learn to cook. Really cook.

Has helped me improve my scrambled egg technique tenfold.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1SM73Qi1BQ

Because he is god.

From one of my previous entries:

Which I think is really my ultimate goal; to get a confident handle on cooking basic dishes, and be able to come up with my own spur-of-the-moment variations.

I’m reaching that point with more dishes now. Things I can bake/cook with ease, and make variations on as well:

• Stir-fry

• Tea breads

• Simple drop cookies

• Baked/roasted chicken

• A lot of things involving bell peppers

• Rice/couscous dishes

• Pasta

• Cheesecake

• Cake

I’d say pies, but my crusts still come out as complete disasters once in awhile.

Still doing really well, I think. On the menu tonight: Parmesan garlic chicken, couscous w/roasted peppers, spinach salad w/cranberries and almonds, sauteed apples. Zero nervousness.

It’s interesting how I’ll be cooking and all of a sudden realize that one of those skills I’m so envious of, I’m now doing without even realizing it.

The latest skills I feel I’ve mastered—multitasking and cooking on a deadline, both very handy, and the former is pretty necessary for the latter.

Last night I had to get dinner on the table by the time my friends and my mom got home at 7. I found myself working the kitchen in a circle—stir the pasta, check on the sauce, grab the rolls or the veggies from the fridge, put a couple dishes on the table, and back to the pasta again.

Not only did it all work and not only was I on time, but I wasn’t flustered at all. And not one sad spaghetti noodle stuck to the bottom of the pot because I went too long without stirring.

Rock.

I cooked pretzel-and-peanut chicken, couscous with stir-fry veggies, and a fruity cheesecake last Friday (see “try 43 new recipes” for easy, tasty recipes) and it went really well. With the exception of grating my own damn thumb, because we got this stupid new handle grater instead of a countertop one.

I’m definitely gaining confidence with any kind of stir-fry, and with baking cheesecakes—there’s a lot of room in both dishes for various flavors and twists.

Which I think is really my ultimate goal; to get a confident handle on cooking basic dishes, and be able to come up with my own spur-of-the-moment variations.

Getting back to the kitchen now that the holiday madness is over, hooray!

This dinner went really well, nothing too fancy—homemade chicken pot pie, corn casserole, homemade bread, salad, applesauce; a cheesecake and an apple pie for dessert.

We ended up with more food than needed and it still all got eaten, which is a sincere compliment. (I can never trust someone who says at dinner the food is good, that’s just being polite.)

Now…what next? I’ve put down “Try 43 new recipes” as a goal. My mom is working late on Fridays now, so I’ll be in charge of meals at least once a week. Practice and perfect and all that.

My little sister’s birthday is this Saturday, and she has requested a birthday cake in the shape of…Cthulhu.

I’m reasonably certain none of my cake books have instructions for this particular design.

It’s improv time.

Wish me luck.

The dinner the other night went really well; I made baked chicken, dirty rice, steamed broccoli (added lemon juice to the water, yum), and chocolate parfait for dessert.

Everything went really well, with the exception of the chicken sticking like hell to the bottom of the baking dish.

This meal was a big boost to my confidence because mom only came home after I was done cooking; I rely on her help in the kitchen way too much, so it’s good to know I can do okay without her over my shoulder.

Since, y’know, I’m not really planning on taking her with me to my first apartment.

Had company over a couple days ago, tried 2 new desserts—apple cinnamon cheesecake and a cake flavored with spiced tea.

Both came out really well! These two are definitely going in my recipe book.

I’m including a link to the cake recipe here because it’s delicious and easy:

http://www.bigelowtea.com/entertaining/recipes/index.cfm?action=details&category=8&recipe=16

Tonight I’m cooking a chicken dinner for my family (even my dad will be home, which is rare), so wish me luck.

Okay, so I can cook. And on special occasions, I can put together something really nice.

But I’d like to be really great. I mean a total kitchen ninja like my mom.

I’d like to expand the repertoire of dishes I can make with total confidence—I’m tired of being nervous about new recipes because I don’t have the techniques down.

I’d like to try some more advanced stuff after that and just play and have fun.

Total. Kitchen. Ninja.