Tuesday, November 13, 2007

I love to cook...

I LOVE to cook!! I remember being in the kitchen with my mom when I was little and "helping" as much as any 5 year old can. Then the teenage years set it and, boy, was I selfish!! I remember my mother asking me "How in the world are you ever going to cook for your family if you never help me cook now?" My answer? "Mom, I'll just read the directions."

Okay, so I was Miss Smarty Pants and not very honoring to my mother. I've repented, believe me. When Mr. U and I married, I had to call my mom SEVERAL times a week to ask her (what are now) simple cooking questions- "How long do you boil chicken?", "How long do you boil eggs?", "How in the WORLD do you cook fresh green beans???" and on and on and on. Things I would have learned had I been less selfish and continued under the tutelage of my mother.

Mr. U and I married in 1998 and around that time Food Network was just starting to become popular in my area. I remember watching The Iron Chef and thinking "NO WAY am I cooking that for my family!!!" Then I discovered Rachael Ray and I was in heaven!! Between what I remembered from my mom when I was young, calling her on the phone almost daily for cooking help, and watching Rachael Ray, I have learned to cook- and I LOVE it!!

But, sadly, all the cooking shows these days seem to cook pretty much the same things. I'm not saying I'm an expert cook, but I LOVE to learn new methods instead of the "same old same old". I used to tape my favorite cooking shows and watch them in any spare (and rare) moments. But nothing really excites me anymore about the cooking shows.

Thankfully, Food Network has a new show on called The Gourmet Next Door with Amy Finley and I LOVE this show!!!!! Amy seems to really want her viewers to learn more about cooking. I can't wait to see more of her shows.


Also, I just discovered that PBS has Julia Child videos ONLINE!!! You can view her cooking with guest chefs for free!!! I remember my mom watching her show a few times and I remember her voice, but I've never watched an episode of her cooking shows. I love that I can watch her online. Wow! Modern technology!!!!


What about you? Do you enjoy cooking or is it something you do because you have to feed your family? How did you learn to cook? I would love to hear from y'all!!

15 comments:

Wendi said...

I love to cook. I learned from mother and from mom d(my maternal grandmother). Mom d grew up on a farm during the depression and was a young farm wife during WWII. That lady could cook! I grew up eating good "country" foods and still love to cook a good farmhouse meal.

I live Paula Deen, Rachael Rae and I like to watch the cooking contest. Like the cookie and cake bake offs.

Theresa's Notes said...

I voted for Amy to win, I want to watch her show but I can't seem to find it on.

My favorite Food Network cook is Alton Brown on "Good Eats". I just love the funny way he teaches how to cook.

Anonymous said...

I truly enjoy cooking. Cooking, as well as cleaning, is a time I can turn off my brain and relax. Very therapuetic! Growing up my mom cooked some but most of my memories are of my father and one of my brothers. They were excellent and creative cooks! No one really taught me- I just observed. Today I enjoy learning from Rachael Ray, Alton Brown, and also All recipes.com!- Gretchen

Anonymous said...

I never learned to cook until I got married (at 28!!). I could only boil hotdogs, and my husband didn't even like them! So I just learned how to do casseroles on my own. Soon we were having tons of company in through the years, and I got a lot of practice. Now, my daughters do a lot of the cooking, which helps me out tremendously!

Chinese Gumbo said...

I think I would love to cook, but I've been overshadowed by my two brothers in this department. With the younger being a chef and the older having the largest Korean food blog, I think I'd better find another passion.

I had to comment because of your comment about listening to Julia Childs when you were growing up. In addition to Julia Childs, Wok with Yan and Justin Wilson were on in our household. Now with FoodTV Network, there's always a cooking shows on.

Julieann said...

I love to cook too:)

I saw Amy's show too--and I actually caught the show when she won. It is a nice show.

Julieann

Gena said...

I LOVE to cook. I cook when I'm happy, and I cook when I'm stressed - especially when I'm stressed. Cooking for me does mean love, thus the name of my blog. But, I haven't seen Amy cook. I used to watch Food Network each day between 4 and 6 (when I was preparing dinner), but I, like you, got a little bored.

I do love cookbooks and have tons of them. My current favorites are Gooseberry Patch, simply because they are homey and that is what my family enjoys. I like different things, but I have to please a crowd, you know?

Mary Isabella and Kiley too! said...

I love to cook. i watch my grandmother cook when I was small.She was a great cook and was a perfection at it. Then when I got married it seems my memory banks had stored her methods in them . So I have been cooking and creasting recipes for 34years of marriage. I hope you have afun time preparing for Thanksgiving. Mary

Cherish the Home said...

I really liked Amy during the contest show and hoped she would win. I looked at the link your provided and see that they put her show on Sunday afternoons at 1 p.m (12 Central time).

No wonder I haven't seen her show yet, we're in church during that time! I wish they would have given her a better time slot.--perhaps in the evenings.

Cyndi Lewis said...

It's good to hear that some one else was less then perfect in their young adult years. My mother tried so hard to teach me homemaking skills and I didn't want any part of it. She never said I-told-you-so after I was married and calling for things like "how to mash potatos" but I sure would have been ahead of the game had I been attentive to her rather then going my own way. I'm sure she is chuckling when she reads my blog and sees all the things I love now that she tried to teach me but I was too "modern" at the time. P.S. I voted for Amy!

Lynda said...

I also said the same thing to my mom when I was a teenager. After marrying, I would call my mom at least once or twice a week for directions on how to cook something. I still do to this day! I also learned from my grandmother who loves to be a homemaker. She taught me how to garden and wouldn't take my non-help as an answer. She forced me out there and I am eternally grateful that she did. I learned to can from her.

Anonymous said...

I LOVE to cook! Not thrilled with the cleaning up afterward but it doesn't diminish my love of cooking. My mother hated cooking but my aunts, grandmother and father are all wonderful cooks. I haven't been watching the food network for about a year or so now. They've really dumbed down the cooking. I'm no fan of Rachael Ray or Sandre Lee, but I could be wooed back to the network if they had a serious show on baking. I love making bread and could use the help.

Kelli said...

I love cooking and baking too, Mrs. U! My mom taught me when I was 11. I was cooking dinner for my whole family by the time I was 12/13. It's such fun to look at recipe books and watch cooking shows. I can't imagine ever getting bored!

Kelli

Jen said...

I adore cooking! I don't always have time to cook as long as I want with 3 little ones under foot, but when I can, I go all out! I was so bummed not to be asked to bring anything for Thanksgiving this year...when you love to cook, the holidays are such fun!

Anonymous said...

I'm only a college student, but cooking is one of my favorite things to do. Jamie Oliver has to be my all-time favorite for Food Network hosts (and who doesn't like Julia Child!). HOWEVER, one of my close friends works for Barnes & Noble in their promotions department, so he helps schedule all the in-store events like book signings and apparently in the in-store event industry it's widely known that Rachel Ray is one of the meanest most unprofessional people to work with. No word yet on Jaime, so I'm hoping that he's nice!

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin