So there are a few ground rules for you to remember about cooking and I think we should review them together before we start.
Most important is that no recipe is perfect for every person exactly the way it is. Anyone who tries to convince you of this is just being arrogant and a little self-centered. So don't be afraid to change it up. If you don't like an ingredient, just remove it or substitute for something you do like. There is no reason why you shouldn't. Cooking isn't and exact science, it is an exercise in creativity. So, play with your food, it's good for you.
The above rule, however, does not equally apply when baking. Baking is a scientific experiment that requires precise amounts of certain ingredients to get things to rise properly. You can still play with flavors and such, and even play with all the ingredients, but it takes knowledge of what each ingredient does and brings to the particular party going on in your baking pan. So be more careful here or your cookies and cakes may end up stinking.
Second rule is to prepare before you start. The French call this their 'mise en place'. This means that you need to get your ingredients prepared before you start adding things to the pan. Let's say it again, guys, before you start adding things to the pan! Why, you ask? Well, simple: (1) once the cooking process starts you can't stop it because you forgot to chop something you need to add. you may end up overcooking things because you had to stop to get something else; (2) you want to make sure you actually have everything you need so you don't waste money on a half finished dish; (3) it is easy to burn stuff in the pan if you aren't watching the pan because your attention is now elsewhere in the kitchen; and (4) if you are rushing around because you are worried the stuff in your pan will burn, then you may cur yourself. Yes, once you get in some real time and practice, you can do the Rachel Ray thing and chop and prep while you have other stuff cooking in the pan, but until you reach that point try to prep before you start.
The third rule is keep a clean kitchen when cooking. Yes, I know your dishes will pile up in sinks and roommates leaves stuff around. No judgments. My place can get messy on busy days and as I've always said, life is too short to worry about laundry when there are loved ones to enjoy...sun and fun and all that calls. But the exception to this is when you are cooking. You need to keep your counters disinfected and you need to make sure that your don't cross-contaminate your food.
This means that you do not use the same knife that you just cut up chicken with to cut up your salad vegetables and you do not use the same cutting board. Understand, guys, because I can't stress this enough. You don't want to go running to the emergency room with food poisoning and you don't want to put anyone else there either.
What's that you say? But, I only have one knife and cutting board! Ahhh, grasshopper, let me introduce you to the shiny metal thing that you pile dishes in. It's called a sink. Use it and wash that knife and cutting board in between cutting different types of ingredients.
Fourth rule (and one I thought would have been obvious), you do not, do not, do not throw a pan of flaming oil in the pool to put out the flames. You shouldn't run around with a pan that's on fire. The oil could spill onto you and you will burn badly. And, you won't accomplish much because oil will just sit on the surface of the water and continue to burn.
So, how do you put out a kitchen fire you ask? Why, with your handy-dandy fire extinguisher. What's that, you don't have one? Well, go get one! They aren't that expensive. Get one that is rated for grease fires and keep it in the kitchen. Use it when your pan is fire crazed. A small fire can be extinguished by just putting a lid on the pan, but if it is huge, and you have a huge pan of oil, use the fire extinguisher. Don't grab the pan and try to run for the pool. That is just bad, bad, bad!
Remember these things and you and your kitchen will have a long, happy life together.
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