When you are first starting out in your kitchen (meaning you decided to make friends with your stove rather than the take-out menu) it can seem overwhelming, daunting, confusing and maybe even un-fun. So here are some tips to help you get started and make the experience painless enough that you will want to do it again.

1. Invest in a good chef’s knife. There’s nothing worse than mutilating your food or hurting yourself because you are using a dull, small or uncomfortable knife. Picking a good knife is a personal choice but I recommend one that is stainless steel, has a comfortable handle and is 6-8” long. A good knife will cost a little more but will stay sharper and last longer and will make life in the kitchen faster and easier so it’s worth every penny.
2. Use a big, wide, level cutting board. I recommend solid wood (bamboo is fabulous!). Keep it next to your stove or at least place it there when cooking. I suggest you get a smaller cutting board that you use specifically for meats and keep the big one reserved for vegetables and spices. This will help reduce any possible cross-contamination.
3. Get yourself a 12” skillet with a lid. This can be used for steaming and sautéing vegetables, cooking up meat, making stove-top casseroles, pasta and rice dishes, etc. Out of all my pots and pans I use my skillet the most and so will you.
4. Begin a spice rack. You don’t have to go out and buy a fancy rack. I use an old, plastic 2-deck lazy susan my mother handed down to me and it holds the spice containers I buy at the store. Not sure what to buy? Just start buying what you need for certain recipes and you’ll be surprised how quickly your rack fills up over time. You’ll then reach a point where you will have just about what you need for the recipes you continue to make. Keep the spice rack on your counter near your stove if possible so you have quick, easy access to it when cooking.
5. Always have the following on-hand as these will become staples for almost every dish you make:
   a.Extra Virgin Olive Oil, unrefined, first-cold pressed, in a dark bottle (or store in dark, cool cabinet)
   b.Garlic
   c.Onions
6. Put on some soothing music and light some candles. Sometimes we need a little help decompressing after a long day and the idea of being in the kitchen isn’t too appealing. So make the kitchen environment more soothing to your spirit and you may find that cooking becomes more of a meditative experience that you look forward to.
7. Just start cooking. You didn’t start walking when you were born – you had to learn with one foot in front of the other. This took time to master but with patience and determination you did it. So it is with cooking. Don’t over-think it – keep it simple. Pick a recipe that sounds interesting to you and manageable in terms of preparation steps and just do it. Over time you will gain experience which leads to confidence which leads to efficiency (meaning less time spent slaving in the kitchen). See my Spirit Garden Creations or check out the online recipe resources  for inspiration!