Cooking vs. Baking

Do you cook, or do you bake? Both? Neither? I would have to say that I am definitely more of a baker than a "cooker". Some of my favorite things to bake are cookies, muffins, scones, biscotti, and granola. Though I haven't done it in a while, I can also make a mean wedding cake, as well as just about any kind of birthday cake (thanks to some Wilton classes I took, many years ago). That being said, I long to be more of a savory chef. When I made the decision to stay home with my boys, one of the things I told myself was that I would take this opportunity to become better at planning and executing meals. I would teach myself more of the basics so that I could be more successful in the kitchen. Steve claims to love my cooking, and with the exception of one meatball recipe I prepared for him, has never said that he dislikes anything that I make (thank goodness).

The root of my problem seems to be in my timing. I can plan out a menu, but inevitably, I end up forgetting to put something in the oven (or take it out), forget an ingredient, or I just get plain frazzled. Both of my parents are fabulous cooks - - they each have their own style, but can equally prepare delicious, lovely meals. They can both bake, too. My dad is known far and wide for his famous peanut butter fudge, and my mother makes beautiful cakes (she was my inspiration for learning to do it myself) as well as cookies, bars, candy, etc. I have always admired the elaborate meals that my Aunt Jean prepares. From appetizers, soups, chowders, roasts, breads, and elegant desserts, she does it all.

Back to my idea of becoming a better cook. So far, I haven't accomplished much of anything that I thought I would do, once I quit my paying job! I think I still have a couple of months of fitting in a "new baby" before things run as smooth as I'd like. Okay, so Griffin's three months old now and doesn't exactly qualify as new, but we're still working on getting nap time down pat, keeping Camden happy, etc. However, I have recently begun studying different cookbooks, trying to figure out where to start. I think one thing I need to do is to simply be a little more adventuresome. If I read a recipe and it sounds the least little bit complicated, I'll immediately think, "Well, I can't make that!" and I move on. So, I think I will start by tackling some recipes I've had my eye on for a while, and see what happens. I will keep you posted!