Cooking is not easy for all of us, but through constant practice you can perfect your cooking skills

I have often been told that I have an artistic side, one would probably think that the art within me would come alive when I cook food as well haha, but cooking is one of the things I run away from the most. Although growing up, the dishes at home prepared by great chefs, I reasoned that knowing how to cook would come naturally for me but it has not.

Lessons from the Kitchen Growing Up

I’ve learned many things from the kitchen growing up, this is where my love for bowls and spoons came rather than plates and forks. Sometimes you would still find me today dishing food my friend made, from the plate into a bowl. This is also where I have learned that onions are actually good, although I have avoided them for most of my life. I could never eat any food with onions in, my mom always had to make a different meal or find a way to disguise the onions in the food. Luckily, I have learned to overcome the fear of onions. However, even after many attempts, I haven’t figured out how cooking exactly works.

Struggles With Cooking Flavors and Textures

Sometimes I get the flavours right but then the texture is off. Other times I tried working with time, keeping things on the stove for a specific time. Then my friend mentioned that I need to cook by tasting the food. I’ve been trying that lately trying to taste the food and finding the perfect taste, which indicates that the food is ready. There has been some progress in the taste method but getting the right texture for the food I’m still trying to figure out.

Building Confidence in the Kitchen

It took a long time for me to get where I am now, I have always felt negative about making food. My ultimate excuse is that it just takes too much time and it has affected my confidence. There is nothing as demotivating when you have tried to make the best dish but then it flops, or if you see the face of someone trying to enjoy the food, but you know that it’s nothing even close to being enjoyed.

I cook more often now than I have before, for the longest time if have been only cooking dishes that I’m familiar with. Rice and minced meals. Lately, I’ve tried asking for more tips from my friend. This has helped me to explore more recipes, that I would personally be scared to try. This approach has boosted my confidence.

Do you have someone in your family that you usually call when you find yourself in the kitchen?

I have realized in my latest attempts in the kitchen I felt more relax and less stressed than I use to feel. I feel like there is some progress. If I could gain more confidence and passion I might start cooking more regularly. You probably wonder how I gained the confidence or what made me have a change in mind shift?

From Stressful to Relaxing: My New Cooking Mindset

The meals I’ve been trying lately are meal hacks that make one look like a professional chef when it only is, just you throwing a few things together. When I come home, I’m usually tired after the day’s hustle. There is nothing as frustrating as standing in front of pots, if there were not many technicalities to cooking, I would have loved it, but sometimes cooking draws the happy soul out of me. Until I found the best idea ever, cooking my meals in the oven, it made a big difference. I will share below one of the meals I’ve tried recently.

My best cooking attempt yet

My Best Cooking Attempt Yet: Easy Oven Pork Shanks and Veggies

I call it throwing things together, as it’s literally what one is doing but obviously some detailed steps in between.

Ingredients:

• Pork shanks

• Potatoes

• Carrot strips

• Diced onions

• Green pepper strips

• Green beans strips

Instructions:

You will need an oven pan and foil, I didn’t have foil so I ended up just using the pan. Chop the veggies into strips and place them in the middle of the pan. The veggies I used were what I found in my fridge at the time hence I list them in the ingredient. You more than welcome to add other veggies to the dish that suits your preference. I have tried using a lot of veggies, as I aimed to achieve a high level of nutrition.

It’s one of my favourite meal hacks as it saves a lot of time. The entire meal took me about 30 min to make. While I was defrosting the pork shanks, I cut the veggies into strips.

• Throw the veggies in the middle of the oven pan in no particular order.

• To avoid overcooking, place some veggies on top of the pork shank, then later add the pork shanks on top during the last 10 minutes of the cooking process.

• Before putting it all in the oven, sprinkle salt and spices generously.

• Add a drizzle of oil to prevent dryness.

• Set the oven at 180°C for 30 minutes (top and bottom heat).

• Check after 20 minutes.

Quick Side Salad Recipe

While the oven was doing its thing, I was busy making the salad:

• Throw beans in a bowl

• Grate carrots

• Add chopped green pepper

• Mix with mayonnaise

Within minutes, the salad was ready to serve.

Why Oven Cooking (or Air Fryers) Save Time and Energy

If you are also someone that usually tries to avoid cooking, by all means, I would recommend you to try this, it will cheer up a cooking spirit in you.

Using an oven to cook saves so much time! We know lately air-fryers have become the appliance for many household kitchens. So alternatively one could try this method of cooking with an air-fryer as well especially if you find it hard to stand in front of a pot. Or if cooking doesn’t come natural to you.