good results every time. Some work and others don’t. I learn from each mistake. Great advice!
Thank you