Whether you love to cook or try to avoid it when you can, there are ten suggested steps you can take to be happier in your kitchen.
Keep your kitchen stocked. This will help take away the stress of unexpected dinner guests, or if you’re running behind during your day and didn’t have a chance to plan your meal. When it comes it non-perishables there’s no reason to only buy what you’ll use that week. Keep basics on hand and a couple of your favorites as well. Also make sure that you’re well stocked on your spices and other items you use often like cheese.
If you’re at all able, grow fresh herbs in your kitchen. You’ll be amazed at how inspired you can be while cooking, just by looking at one of those pots of fresh herbs. If you can’t grow them, you can buy them fresh at your local farmer’s market and keep them much like you keep fresh flowers. Trim the stems and change the water frequently.
It’s always hard to work in a kitchen when you don’t have enough counter space. Take a look around your kitchen and see what you really use, and where you use it. You may have to re-arrange some things but try and create a flow of efficiency. Another way to keep things moving is to make sure that garbage bins are easily accessible.
It’s easy to settle for things that are on sale, or even handed down. However, if you don’t love your kitchen, chances are you’re not going to want to spend much time there. It can be a bit costly, but you need the proper tools to work in your kitchen. If you were a carpenter, you wouldn’t settle for an old wobbly drill to get the job done, so don’t settle for a frying pan that never sits quite right on your stove. Seek out good pieces of kitchen equipment that appeals to you, so that when you reach for that tool, you’re excited to use it!
Cleaning as you go is a huge part of keeping a happy kitchen. How often do we get done with a meal only to have our spirits sink because we look at all the dishes that are waiting for us? One suggestion is to keep one side of your sink full of warm soapy water. Toss your cooking tools in the sink, and when you’re waiting for something to come to a boil or brown, you can take a few seconds to do the dishes. When everything is said and done get someone else in the family to rinse off those plates and forks so you can sit back and enjoy a job well done.
Using sharp knives makes a world of difference. Keep your knives nice and sharp, but be careful when throwing them into that sink full of soapy water when cooking.
Your kitchen doesn’t have to be all work and no play. Include, art, flowers, music, touches of beauty or whimsy. Anything that makes your kitchen a place that you want to be in.
Step out of your routine. If your kitchen is always full of people, try kicking them all out and cooking alone. If you’re always alone, invite some friends over and have a cooking party followed by enjoying the fruits of your labor!
Learning techniques can be quite liberating when you’re in the kitchen. It gives you the option to inventory you supply and create something completely on your own. This gives you the chance to play and create in your kitchen and experiment without being tied down to a list of ingredients and directions. Take a class or have a friend show you how it’s done. Always be teachable.
No matter where you are, or what you’re doing, stop. Take it in. Enjoy the moment. If you’re constantly thinking about the next task or even what’s going to happen a week from now, you create an environment that is constantly unfulfilled. This is especially important if you dislike cooking. Stop, take it in, and enjoy the moment. Be proud of what you’re creating. Turn on the music and dance around while you stir together your meal. Have fun with it.
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