My Start as a Cook

I don't think I have ever explained how I got started cooking.  Let's just say when I got married 2 years ago I could make pizza, toast, and some pretty basic pasta.  Somehow inside I wanted to be able to make a beautiful and tasty meal for my husband that was ready when he got home from work, but did not know where to begin.  I was afraid to cook for him, because I thought he was a picky eater.  It took a lot of trial and error.

I remember the first time I attempted making chicken pot pie  from scratch.  I got off work early, went to the grocery store, and had such high hopes and aspirations for this meal. I was going to "WOW" my husband when he came home. Well....that is not what happened. It took me over 2 hours (not sure why or what I was doing) to prep everything and get it in the oven.  Then I made the mistake of putting it in too small of a pie dish and no pan or foil underneath to protect it in case of spills. I was cleaning up and doing dishes when the fire alarm went off in our house. I turned around and black smoke was BILLOWING out of the oven. I cautiously opened the oven afraid of what I was going to see. My pot pie had exploded over and was about to catch on fire at the bottom of my oven.  All I could think was "shit, shit, shit!!!!!!" I was running around trying to open doors, turn the oven off, stop the fire alarm, get the pot pie out of the oven.....  I was freaking out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Luckily, no flames came forth and I turned everything off in time.  I opened the front door and noticed that the neighbors kids were watching  out their window and had seen the whole thing.  Awesome. I wanted to punch the wall. I almost did.  Instead of my husband walking into a clean, organized home with the smell of a home cooked meal filling his senses, he walked into a home reaking of smoke and  me curled up on our bed crying.  We got pizza that night.  

SO......if I figured out how to cook, so can you! And in the end, I found out that I absolutely LOVE it!!!! I got over my fear of cooking and found a hobby and passion that I enjoy and am good at.  I started reading cookbooks cover to cover and watching the show, "Take Home Chef" with Curtis Stone.  Everything I learned I learned from watching and reading.  I even have a great chef friend who has complemented my knowledge of cooking. FOOD IS MY PASSION.