Can't seem to find time to cook???

Here are some tips:

Ever thought about bulk cooking?

1.  Choose a day or a time during the day when you have a little extra time. Make a dish that will last a couple of days i.e) Lasagna, a casserole, etc. If you can, make two, that way you can avoid getting bored and alternate dishes and days.

Don't like Leftovers?

1. When you purchase your groceries, go ahead and season the meat, even if it is as simple as Salt and Pepper. Place the meat in ziplock bags and freeze or refrigerate. If you decide to refrigerate, remember that the meat will only last a week or two depending on what it is.
2. Play around with that starch! Make a large batch of rice, for example. Then with each meal, take a portion of the rice and play with it! Make stir fry one night, Add cilantro and have burritos another night.

Have kids and don't have the time?

1. Get the kids involved! My grandma always put me to work in her kitchen. I crimped the beef patties, washed the meat, or I got whatever she needed (tupperware from the creepy room in the basement....)
2. They can be the taste testers!
3. Make a family friendly meal! Use this time to talk and cook. Food brings people together. 
4. Get the significant other involved. Decide who is going to cook on certain days. 

Other ideas?

1. Try Going Vegetarian or Vegan one day out of the week. It's a healthy choice and it SAVES MONEY!
2. If you still can't find the time...HIRE ME! (or just hire me anyway! www.foodsnob.net)

You have to Let Go to Make Room

This is a great mantra to have in any life experience. In this case, I am talking about the fridge :) Cooking is and always has been about experimentation then perfecting/adjusting the things you come up with that actually tasted good. I had some ingredients in the fridge that were on the brink of going bad this week. However, we didn't have access to much food (given the recent icy road conditions in Atlanta and the stores running low on food). Besides that, it hurts to throw food away (ouch). This is where creativity comes in! Anyone who says not to play with your food is Wrong! By all means play with it! 

Items: some potatoes (included red, purple and white), yuka (a starchy root vegetable used in a lot of African and Caribbean Cuisine), some onions and peppers. 

End result: A New Variation to Home Fries. The Yuka adds a different texture and flavor that blends in wells with the potatoes. The Purple Potatoes add an earthy flavor. And not to mention how COLORFUL the dish was. FAB!

Items: blueberries and blackberries

End result: a berry syrup. I put it on low heat with some sugar and some leftover white wine and reduced it. Strained the liquid and it taste YUMMMY with ginger ale or maybe some libation like vodka. 

Items: Hamburger Patties

End Result: Meatloaf! Make this your own. I like to add jerk seasoning to it :)

Items: Veggies: Onions, Carrots, Celery, Yellow Squash (on the brink of going bad) and Chicken bones.

End Result: Chicken Stock, OR you can do this with any left over bones or even Shellfish casings. OR leave out the bones and just make a veggie stock. Make sure to add a bay leaf and maybe some peppercorns. In school we are taught a formulas and times to make different base stocks. Typically stock is made with out seasonings (salt, etc). But, once again EXPERIMENT, Make this your own. Just remember that when you are done you need to strain all the ingredients so it is best to use ingredients that can be strained off. 

Make Room for experimentation!