What's Cooking?

I am by no means a great cook. Or a food blogger. Nor do I want to be one. But it just so happens that my last name is the German word for cook, so… I suppose I sort of have to live up to that?

Luckily for me and everyone around me who I  force invite to try the outcome of my many endeavours I have not only developed a fondness for trying lots of new things (on the stove!), I am also not too shabby at it. Apart from spending too much time shopping for ingredients I really like the relaxing effect it has on me after a long work day. Mindless peeling of vegetables and picking of fresh herbs is exactly what the doctor has ordered after sitting in front of a screen with scrunched up eyes for 12 hours. I usually spend the time listening to one of my favourite podcasts or I have an episode of Ramsay’s Best Restaurant running in the background.  Okay yes, make that Hell’s Kitchen USA, much more trashy but infinitely more entertaining! And whilst I am bearing my soul here, I have recently developed an unhealthy obsession with watching Big Fat Gypsy Weddings. I do not recommend watching that while you are cooking, however. I need to switch the subtitles on to watch that show at the best of times and if I am chopping away at an eggplant I just won’t grasp the essential storyline. Wouldn’t that be a shame.

Most things I cook I get from recipes. As it appears I am in a linking mood today so here is a list of my favourite things to cook, all of these tested for easy instructions and ultimate tastiness:

– My absolute favourite dish for winter: Beef Goulash. Short preparation time if you let it simmer in the oven.

– Gordon Ramsay’s Shepherd Pie. Takes a little longer but still easy. Putting Worcestershire sauce in the minced meat is pure genius and something I have adapted for my bolognese sauce as well. Which I would like to link you to but it’s actually from a book. Just buy it instead?

– More beef? Try Jamie Oliver’s Beef & Ale Stew. Bonus: If you can only buy Guiness in 0,33l bottles you get to drink the rest.

– Every now and then I cook chicken, too. From Gordon Ramsay, again. Another easy dish with delicious results.

– Matt was the one who first cooked me a delicious mushroom risotto. Since then I have been cheating on him with Jamie Oliver’s recipe and cannot believe how easy it is. I mostly just use whichever fresh mushrooms I have. Another genius idea: Using Vermouth instead of white wine. Holy cow.

– If you like pizza as much as I do but detest delivery pizza, do NOT buy the horrible ready-made dough and think you are so clever. Like I did. Instead make this incredibly easy dough, cook this delicious tomato sauce, combine, sprinkle with more yummy things and open that red wine. Cheers!

I should probably stop here so no one overloads their bookmarks what with all this linking going on. That may be for the better anyway as I am about to move onto baking. I can see my boyfriend cringing at me just mentioning that word. Thing is, I love baking. I especially love eating baked goods. But you see, where I am doing reasonably well in cooking, I simply suck when it comes to baking. Many poor innocent little cookies have died a slow and dry death in my oven.

I’ll simply save the few successful baking recipes for another time. Think of it as desert to this 8 course meal of a post.