BYO Brilliance: The Brilliance of Cooking

While many people cook because of obligations, sometimes cooking can become an esoteric process just like writing, exercise or meditation.  If you believe you are a bad cook, maybe you just haven't allowed yourself the freedom to use your kitchen to your advantage.  Think back to a time when you had the freedom to create something without constraints and how good it felt.  Instead of looking at your kitchen activities as obligations how about seeing it as the lab of yoru Mad Chef-tist self!

While working oh my graduate studies there were times I felt uncertain of my abilities and cooking helped me to feel more confident about me.  I began to see cooking as a lovely reprieve from the rest of my life, but only when I was in control of the choices.  If you always cook the same thing every week, maybe it's time to bust free of your mind-numbing habits.

Try making old time traditional foods that most people do not make from scratch anymore without fancy appliances etc. Attempt recipes that poeple may consider difficult, just be sure not to attach to the outcome--don't worry how it looks or works out the first time you do it.  Here are  some suggestions:

• Homemade bread
• Pie from scratch (including the crust)
• Cheesecake
• Danish
• Bagels
• Doughnuts
• Egg Rolls
• Phad Thai
• Borscht
• Pierogies
• Ravioli
• Shepherd's Pie
• Hummus

Take some time to look through recipe books or recipes online and make a date with yourself to try soemthing new!

Today we have special guest Nina M. who will share with us many cooking tips and some wonderful recipes. She has catered affairs and delighted people for years! She can answer many of your cooking questions too!

Bring your imagination and let's cook some vittles