April 2021

It took me years to learn to cook, let alone enjoy doing it. Cooking used to be a huge struggle because it took time, preparation, extra cleaning and some skill (of which I had little). To take an hour or more after work to sit down, prep and cook a meal sounded absolutely exhausting and many days it was. And It was harder and harder because I made it that way. I choose to see it as a burden instead of a blessing. What do I mean by blessing?

I would argue there are five reasons why I love to cook and you should too. Let’s start with the first reason.

1.) Cooking From Home is Ultimately Healthier

Ultimately cooking and eating at your own home is healthier than going out to eat even at a restaurant with healthier alternatives. Why is that? That is because you are able to control the ingredients you put in. You control the amount of oils, fats and other items that go into your food and the quantities. Cooking from home allows you to substitute unhealthy items for healthier alternatives making your food lighter in calories, salt and carbs. You can still make equally unhealthy foods at home should you choose too, but in general since you are putting the ingredients together, you will choose the healthier option.

2.) Cooking From Home Is Cheaper

Cooking from home ultimately ends up being cheaper because you control your budget, you are able to set how much you want to spend and any leftovers can be used for another meal! Leftovers are probably my biggest money saver. Make just a bit more of something than you know you will eat that evening and you can package the leftovers for lunch the next day. For those on a budget, this is the best way to start saving money.

3.) Cooking from Home Develops New Skill Sets

The best thing that I have found from cooking and baking is that I am developing new skill sets. I’m not perfect or a chef my any stretch but I am better than I was. And each day I get a little bit better. These skills make cooking feel less like a chore and makes it more enjoyable for me to do. I have also found the areas of cooking I’m not as fond of so I avoid those or find alternatives to make cooking fun.

4.) Cooking from Home Can Help with Weight and Health

Being able to cook, especially a relatively healthy meal for you and your family is a blessing. It doesn’t make the time element or the expense element go away. But it keeps you and your family healthier, it keeps your finances in a better spot as eating out adds up quickly, and it lets you enhance your cooking skills.

5.) Cooking From Home is Fun and Family Friendly

Cooking from home is fun and family friendly! You can involve your kids or spouse in the dinner process which allows you time to hang out and bond together. Plus cooking can be as fun as you make it! You can pick and choose your spices, try new ingredients, try new meals and more! You can make cooking enjoyable and a blast!

Why do you love cooking? If you don’t love cooking, why is that? Let me know in the comments below?

There is always that one college staple that lasts with you for the rest of your life, for me it was the discovery of grilled PB&J. I have had more peanut butter and jelly in my life than I care to count. It’s just one of those foods that never goes out of style and is always a go to on a rough day or a day you are busy. Well there was this small little ‘dining’ area below where I lived in the dorms and one of the things they offered was a grilled PB&J. One day I finally got around to ordering it and it was LIFE CHANGING. Literally the melted flavors of peanut butter and jelly combined with the rich toast taste of the bread was just phenomenal. It’s hard to explain how amazing this was to a young college kid, but it was definitely a highlight for me!

Overall Review: 5/5

Once I discovered the grilled PB&J it became a routine part of my meals/snack regimen. There are several ways to make this, you can make a normal PB&J and then butter the outer sides of the bread and set on a warm griddle. The other option is closer to how you make a grilled cheese sandwich. Butter the bread slices and let those start to toast on the griddle and then add your peanut butter and jelly to the slices. Once the jelly and peanut butter are warm you pull them off the grill, combine and enjoy!

If you do decide to make this grilled PB&J, know that its an easy way to spice up a classic recipe. You can adjust any portions of this recipe to adjust to your taste and what you have in the fridge. Overall, this is a simple classic recipe that will be a fun staple to add to your lunch rotations. For those who decide to try this recipe, leave a comment below so I can see how it went!

For more recipe reviews head to our page here: Recipe Reviews.

Chicken drumsticks are a staple in my home so when this baked chicken drumstick recipe popped up I knew I had to try it. Let me start off with the first thing I loved about this recipe and that it is that it was baked. I am not saying baked drumsticks are better than deep fried, but they definitely are healthier and easy to make. Plus being able to throw dinner and the oven and get other things done while they cook is a huge help on busy evenings!

There’s not a whole lot to say on the process for making these drumsticks, they are seriously so easy to prep and get ready for cooking. The flavors are good, nothing crazy and not overpowering; definitely designed to be paired with your favorite sauce. The biggest thing with this recipe is that they need to be broiled at the end to give them that outer crispiness that they are lacking. Baked chicken drumsticks are a healthier alternative to deep fried drumsticks, but without broiling them they lack that crispiness. I will try to boil them for a few minutes the next time to see what a difference they make. For those who have texture issues, I would highly recommend you consider broiling them at the end for a few minutes to get that crispy texture otherwise the baked texture is a bit harder to get down.

Overall Review: 3.5/5

Overall, the baked chicken drumsticks are good! Pair them with ranch or BBQ sauce, some veggies and fruit and you have yourself a good dinner. The best thing about these were the pure simplicity of them. There was nothing challenging about making them and it’s perfect for anyone who needs an easy dinner idea. If you do choose to make these baked chicken drumsticks, let me know in the comments below! Do you think they need to be broiled or do you like them as is?

For more recipe reviews head to our page here: Recipe Reviews.