The Magic of the Internet

As everyone has already figured out, I REALLY don't like to cook.
Not sure if the wiring went wrong in the womb or what but it absolutely bores me to even
THINK about cooking.

Although, I LOVE to watch people create different things in the kitchen. Which is why I love those cooking competitions on TV. Like "Worst Cooks in America" (I'm not THAT bad) or "Chopped"

And as you all possibly read in the last post, I'm trying to lose weight.
Finally weighed myself after eight months of not smoking.......

Sigh

I have gained over THIRTY pounds. May not seem a lot to some, but when you're already fighting
a weight problem, its HUGE. (Play on words intended...lol)

Well, I put myself on a strict diet. More or less, anyway. (I do like my food..lol) And went on the internet to find good foods to eat and snack on. Found quite a bit and am doing pretty good.

My favorite snack I found I could eat? Hard-boiled eggs. Love 'em....

Just not sure how to cook them.
Go ahead. I'll wait til the laughing dies down.

Mentioned it to a friend and she actually found a recipe for it.
Easier than I thought....

Love the internet.
And the eggs?
Awesome, of course
LOL

Thanks for listening
Paige

Mise en place

Mise en place (pronounced [miz ɑ̃ plas], literally "putting in place") is a French phrase defined by the Culinary Institute of America as "everything in place", as in set up. It is used in professional kitchens to refer to organizing and arranging the ingredients (e.g., cuts of meat, relishes, sauces, par-cooked items, spices, freshly chopped vegetables, and other components) that a cook will require for the menu items that he or she expects to prepare during his/her shift.^[1]

That's the Wikipedia's definition of something I have a hard time pronouncing but find very helpful when working in the kitchen. I heard it first on "Worst Cooks in America". Chef Anne Burrell used it a lot in the show and it seemed to help the cooks when they finally grasped the full concept. I've also heard her use it on "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" and it was easier to understand at that point. I guess because instead of just telling the learner, she was actually doing it.

And if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Basically, have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start putting things together. That way, you're not running all over the kitchen. Which is how I usually roll.....

I wanted to share this little tidbit with everyone; I find it a fascinating phrase and hope to have the concept fully grasped by ME!

Thanks for listening!

Where's the Fun?

Cooking should be fun, right? That's pretty much the whole point of what I'm doing. Learning to enjoy cooking so it's not so much of a chore.

My first dinner the other night went well; better than I had expected. And while there were some parts that were intense (trust me; for a non-cook like myself, boiling noodles successfully is intense) it wasn't fun.

Hmm. What can I do to make it more fun; thereby making me WANT to do it?

I was watching "Worst Cooks in America" last night on the Food Network channel and their first challenge was to create a hamburger with anything they wanted. This made me sit up. I've cooked hamburgers before; a means to an end as I've said previously. But to CREATE my own signature burger? Wow....the endless possibilities!

And if I can create my own burger, what next? Couldn't I create pretty much anything? No, I still don't know enough about flavors to know what would and wouldn't work but I'm pretty sure that's what most cooks enjoy. Making it their own.

Sure, I'm still going to use recipes. There are quite a few I've seen that seem a tad difficult but might be worth trying at least once. But I'm going to learn to be brave and try flavors that I normally wouldn't put together. Sort of like finger-painting as a child. Just let it flow!

So, as soon as I come up with a recipe, I will post and let everyone know. Wish me luck!