As you may already be aware another of my passions is cooking. If I am not out pottering about in the garden you will find me in the kitchen baking cakes or trying out new recipes. Growing my own vegetables has inspired me to find new ways to cook with them and learn how to make jams and chutneys.
I really started to get into cooking in my early teens where I would spend a Sunday afternoon in my mums kitchen baking cakes for the family. I had the kitchen to myself as mum was at work and dad always sat and watched sport on the TV with my brother. I would get out mums trusty old cookbook and look at all the wonderful and delicious looking recipes, from appetizers to specialty dinners. I mostly baked cakes and pastries and once after we had been strawberry picking I attempted to make some jam but not with much success. Both of my grandmothers were great cooks and luckily I seem to take after them.
So you are probably wondering what is this new project I am talking about? Well when talking to many people about cooking the response that I get is often 'oh I don't cook', 'I can't cook to save my life' or the most common of all 'I don't have the time to cook, much easier to by something I just bung in the oven'.
For the past couple of decades we have been encouraged, seduced and courted by fast foods. I am not just on about takeout but what we encounter in the supermarkets. We are tempted by quick and easy cook in the microwave or oven ready prepared food. Pizzas, meals for one, processed foods.
We are now learning that these foods are not good for our health. Obesity is at an all time high and only this week three major companies in the UK are now going to make changes to what goes in their food and promote a healthier option. But will it make any difference? In my own personal opinion the answer is no. What needs to be done is to educate people more on healthy foods and nutrition and how to cook basic good food. This needs to start in schools now before these children grow up in a world where the biggest option is quick and easy fast foods.
When I was a child takeout was a luxury and all our meals were home produced and cooked using ingredients fresh from the greengrocers and butchers and by keeping a well stocked store cupboard. This is something that I have carried on doing with my own family. Yes we do have more takeout and the occasional quick and easy option of pizzas and such. However Most evening I will have produced a home cooked meal made from scratch. It does take a bit more time and thought than just a bung it in the oven from the supermarket, but the taste, nutrition and the satisfaction I get when everyone round the table says how good it was makes it all worthwhile.
So my new project is an online cooking class, going back to basic home cooking. I have aimed it at the novice cook and those that are afraid to try new things. My aim is to help buildup their confidence in the kitchen. Starting off with simple easy to do recipes using basic ingredients and gradually moving onto more advanced cooking. Cooking is a simple science, follow the method and you can't go wrong.
Many of the recipes are my own concoctions from experimenting in the kitchen. They are simple, tasty and so easy to do. Even the more experienced cook I would hope enjoy the recipes. So If you would like to join me with my online cooking classes I would be delighted. There is no signing up or having to give any personal details. You can start or stop when you like. The recipes can easily be printed off and kept for another day.
As I said this is a new project, so it is also a learning experience for me. I will be adding new recipes each week as well as a list of equipment needed and photos and videos on how to do it. I hope some of you will join me, even if you are a whiz in the kitchen. To access the cooking classes click on the link below which explains how it is all going to work and on the page you will see a list stating the weeks and the recipe for that week. To access the recipe click on the week that you want and your recipe will appear.
I look forward to seeing some of you in my kitchen x
http://www.squidoo.com/online-cooking-class-back-to-basins
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