post grad tales: cooking

did you make it through college without having to cook? if so, congratulations. i don't know how you did it, and frankly, i'm impressed.

being comfortable in the kitchen isn't something we've all been bestowed with. for some, growing up involved parents or someone else making food, and kids staying out of it. for others, food and cooking were a natural process. either way, once you're "on your own", so to speak, you've gotta feed yourself, right?

this list is more so targeted to those who have little to zero kitchen experience. i've heard many peers say, "i don't know how to cook, and it's so scary to me!" but i am here to assure you it's not. it only takes a very basic level of familiarity to begin experimenting and eyeballing ingredients.

• try it! fortunately, cooking doesn't get much simpler than that. while some recipes are more daunting, there are tons and tons of resources and simple to follow dishes that can get you started. looking for a quick lunch? try this pasta salad recipe. you don't even have to turn on your oven. start with easy recipes to get comfortable in the kitchen. bookmark or print the ones you enjoy, and begin building your own "cookbook" for future reference.
• invest in a slow cooker. if you don't have one of these, get one. now. i mean it. get up, and go get one. they're as cheap as $15, so most any budget can accommodate one. buy a pack of chicken breasts or pork, cover it in bbq sauce, turn it on 'low' when you leave for work and when you come home, you'll have instant bbq for dinner. slow cooker recipes are simple and endless.
• invite a friend over for dinner. if you don't feel too kitchen savvy, invite a friend over to cook with you. whether this friend is skilled in the kitchen or not, you'll have a great experience bouncing ideas off one another - and laughing about how you have no idea how to tell when pasta is done. the meal could be bleh, it could be delicious, but either way, you're getting yourself kitchen acquainted.
• plan your meals + make a schedule. start off each sunday by deciding what sounds yummy for the week, and pick up the ingredients. if you're just starting out in the kitchen, make it a goal to cook 2 nights a week. if you're cooking for one, each meal should provide leftovers for lunches on other days.

the recipe pictured above is for mandarin orange chicken, found here.

this is a blog series on college post-grad life. click here to navigate to the list of posts in the series.