The Joys of Cooking - Cooking With the Internet

Welcome back to "The Joys of Cooking."  If you are just now joining us you can catch up on last week's post here.  This week we are going to talk about how the internet can ease the stress of cooking, especially for new cooks.

How many of you have looked at "food porn (I know its a horrible term, but I didn't create it)" on Pinterest?  I know I do all the time.  Sometimes I'm worried that my keyboard may stop working from all of the drool.  Okay not really but some of that food looks seriously delicious.

Now how many of you have actually made any of those drool worthy treats or mouth watering meals?  No?  Why not?  I am guessing the main reasons are one of the following:  it looks too difficult, you are afraid to come out of your comfort zone, or you do not have the ingredients you need.  Guess what!  None of those are valid answers when you have the world at your fingertips.

Enter the internet.  We use this great tool for almost every aspect of our lives.  Why not use it in the kitchen too?  I know that I often have my laptop in the kitchen with me otherwise I end up running to the living room in the middle of cooking to look something up.  If you have never used your computer as resource in the kitchen then you definitely need to check out the following tips on how the internet can help you:

Find Recipes - This is probably the most obvious one, but you can look up recipes for any and everything on the internet.  Even if you don't know what you want to make.  Head over to Recipe.com and input what you have on hand, and they will tell you what you can make for dinner.  There are a ton of websites that offer this feature, so play around and see which one you like.

How To Videos - Don't know how to do something no problem.  When I was making Ginger Lime Grilled Shrimp that I told you about yesterday I had no idea how to handle fresh ginger.  I wasn't sure if I needed to peel it before I shredded it or if I could just shred it as is, so I pulled out my handy dandy laptop and googled it.  Guess what?  I found a nifty video on Youtube that showed me exactly what to do.  If you are wondering, you do peel fresh ginger before you grate it.  Moral of the story - if you don't know how to do something Google it, and more then likely the answer will be right at your fingertips.

Ask Questions - Did you find that recipe on a blog and the instructions were a little confusing?  Ask away.  I have found this to be a great help to me here lately.  Being new to Whole30/Paleo I sometimes am unsure of what ingredients they are using, and everyone I have asked questions to have been more then helpful.  *Note - I would recommend that you read through the other comments first because your question may have already been answered.*  Most (not all) bloggers will answer you within a day or two.  They love to help you make their creations.  Don't forget to give them feedback...especially if you loved it!  Everyone loves some good feedback, and if it didn't work out then they may be able to troubleshoot with you to help it come out better the next time.

Hopefully these tips will help to ease your anxiety in the kitchen.  Cookbooks are a great tool, but sometimes you just need some extra help.

Here is your assignment...go find something delicious on Pinterest and make it.  Then come back here and tell me how it worked out.  I would love to see a pic that I can drool over!

How has the internet helped you in the kitchen?  Do you have any additional tips on how the internet can help ease the stress of cooking?

Next week we are going to talk about making mistakes in the kitchen.  Everybody does it, but that doesn't mean your meal is ruined!

Well Fed Review & Some of My Favorite Recipes

When I first started researching Whole30 I kept hearing about Melissa Joulwan, and her cookbook "Well Fed."  Once I decided for sure that I was going to do a Whole30 I hopped online and reserved a copy of her book at the library.  I thought that I was just getting a boring old cookbook with recipes in it, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I was wrong.

She starts the cookbook with a brief history of her and what led her to a Paleo lifestyle.  No, it is not pertinent to the cookbook, but I like the personal touch.  She also talks about what Paleo is and the rules that go along with Paleo eating.  The best thing is she really breaks everything down for you, so do not think, "I do not know anything about cooking."  That is not a valid excuse!  She makes everything super simple, and even tells you what ingredients you should have in your pantry.

My favorite thing in this book is the Weekly Cookup.  Mel shows you how to prepare most of your food for the week on one day, which is super helpful for people on the go.  Its also really great that first week when you are exhausted all the time, and have barely any energy.

The recipes in here are beyond amazing.  Even my parents who are not Paleo or doing the Whole30 have enjoyed the meals that I have created for them out of here.  I think my absolute favorite thing in the cookbook is the Olive Oil Mayo.  I know it sounds weird for this to be my favorite, but let me explain why.  It is the perfect mayo.  It is light and creamy and really highlights the flavors of the food you use it as a condiment with.  I love to eat tuna salad and chicken salad for lunch, and this mayo is perfect in them.  I really cannot say enough good things about it, but make sure you follow the instructions carefully and do not rush it.  Good mayo takes time, and think of it as a great work out for your shoulders...holding that cup of olive oil up for 3-5 minutes!

My next favorite recipe is the Ginger Lime Grilled Shrimp.  They are quick and easy.  I come home and throw them in the marinade and then I throw them on George (a.k.a. The George Foreman Grill we are on a first name basis though) and bada bing bada boom I have a delicious dinner in under 45 minutes.  Plus 20 of those minutes are marinating time, so I'm off doing whatever I want during that time.

My third favorite are the Caramelized Coconut Chips.  I just like to make the original ones.  They are salty and a little sweet and the perfect crunch for when you are having a snack attack.

A few other notes on the book.  She gives you ideas of what sides to put with each meal, so it really is a no brainer.  She also tells you different spices you can add to make a completely different meal, and she encourages you to experiment in the kitchen, which has helped me to make some pretty amazing things. She also tells you if you do not like something then leave it out, and I had to do this with the Ginger Lime Grilled Shrimp not because I did not like something but because I was out of cilantro.  You know what?  It still tasted delicious.

I highly recommend this book if you are wanting to do the Whole30 or you live a Paleo lifestyle.  I think you will find some great recipes.  You can also find more great recipes on her website.  If nothing else go and borrow it from your library to get a feel for what this great book has to offer.

If you were wondering what the brightly colored pieces of paper at the top of the book are they are the tags to all of the recipes that I like to make.  Since this is a library book I will sadly have to return it, and probably just go and buy my own copy.

The Joys of Cooking - Clean As You Go

Earlier this week, I shared with you how the Whole30 has reignited my passion for cooking.  I know that cooking can be intimidating for some, and have decided to do a series on cooking and how fun and easy it can be.  I know, I know, I can already hear some of you groaning.  Believe me I am a modern woman, and I by no means think a woman's place is in the kitchen.  In fact if you can find a man to cook then more power to you.  On a side note, this reminds me of a chef I used to work with at Disney.  His wife told him that she married him because the sex may fade, but you always will need to eat.  Since we are not all lucky enough to marry chefs, and we all need to eat we might as well know how to fend for ourselves in the kitchen.

I think that part of the reason why I used to hate cooking was because of how messy it was and how many dishes were always left in the sink.  The last thing I want to do after a day of cooking is clean up a bunch of dishes.  However, I picked up on a neat little trick, which really is not a trick, and probably common sense to most people.  Are you ready for it?  Clean up your mess as you go!  I know your world was probably just shaken to the core by that profound statement.

Now I know you may be wondering to yourself, "How do I do that?"  Well here are some of my tips and tricks to keeping a clean kitchen while you cook:

1. Use a trash bag - This a tip that I picked up from Rachel Ray.  She always uses a trash bowl, but I went one step further and use a bag.  I tend to use the little plastic bags that your produce comes in from the grocery store.  While I am prepping, cutting, and cooking it sits on the counter and I throw all of my trash in it.  Then when I am done I just knot it up and throw it in my big trash can.  I find this to be a great time saver too because I am not constantly making trips to the trash can, and it helps to keep my cutting board/counter free of trash and clutter.
2. Use wipes to clean your counters - Each time you are done with a task (or if you spill something) just pull out a cleaning wipe and wipe down the counter, and then throw your wipe into your trash bag.  This keeps your counters clean, and it's just easier to wipe as you go.  You do not have to worry about scrubbing layers of sticky, random cooking juices later.  I personally do not like using sponges to wipe counters with because they tend to spread bacteria and germs, but if you must then you can use a sponge.  Here is an extra money saving tip:  When you are out of cleaning wipes do not throw your container away if there is still liquid in the bottom.  Instead dip a paper towel in it and wring it out to create your own wipes.  This will help to stretch your dollar a little.
3. Rinse your dirty dishes immediately - Rinsing the dishes while they are still a little warm will help to keep residual food from sticking to your pots and pans.
4. Load your dishwasher as you go - I always like to cook with an empty dishwasher, especially when I do a cooking day.  That way I can just load the dishwasher as I go.  It is so much quicker plus you are not struck with the dread of seeing a sink full of dishes at the end of the day.  
5. Put your hand-wash dishes in the sink with care - I know this sounds a little weird, but bare with me here. Instead of piling all your hand-wash dishes in the sink nilly-willy place them in the order you plan to wash them.  This way you are not pulling things from the bottom, and everything else is crashing down into the sink below.  Trust me, your dishes will thank you, and you will keep from breaking things this way.  

Once again, none of this is rocket science, but hopefully you learned something new or came away with a useful tip.  I really have found that cleaning as I go has made my cooking much more fun and relaxing.  Next week I am going to tell you how the internet can make you a better cook!