OMGosh! What is that smell?

So once in a while I cook in the kitchen.  I am not the greatest cook but I can hold my own I guess.  I can't cook halfway either.  I seldom cook a dish where I have not made a humongous mess and have spent hours preparing and cooking the food.  Hey, if you going to do something you might as well do it big. Right?  I started cooking a few years back to serve as a creative outlet.  I love looking for a recipe and trying it for the first time. Here are the steps I take when preparing a meal. 

1) Decide what kind of meal I am in the mood to eat.  This takes awhile sometimes because I have to "air taste" my food.  What is air tasting you ask.  It is a method of visualizing my food, grabbing it from the air and putting it in my mouth.  What does it taste like.  Well, try it for yourself and find out.

2) Pick out a recipe.  I like Food Network TV.  I like the diversity and ease of the site.  Plus, it is something that I can trust.  I have watched a lot of these shows in the past so I trust the hosts.  I have no real reason to trust them other than I have seen them on TV.  So they must be trustworthy right. 

3) Go to the store.  I love shopping for ingredients.  My wife hates it when I go because I usually spend a lot of money.  I can't help it though.  Warning: Make sure to start this step early in the day or your could be there a few hours and then be late starting dinner.  This could throw your whole schedule out of wack.  Your family does not want to eat dinner at 9:30.

4)  Get to cooking!  This is the fun part.  Be as messy as you can.  If you are not making a mess then I say you are not cooking right.  In my house we have a deal.  If you cook then you don't have to clean.  So, I can make all the mess I want.(I still help clean anyway but it feels good to not be obligated to.)  Make sure to taste your food a lot.  I am usually half full before I even eat.  Also fill the kitchen with your favorite tunes.  This will make the process a memorable experience.  Promise.

So here is a picture of what I cooked tonight.  Chicken Mole.  It one of my favorite meals to cook and it pretty simple to fix.  My wife loves it and so do most of the kids.  I feel like making food for my family is one of the best ways to show them the love I have for them.  At least when I cook like this.  When I cook hamburger helper it just means I am in a hurry :)