I started cooking daily for myself during the summer after my sophomore year of college, mostly out of necessity.
Until that summer, I had little experience and interest in preparing meals, and it was something I easily took for granted. My specialties included "Blue Box" Mac and Cheese (spirals; I have standards) and cinnamon/sugar toast.
When I had an internship and a small one-bedroom to rent for the summer, I no longer had the luxury of someone preparing my food daily. My funds limited my ability to go out to eat often, and I also wanted to stay in shape.
I went to Target and equipped myself with basic supplies: skillet, pot, and cooking utensils. /r/cooking and /r/EatCheapAndHealthy were great resources for a newbie like me. My Mom also reassured me that the worst case scenario was a bad dinner — then try something else or order a pizza. Cooking is a learning experience.
Over time, my skills improved, and so did my confidence. Bakers beware: baking is not as forgiving as cooking; you should heed exact measurements while making those cookies.
I have also grown to love cooking: the aromas, the sizzling, the bubbling, the tasting! Manipulating ingredients and responding to them (controlling heat, adjusting flavor with spices, etc.) are a welcome change for fingers that grow tired from typing on a keyboard.
Cooking is like any other skill; as you get better, you will find more pleasure in it — a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I enjoy going out to eat much more now because I think it is a great source of inspiration. Many of my recipes are a result of eating something delicious and wanting to recreate it. I like to order things I have never made before to see how professional chefs prepare them.
My girlfriend Mary and I enjoy cooking together. It combines many pleasures: teaching each other new techniques, fulfilling senses, relaxing together, and at the end, you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
We share our recipes in a Dropbox PDF so we always have access to them. This is updated live as we add more.
The meal I prepare most regularly, with a low effort-to-tastiness™ ratio, is udon noodles. My Mom found the recipe in a vegetarian cookbook, and everyone who has tried it has loved it. The marinade is soy and ginger based — one of my favorite flavor combinations.
Other favorites include:
- Pear and Gorgonzola Cheese Pizza (usually with caramelized onions)
- Thai Peanut Sauce Green Beans
- Bolognese
I hope you enjoy our recipes! Bon appétit!