Kelly is a freelance writer who loves to cook. She is a former award-winning newspaper journalist who now writes for the web from her test kitchen in Jacksonville, Florida.
Thanks to my mom, I grew up with fabulous home-cooked food, but didn’t realize how lucky I was ‘til I was a teen. My house often had mouth-watering aromas drifting out to the garage. Slow-cooked pot roast simmered in a cast iron pan, with roasted carrots and potatoes added in the last hour and a half, and tantalized those of us in the house. When spaghetti sauce bubbled on the stove in a deep pot, you knew to not waste time on frivolous snacks before dinner. Spaghetti over angel hair pasta and Italian bread, with a side of broccoli or salad, was to be savored. My dad used Italian night as an excuse for a glass of red wine….”It’s good for you,” he would say, smiling.
Spoiled on Baltimore Crab Cakes
Sometimes, during the late spring and into the summer, my mother would procure claw crabmeat from the local seafood market, and make homemade crab cakes, Baltimore style. There were never any crabcake leftovers. When the grocery budget was close to its limit, we enjoyed meatloaf made with oatmeal, served with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies.
Food Gifts to Friends Made Holidays Bright
During the holidays, we helped make dozens of cookies, gingerbread, and sweetbreads. Much of the treats were given away to neighbors and friends as Christmas presents. The only food that my half-Chinese mother made just once a year was Chinese Buns. The amount of back-breaking work needed to make these steamed pork buns is unbelievable. On the flip side, you can’t beat the taste of the Chinese Buns, dipped in spicy hot mustard. What I find amazing are the memories that are attached to the delicious food I had growing up. Delicious homemade food is a treasure, and the art of making it is a must-have skill.
Made from Scratch Food an Unknown for Some
When I moved out and tasted dorm food, I was horrified. Then, hearing stories from friends about how the dorm food wasn’t so bad; it was just like eating at home. ? Yikes. Some were used to Hamburger Helper and whatnot for dinner. It was something I couldn’t imagine.
While working as a journalist, I unfortunately had little time for cooking in my tiny apartment kitchen. But, later on, after I got married, I did have time. And I realized that while my mother is a great cook, I hadn’t really learned a whole lot about cooking food. I had just enjoyed eating it.
Learning to Cook
And so, the struggle to cook good, homemade food began. I had my terrible outcomes to overcome (pot roast burnt to the bottom of the pan, as I was unused to cooking with gas), roast chicken, which took forever because my oven temperature was not what the gauge said (thanks, builder’s grade oven for apartments), and hard biscuits (over-kneading the dough).
Practice Makes Perfect
But, like anything else, if you practice and work hard at getting better, you do. You know you’re a pretty good cook when friends and family, and even acquaintances ask you for your recipes. It feels good to serve up nutritious and delicious food at the dinner table. Of course, another challenge is to serve up food that delights both my husband and our two children, ages 3 and 7 years old. I’m sure, if you’re a parent, you know the frustration! Luckily, through trial and error, I’ve been learning tips and tricks to get my kids to try new food and like it. 
Journey of Food Making and Tasting
So, come along with me on my cooking journey! I’d love the company and comments! It’s been 10 years since I burnt the pot roast. Now I’m working on expanding my recipe repertoire. From Asian style to Italian, Mexican to Spanish, and English to Irish, I’m looking forward to trying new recipes that include a twist of my own.
If you’re up for the challenge, subscribe to my blog, find me on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter! I look forward to getting to know your cooking style!
