I grew up in the suburbs of New Orleans where good food is abundant and everyone has a grandma/aunt/mama who knows the old Creole and Cajun recipes. While I did have a family that cooked, I was never interested in learning those old, family recipes as I was growing up. By the time I got married, I still hadn’t learned them and by that point I didn’t think I was a good enough cook. Growing up I had two working parents so they couldn’t exactly cook my brother and I homecooked meals that didn’t consist of Hamburger Helper or Velveeta macaroni and cheese. I don’t mean that to sound condescending because my brother and I never went without nor did we go to bed hungry, but that isn’t exactly what I would call fresh food. I do still eat some processed foods, as I am not perfect, but I certainly limit them. I work from home so I have the ability to cook fresh meals without having the need or desire to order out or eat fast food. My full time job requires me to sit behind a computer all day so by the time I log off of my computer, I am ready to stand up and move around. I find solace and comfort in the kitchen and I get a great amount of pleasure when I see people enjoy my cooking. There is something about watching other enjoy the fruits of my labor that just touch my soul. So how did I teach myself to cook…?
I taught myself to cook by watching Food Network, Worst Cooks in America specifically. No joke, that show taught me so much. For many years I watched all of the Gordon Ramsey shows, Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares (I was even in two episodes), The F Word and Masterchef. Between TV shows and Youtube, I really tightened my cooking skills. I am by no means a chef, and never will be, but unlike before I actually understand flavors and what pairs well and I also understand cooking techniques a lot better. My family has also noticed my progress and they will often ask me to cook for them, which makes gives me a sense of pride since I like to provide for others. But most importantly, I am able to cook nutritious meals for my husband and daughter.