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[T2Nashville]

As you all know, I'm a big fan of Ree Drummond's site, The Pioneer Woman. She has a good friend named Ryan, who is also a fabulous cook. I ran up on this post at his blog today. It's awesome! I just kept nodding my head while I was reading it. Go check it out, and then come back for my comments. I'll wait for you....

http://www.thisisreverb.com/2010/07/from-the-archives-5-easy-ways-to-improve-your-cooking.html

And now that you're all edumacated......

I always hated cooking, not just because I was only cooking for one, but just as Ryan stated, I didn't have the knowledge or the tools to make it fun. Doesn't have to be expensive! He has great tips for picking up an item or 2 occasionally at the store, or even using those 20% off coupons at Bed Bath and Beyond for a piece or two here and there - until you build up to a really nice kitchen. Hey, I still don't have a Kitchenaid mixer, but I will someday!

Regarding his topics:

1. When my grandmother passed away last year, I was gifted with her Towncrafte cookware. I love it! Yes, I have to handwash each piece when I use it with a special detergent, but that’s how that stuff lasts for 100 years! It’s the best, and so are the ones he mentions. I am very happy with my cookware. (And yes, I still have a T-Fal skillet that I cannot part with – it’s just so handy and wonderful!)

2. Last Christmas, my boss gave us $50 gift certificates to one of those catalogs where you can pick your prize. They had those wonderful Ronco knife sets with the block! I jumped on it, and now, chopping in the kitchen is a joy! (Still want a Wusthof, though – bad!)

3. I looked through that pic of Ryan’s cabinet, and I am proud to say that I have most of those things that he does – just wish mine was that organized! And I envy his spice rack – where does he get those lovely containers? Are they sold that way? Costco maybe?

4. I’m growing my own basil this year, and it’s so lovely. Next up is definitely cilantro. Parsley I can get cheap enough at Kroger, and I don’t care for rosemary, so I’m good to go!

5. Great research links on this one, and yes, I love Alton Brown, too. I don’t agree that all of Food TV is drivel (I thought EVOO was cute!), but there are other great avenues for learning how to cook – including the Pioneer Woman’s site. Have you gone through one of her recipes yet? Step-by-step with pictures! The woman is a genius.

This was a helpful blog entry for me, if nothing else but to validate that I’m going in the right direction. You can do it, too! Come join me in the kitchen!

[Lady_J_2008]

Awesome post - I love it.  I would have guessed that you have been in the kitchen your whole life whipping up everything regardless of whether you are cooking for 1 or a 101. 

[cyndy40]

Love this post Tammy.  Sam's carries spices like those in his pantry.  His staples cabinet looks like mine.  Of course, you would have to add all of the baking stuff to see how mine really looks.  Neat, neat, neat post!

[T2Nashville]

Lady J - thank you, but WLS is what made cooking pop for me. Now, I can't get enough of it.

Cyn - oh, yeah, my baking cabinet is a whole other cabinet! And much more cluttered than my staples cabinet! I need organization!

[baka]

As a rookie just starting out in the kitchen I find this info so valuable!

Thanks Tammy!

Ian

[McNee]

I'm surprised to see those spice containers on top of the fridge like that. Heat coming off the compressor is not good for most of those spices... neither is light.

Those are BIG containers, and you can get them at Costco, Sams, even my grocery store sells a few of those... but be wary of buying stuff in large containers unless it's something you KNOW you will use in 6-12 months. Most ground and dried spices will noticeably lose flavor after about six months and most should just be replaced after about 12.

He does seem to have the same thermometer I have... just the probe part doesn't seem to be plugged in.

Knives, I have a decent cleaver I've had for years and finally had to replace my Wustoff knife - after about 15 years of use it just won't hold an edge any longer. I got a Jananese Chef's knife (been using one since my professional cooking days), they're mostly called santonku knives now.

I highly recommend this as your "first" knife because it is very versitle, and if you get a 7" or so size, it's just right for most folks, big enough to give you some chopping heft, but not so big as to be unwieldy.

And yea, I can't recommend Alton Brown enough. Tammy, if you can find his second book on baking, I think you'll love it. It doesn't help us as far as low carb stuff, but he really does a good job at explaining various techniques that I'm sure any baker can benefit from.

[Kierie]

Rob you should do cooking webinars!

[T2Nashville]

Rob - I agree with you on those spices. Maybe he has something up there to keep them from heating. Ryan cooks A LOT, so I'm sure he uses those spices consistently, but that wouldn't work for me - would all go to waste. I buy what I have to have and date it, so I'll know how long I've had it. I love buying my spices from my local Amish community - very cheap and you can really tell a difference in the flavor.

15 years for a Wusthof? Yeah, that's a good knife! Those Roncos I have are really getting the job done, too. As long as you have a good, sharp one that fits your hand well - there are a lot of good ones out there.

I gotta get me some Alton Brown!

[cyndy40]

Rob, you make some excellent points.  I totally agree about the spices.  If you can't use it up in 6 -12 months, then, don't buy it!  I buy garlic powder like that, but it is gone in a flash here. I also agree about Alton Brown.  As gifts, I as given both of his cookbooks ("I'm Just Here for the Food", and "I'm Just Here for the Food 2 (the baking one)) both are excellent reads!

[mewithin]

Hey Tammy......I just wanted to put my 2 cents in here. I love love love growing fresh herbs. The taste is so much better than dried. However cilantro goes to seed very very quickly so you don't have much time to harvest. The dried seeds can be ground and used though. Fresh cilantro is one of my favorite herbs. Love it in salads, on fish, in salsa, etc.....I hated it the first time I ate it lol. When I first started cooking with fresh herbs my son asked me to stop putting "weeds" in his food  but then rosemary potatoes (done in the oven) turned out to be his favorite! He requested them when he had friends over. I lst all of my herbs this year to catapillars......on the up side I had lots and lots of pretty butterflies hanging around!

[T2Nashville]

Jen - cilantro is my 2nd favorite, next to basil, and it's so cheap here, I can just go buy it rather than grow it. But I use more basil, and it's pricey, so I grew it this year, and it has done spectacular! The more I pick it, the more it grows. I love it!

[mewithin]

I think I'm allergic to Basil. Everytime I try it ,weither it's me that puts it in or pre made, I get nauseous. Thats too bad because I know it adds lots of flavor.

[T2Nashville]

I have a friend who feels the same way about cilantro! She says it tastes like soap. Loves guacamole, but when we get it, I have them give me the cilantro to just add to mine so she doesn't have to eat it.

[mewithin]

hahaha I used to think the same thing...soap! Now I love it and it taste fresh to me.

[MelissaAletha]

I love love love this advice.!  And now I have to go buy that book. 

Thanks for sharing!

[T2Nashville]

I've missed you, Melissa - you look fantastic!