Bored by your same old cooking routine? Stressed by the thought of making din-din yet again?
I hear ya!
For years my stove served only as an extra heating source in the winter. I was so overwhelmed by the thought of using it for cooking: What should I cook? How do I cook it? How much will it cost? … Most times I got so overwhelmed by the questions that I turned to my takeout menu drawer for comfort.
In the end, however, I learned to overcome my fear of cooking. My solution? I started with super-simple recipes and invited friends over for a small dinner party.
Check out these 13 ways to make cooking more fun.
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Cook a theme dinner. Pick a fun cuisine like Spanish tapas or Asian and run with it.
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Put on festive music to make cooking more fun. Tunes that match the cuisine are perfect — Spanish or Italian, or any songs that get you moving. (My favorite is Billie Holiday.)
3. Cook with a cocktail. Everything is better with a cocktail in hand.
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Don't wing it: Follow a recipe so your dish is fail-safe.
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Keep it simple. Pick a super-easy recipe with few ingredients. Simply Recipes is a great place to start searching.
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Cook a one-pot wonder — like stew, stir fry, or a roast. Minimize cleanup and stress by tossing everything in one pot or pan.
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Invite friends or family to cook with you. Your friends can each bring a few ingredients to split the cost of the dinner. Plus, it's great bonding time for you and your spouse and kids.
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Enlist a friend or spouse to do the cleanup. I cook and my boyfriend cleans — that's the rule in my house.
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Claim a signature dish for yourself — something that is super-easy and you can make in a pinch. Mine is homemade pizza.
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Cook seasonally. Make grocery shopping fun by hitting up the farmers' market. You can sample the goods, meet the farmers, and bargain down the price.
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Ask your mom for a recipe from when you were little. It'll bring back great memories; plus, your mom will love that you're asking her for advice.
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Need professional help? Invite some friends over and hire a personal chef to teach you all the ways.
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Get motivated. Psych yourself up all day by planning a menu in advance. Pick up some goods over lunchtime so you don't have to fight the after-work rush.
How do you make cooking fun?
Images via Super Junk/Flickr
