Everyone Can Cook

You know... I hear it pretty often. Usually, it's said with a joking tone of voice, but you know the person is being serious. Sometimes its 100% serious. However it is said, it's very common to hear the words...

I can't cook

Whether it's someone you know, or even yourself, everyone has heard this. I just don't understand it though. Nearly everyone has a pocket device that connects them to most of human knowledge...at the tap or push of a button. So why on earth would you think you can't cook? Anything you can imagine you'd like to eat can easily be google searched and found. From basic recipes to in-depth, step-by-step, video guides...it's all there. Even if you screw it up, or don't have the right ingredients, half the time you can come out with something that is pretty close.

Example #1 - Red Beans and Rice

So I was rummaging through my pantry cabinets the other day and found a pack of red beans. What can you make with red beans? Well, that's an easy answer for me, since most of my family is cajun. Red Beans and Rice is a staple. Despite that fact... I'd never made it, but it can't be that hard.

So step 1, find a recipe real quick. After 1 minute of googling, this one looked pretty good. Sadly I was missing a couple ingredients. Ham, bell peppers, and the correct type of sausage. I did have some jalepeno flavored sausage...so what the hell... let's give it a shot.

All you do is follow the recipe.

First our mise en place (I think thats french for "did you forget anything?")...

Then we do some caramalizing...also known as careful burning.

Look how pretty, just a little time...

Then we add in the rest of the ingredients...and just give it time...

and more time....

and finally....

Sure it might have taken a couple hours of cooking down and such...but it's really simple to do, and the end product is pretty delicious. (freshly made rice not shown...which is even more easy)