The Beginning

Well, here we are. I'm going to try my hand at this thing called "blogging." I want to share my wisdom, but that sounds cocky, I don't mean it that way. I've picked up so many things along the way, and taught myself so many little time-saving tips, I feel like I should pass all those nuggets of wisdom along to those at home who think they have to go to a fancy restaurant to get a good meal. You don't have to spend a fortune to eat well...although, I'm not going to lie, I love a good fancy meal once in awhile...or more often! ::wink wink::

I cook almost every night...and I always make something different. We enjoy a good meal at the end of a hard-worked day. All it takes is a bit of diligence, some great techniques up your sleeve, and fresh ingredients ... and maybe a few recipes. I talk to friends, and they can't believe that I cook every night, they can't understand where I find the time, or the patience...but really, it's just part of my routine, and it can be part of yours too.

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? The reason for the title of this blog...Mise en place. It literally means "putting in place," in French. It's what we do before we start cooking. When we look at a recipe, there's a list of ingredients, with measurements of how much we'll need. It's important to prep all this stuff before we start throwing things in a pan. How can we follow a recipe's instructions if we're trying to cut stuff up, stir, sear, broil and mash all at the same time? I think that mise en place is an appropriate name for a blog that's going to put people on the right track to cooking at home...and enjoying it. It may take some time upfront, prepping all those ingredients, but in the long run, it's one of the best ways to assure a well-cooked, well-seasoned meal. I usually end up filling up a bunch of little bowls with ingredients...it may make more dishes for later, but then again, if you're cooking, the one eating your food should be doing those dishes! :)

Come with me on this journey through the world of food. I'm going to try new techniques, recipes, and ingredients. I'll go into tried and true methods, and answer questions that readers want more information about...even if it means doing some research myself to find the accurate answer. I'll provide videos, reviews, and commentary on television shows (who's watching Top Chef?)...I'd love to get to know you guys along the way!