When I first began cooking, I always worked based off of a recipe. I never felt confident enough to try and tweak ingredients or just improvise the entire thing. I needed to follow the recipe exactly out of fear that I’d end up with an unappealing dish.
As I gained more confidence in my cooking, I began to play with recipes. Maybe I’d omit a spice or add more than recommended. As I became even more assured, I would add ingredients that weren’t listed or try cooking the dish in a different manner than the recipe directed. These adapted recipes became delicious dishes, and my confidence grew. Short story version: here I am today.
However, for many people cooking is a chore and something that requires specific guidance. I understand and appreciate that. These recipes, although fairly simple, may be tools that help new, uncertain, and tentative cooks create a new meal. If a recipe makes it easier for someone to make a meal, I’m glad to share it.
I have a number of recipes from the archives that fit this style; today I am sharing two of them.
Homemade Taco Meat– Yes, you could buy one of those handy little packets and sprinkle it on ground beef. OR, you could make your seasoning blend, which allows you to control important things like the amount of spice and salt. You decide.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese– Again, you can buy all sorts of flavored cream cheese at the grocery store, but most likely you won’t want to eat the whole container of it. Wouldn’t it be better to buy plain cream cheese and just season the amount you need? This recipe is easy and delicious!
