Tips to make your cooking experience a whole lot better!

Many people avoid the kitchen because they think its too much hassle.  Cooking is actually a lot of fun and quite an experience! If you have kids you can involve your kids and use it to spend quality time together. Plus your kids will love getting their hands dirty. Another way that you can see it is if you turn out to be great or good, you can win a man's heart through their stomach. Your family will enjoy a great meal. You can distress while you cook. Your wife will appreciate you helping out with the cooking, You can impress your girlfriend! Here are some simple tips that can make your cooking experience one that you want to keep experiencing over and over.

Tip 1: Invest in a good knife!
I can't tell you the times that I have cooked at different kitchens and as soon as I see the knife, I am thinking, "really?". Having a cheap knife makes cutting a hassle and frustrating. They can get pretty expensive though and if you are unable to splurge on a good knife here are two great options.

Option 1: Stop by a discount store that sells name brand items at a lower price. You'll be surprised on what findings you'll come across!
Option 2: Now a days, chefs come up with their own merchandise and what's more exciting is they come up with a cheaper line at a much cheaper price and with a great quality!

Giada de Laurentis for Target $18.59

Tip 2: Invest in a good cutting board!
You can't cut vegetables on top of a plate or a thin plastic board all the time. LOL! Its good to have the plastic cutting board for chicken, but you shouldn't use the same for everything else. Stop by a department store that sells name brand merchandise at a cheaper price. People are not willing to pay and you'll get them at great prices. I would go for a wood or bamboo cutting board for everything and a plastic for chicken.

Left: Bamboo, Center: Plastic, Right: Wood

Tip 3: Invest in good cookware and bakeware!

Simply Calphalon

I hate burnt eggs or chicken! Or cake!! A lot of the times people burn their food because of cheap cookware and bakeware. Build slowly, start with one great pot and a great skillet. A good baking pan. Work your way up. Again, stop by a discount store that sales name brand merchandise at a cheaper price. You will find great items. Or you can get the cheaper line that the professional chefs sale. Calphalon has a cheaper line called Simply Calphalon and they are great, I've seen them on Target. There's Paula Deen, Giada de Laurentis for Target. Wilton bakeware are great and at a cheap price.

Wilton

Giada de Laurentis for Target

Tip 4: Don't be afraid to try new things! 
I know so many people who are so afraid to try new things and that's just sad. I have gone to eat with people who always order the same things from the menu, how else will you know how they taste and if you may like them, unless you try them. So don't be afraid to try new vegetables, fruits, new spices, ingredients, etc. You will be surprised as I was when I started going out of my comfort zone.

Tip 5: Watch cooking shows, read cook books and visit cooking websites!
People learn better by looking and following recipes. Take the time to watch a show here and there. You can see how chef's show you step by step how to cook. Take notes and don't be afraid to do it. Who cares if it doesn't come out right the first time. You can always say that it was meant to be like that...lol. No one will know. Read cook books, just try the recipes. Its called trial and error! Go online and look up recipes and follow the steps. Practice makes perfect. The more you practice the better you get!

If we are willing to invest in shoes, makeup, clothes, purses or toys we can definitely invest in our kitchen experience!

Fruit and Granola Trifle

So, I gave up sweets (cupcakes, cakes, chocolates, candies and cokes) and I've been in a mood of sweets so I decided to create my version of the trifle. Here is my short and easy version.

Ingredients:

• 2, 6 oz cups of Yogurt ( Your favorite kind, I used fat free Yoplait strawberry)
• Granola (Recipe will follow) or buy ready made
• fresh fruit (I used strawberries and bananas, cause they are my fav)
• 2 drinking glasses 
• cookie sheet

Granola:

• 2 cups of old fashioned oats
• 1 cup of mixed nuts (slivered almonds, pecans, walnuts)
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp of honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tbsp of brown sugar
• cooking spray
• 1 bowl

Preheat oven to 300F. In a bowl place granola, mixed nuts, cinnamon, salt, brown sugar and mix with your hands. Add honey and oil and mix again using your hands. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and then place granola mixture. Bake for 25 minutes mixing consistently to prevent burning. Remove from the oven and let cool. While the granola mixture is in the oven slice your fruit. Thats it!

Now start by scooping granola into the glass, then scoop some yogurt, followed by sliced fruit. Repeat again until you have no more room!

 Now that was easy! Nutritious and delicious!

These are my two versions! 

Easy Veggie Pasta

I love pasta and vegetables! I wish I had all the time in the world to cook from scratch all the time, but sometimes I am just in a hurry so here is a short version of a delicious pasta. Hope you try it and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 lb of your favorite pasta ( I used bow tie pasta)
• 1 cup of cut asparagus (semi cooked)
• 1/2 a cup of sun dried tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic 
• 1 cup of petite peas
• 1/2 cup of sliced baby portobello mushrooms
• 4 tbsp of butter
• 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1-15 oz can of already made Alfredo sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 skillets

Instructions: 

Start by cooking the pasta according to the instructions in the package and then drain. In a skillet cook chicken, season to taste, about 5-6 minutes until cooked. Set aside to cool then slice. In a separate skillet, start by melting 2 tbsp butter then add garlic. Let garlic cook for about 1 minute then add sliced portobello mushrooms. Add salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes or as soon as you see mushrooms get tender. Add sun dried tomatoes and asparagus and cook for another 3 minutes. 

In the same pot where you boiled the pasta add the other 2 tbsp of butter then pour Alfredo sauce. Simmer on medium heat for about 1 minute then add the pasta. Make sure you cover all the pasta with the sauce, then pour all veggies from the skillet and cook on low heat for another 2 minutes. On the last minute add the peas then 1/2 the cup of Parmesan cheese.  That's it! How easy was that?

Plate the pasta and top with chicken and more cheese if you like! Enjoy!