Save me from the Force

[cosmolinguist]

For such a long time I did what my parents expected of me or what someone else wanted of me, that it's left me bewildered and worried just trying to find out what I want, much less actually doing it. Nothing new. So I'm going to start writing things down here, in hopes that I stop forgetting these things and get a little closer to actually doing them.

So, here's an easy one.

I want to be a better cook.

I'm not too stupid and I don't like ready meals but I did have about a week recently where I don't think I ate much other than grilled cheese. I'm not just lazy, I'm also uninspired. Or clueless.

I grew up with hamburger as a main ingredient and cream of mushroom as the Force, which runs through everything and binds it all together and I'm trying to avoid that.

When I got to college I made a lot of friends who could cook. Especially the veg(etari)an ones: I tink once you get rid of the pound-of-hamburger crutch you are more likely to know about the sorts of things that my mom would consider dangerously exotic. I envied them a lot and learned a little but forgot most of it.

I know I can google for recipes as easily as I can ask this, but I'd like to know what actually works for you, and anyway now that I have explained my latest Thing I Wanna Do I figure it won't hurt to ask: what's good for someone who might go so far as to eat poultry on special occasions and doesn't like mushrooms or tofu and doesn't know what she's doing? You can be as vague ("try risotto!") or specific ("look at this website!") as you like.

C'mon, I want my mom to think I'm dangerously exotic!

Comments

[tubewalker.livejournal.com]

Add just a pinch or two of sugar to myfirstkitchen's recipe above, I always add a touch of sugar to tomato sauces, it makes quite a difference.

[cosmolinguist]

Duly noted.

[lostpositive.livejournal.com]

Adding sugar is also a good way of taking some of the heat out of something if you've accidentally added too much chili powder etc. :)

[bariau.livejournal.com]

Echoed. A little sugar really helps in tomato based sauces.

And a little lemon juice instead of salt.

[cosmolinguist]

I never like salt anyway. Lemon juice is good, though! I used up the last of mine this morning, as I finally made the concoction you weirdo Englishes call pancakes. (They were edible; I was impressed. :-))

[bariau.livejournal.com]

I love pancakes. MmmmMMMmm... :D

[cosmolinguist]

They were nice, and fun to make, but I'm still annoyed that they mean no one here knows what I'm talking about when I go on (as I do) about the pancakes I love. :-)