Hello to all who want to cook great food!!!

I have started this blogg with people in mind that are wanting to learn to cook... maybe you at college or you have just left home and find yourself eating pie and chip's every day because despite all those GCSE's and A levels, no one has taught you how to cook home cooked food.  Cooking is a skill that is needed as we become independent.  I could not cook a thing at age 18 in my first flat with a new bf... so i left the cooking to him, and he was limited to frozen pie, bang it in the oven, serve with a few beans.  I yearned for that home cooked food i had become accustomed to from mum's kitchen so I made a concerted effort to learn to cook... Now I have a wide and varied collection of healthy but tasty and easy recipies that i can cook just as easily as shoving the frozen pie and frozen chips in the oven... it becomes second nature... It is healthier and we know what is in our food if we have made it ourselves from raw ingredients which sure is peace of mind after the latest food scandals that have been reported.

I always say... the first time you cook a recipe is the worst time... for these reasons...

• You may never had heard of the ingredients...
• You don't know what it looks like or where to find it in the supermarket...
• It may seem like it costs a lot to make, because you dont have any of the base ingredients such as stock cubes or balsamic vinegar or herbs...
• You have to follow the recipe step by step and are not sure if you are doing it right...

The good news is that the more you do something the easier it becomes.  Your shopping habits will change and you will find your cupboards are stocked with all the essential items you were once searching the supermarket for and the meals will become cheaper to make.

My recipes don't cost the earth to make... I have sadly spent most of my time learning to cook on a budget.  And they don't require lots of expensive equipment.  Although if you really get into cooking you may find yourself slowing down and gazing longingly at all the kitchen equipment whilst out shopping!!!

And the great news is that the food tastes a whole lot better than a microwave lasagne or pre made pie... and it's fun!!!

On with the recipies... Food newbie to expert chef in no time!!! ;-)