Betty Crocker

Some people think that being a good cook is a skill you have to be born with. I completely disagree. Let me tell you a little story about my friend Amy. I always say Amy grew up in my backyard. Technically we just lived in a subdivision where our houses backed up to each other. And Amy likes to say that we have known each other so long that I pushed her down when she was learning to walk. I was 10 months old at the time, when will she get over this? 

Amy is an amazing artist and she loved the idea of creating things. One day when her mother left for an errand, she decided to bake something. I think we were twelve years old at the time. I always knew what she was up to because she would call me and say, "This is Betty Crocker calling..."  This particular afternoon she called me and told me that she needed my help immediately because the cupcakes BLEW UP in the oven, and she had not been given permission to bake!  "Baking Powder and Powdered Sugar -what is the difference?" "When it says "pre-heat the oven" what does that mean?"

Still, Amy kept on baking whenever she got the opportunity. Now she has a family of 6 and has become one of the best bakers and cooks that I know. She LOVES to create things and she just dropped off homemade muffins, cookies and a quiche that is to die for... all this with a newborn baby at home. What a great friend. And wow, Amy, you have come a long way.

My theory is that there are three types of people who "don't cook". If I've missed a category, let me know!

#1 People who don't have the skill. They were never trained properly. They were either at swim team, gymnastics, baseball or chess club when back in the day they would have been cooking at home with mom and grandma.

#2 People who don't have the right tools. You probably aren't roasting a chicken or making a cheesecake if you don't have a roasting or springform pan. 

#3 People who don't have the time/energy. Cooking can take some creative thought processes and when you don't plan ahead, you often go for the drive-thru or the frozen pizza. 

If you fit into any of these three categories, we need to talk. I can't tell you how many people have gone from "don't cook" to "Betty Crocker" with a little help with skills, the right tools and tips.