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What made you want to start your blog?
I realized that I don’t cook with recipes. I use recipes to try things out then go on a different path. So when people ask me the recipe, I often can’t tell them. Instead, I explain how I make something, which is more steps, size comparison or guessing, the ratio of flour to sugar to butter. So it’s leaving a legacy and helping others. It’s important for me to share this information and show people how to combine foods, look, listen, smell while preparing. I also used to feature a lot of natural body care and wanted to share by beauty tips. The cooking part took off, so I concentrated on that.
What are the biggest fears women have about cooking?
Well, I’m not sure what fears women have universally. I’m trying to learn because I try to cook fearlessly myself. I think it’s a combination of knowing how to make certain things but maybe not the many techniques involved in cooking. Some people combine foods without understanding how heating food or other preparations add or take away flavor. Oh, also we eat out so much, so we don’t see the technique, the combination of smells. We just see food on the table without looking over someone’s shoulder or helping. So, one can feel lost. Think about what happened before GPS and MapQuest when we were driving back in the day. If you made a wrong turn, you could just get lost. It’ can be really uncomfortable, even scary. I think people can get lost when following a recipe. You don’t see “well, if your onions get soggy, throw it out and start over.” Or “please don’t even think you can use baking soda instead of baking powder. This cake will not rise” You don’t get a recalculated route, or RECIPE. Recipes are not made to teach people how to cook. But that’s what people need.
Can being a good cook make you seem too domestic?
Yes. Anything can make you too domestic. Especially if you don’t want to get perceived that way. Yes, women often do more in the house than men. But why should that stop me from saving time and money when I get it right, knowing what’s going in my body and enjoying myself? There needs to be some passion behind it. Also, we are taught in this society to major, to specialize. Before women had to do it all. I, for one, love to cook. But cleaning? You can have it. I pay someone to clean sometimes because that’s not what I want to do with my time, not all the time. I don’t fault anyone for paying for something you don’t want to do, if your lifestyle can make that happen. But it can contribute to weight gain because there isn’t always accountability with ingredients in the food industry, especially restaurants. The last thing--I think women could be kinder to each other and to themselves. Some people call me Martha Stewart. But she’s not my model. Her stuff can be really hard and “perfectionist.” It takes hours and hours. I don’t have time like that. Even if I did, I wouldn’t take 30 steps to set a table. No way.
How can someone gain confidence in the kitchen?
Practice what you love to eat until it’s effortless joy. I think of when I used to take dance classes. A dance professor said to us that you really have to put in time and work on your skills to make it effortless. I found out that it’s true for a lot of things. I practice making caramel or eggless mayonnaise several times until it becomes like a dance. Like dancing or riding a bike your mind and body remember and then it’s a part of you.
How do you pick your blog topics?
Usually, I’ve brought something to work or church and someone will find out I made a dish. Or say “what did you make?” and then just eat it. Then people ask for the recipe or how I made it. Or I’ll taste someone’s cooking and ask to put it on my blog. Or I’ll read something, buy a food or an implement or start thinking about something that I’ll want to share.
Is food a good way to get the man or is it just the icing on the cake?
Well, I think it definitely helped me, without realizing it at the time. I would say it can help keep a man, too. It’s not the only way. In a nutshell, here’s how to get a man, foodwise: Know his favorite food from a restaurant and figure out how to recreate that. I wouldn’t advise perfecting the dish his mama makes. That could make it seem like you are trying to hijack that relationship. Start with something that’s between you two. Next, figure out the foods he loves, like salmon and blackened chicken and salad and make a new dish he would love, like blackened salmon salad. The recipe: caring, time, paying attention and common sense.
What can a woman do to improve her cooking abilities?
A couple things will make a person (not just a woman!!) a better cook. I think one way some people set themselves up is to use a bad recipe. That’s what I call a recipe that’s not tested. Read and use tested recipes. Make sure you look at the ingredients and steps and they make sense. I love America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Illustrated (click on title link above) because they are maniacs for food testing and process. Sometimes I think they go overboard, but it’s effective. Like Consumer Reports for food and recipes. They won't steer you wrong and they are full of advice. For frou frou cooking, more of what you find in restaurants that serve courses, I like epicurious.com. I especially like the recipes from Gourmet magazine. Look for the highest-rated recipes AND read the reviews, since they often contain really good tips. If you like Food Network, I think Ina Garten’s recipes are really good, well done and accurate. Betty Crocker is not my favorite because it’s based on manufactured products bettycrocker.com. But it is how some people prefer to cook. And there are some good finds, like their Apricot-Rosemary leg of lamb, which I make almost every Easter. Anyway, they test and retest their recipes. My favorite food radio show is splendidtable.org on American Public Media. It airs on WAMU at 3 PM on Saturdays. You can also download the podcast or listen on the Splendid Table Website. I also like Jacques Pépin "Fast Food My Way" shows. Only some of his recipes are to my taste, but his technique and his shortcuts are excellent.
There are some delightful recipes on your blog, are you going to put together a recipe book of your own?
Oh, thanks. I think it could happen. I practice cooking, but I don’t really test by measuring and timing on my blog. I would want to do it right in a cookbook. Who cares? Well. Cooking is emotional. I think of someone cooking, spending all that money and time. I’ve seen people cry when a recipe goes wrong. No more time, company about to come over, lasagna still raw in the middle but burnt outside. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone! So, I would love to do that but only if I could do it right. Happy to give tips and point to recipes I think are really good for now.
What is a tasteful dish that a working woman-on-the-go can put together?
I have two. The other recipe, for fast creamy mac'n'cheese, is on my previous blog post. This one is the African side of me, for peanut chicken. For 4-6 people. You'll need a Pyrex pan 9x13, the one that’s as long as a computer keyboard and twice as wide. Sometimes called a lasagna pan. For best results, start this the night before to let the flavors marinate.
Use 2 pounds of boneless chicken thighs. Or about 3 ½ pounds bone-in. OK, get some Goya brand Mojo Criollo marinade from Goya. It’s lemon juice, orange juice, salt cumin and black pepper. I get it at Shoppers. Or, use ½ all-natural Italian dressing ½ water. Use a ½ cup of the marinade (Use close to a cup more if bone-in. The sauce will get thicker). Put it in the pan.
Then take ¼ cup peanut butter, the same size as a stick of butter. Mix the two together in the glass container. It should be creamy, a little wetter than yogurt. Then use the freshest refrigerated salsa you can find. 1 ½ cups. Mix one cup salsa with the peanut mix.
Add the chicken in the pan. Put ½ cup salsa on top of chicken. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, as soon as you get up, put the chicken in the cold oven, heated to 375. Bake the chicken for 45 minutes for boneless; 1 hour 20 minutes for bone-in. Note that these are temperatures for chilled chicken. Let it cool, then put in the fridge before work.
Or, if you have enough time after you get home, let it sit 10 minutes then serve. I haven’t tried this, but I think you could use tilapia cooked at 400 for 25 minutes. st.
I would also make a plug for people to buy a food processor (at least 7-Cup size) a toaster oven, a good knife, a cast iron skillet and a stick blender. That way, you can get results and homemade food closer to what you'd get in a restaurant while adding convenience or less time.
Earlier we discussed our weird eating combination, do you have a weird food combination?
I love homemade hot chocolate with dark cocoa, milk, organic cane sugar, vanilla a dash of sea salt, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. In the winter time, it warms me from head to toe.
I love cantaloupe, cracked black pepper and black forest prosciutto. Can’t find that smoked prosciutto anymore. Driving me crazy! Also love homemade ricotta, homemade blueberry goodness (do a search of this blog) with lemon for breakfast in the summer.
Happy cooking!
Photo: Jonelle Weaver
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