Cooking Lessons for Life

Good decisions in the kitchen can lead to good decisions in life. Let's examine the basics one you'd encounter in a Cooking 101 class.

1. Plan ahead.
What are you going to eat? What do you want to eat?
What are you going to do? What do you want to earn?
Know your recipes. Know your numbers.

2. Shop.
Find the ingredients you need.
Look for opportunities, future business relationships to foster, store (as in your business pantry for staples).

3. Stock the pantry.
Buy and have on hand staples to build future meals/life.
Freeze (shelve) what you don't need immediately.
Save leftovers to build sauces/stock/future business.

4. Prepare
Prep several recipe steps when you have moments of time (e.g. veggies, meat marinade, pre-bake crusts, pre-measure ingredients - store in prep bowls)
Thaw that which is frozen (meat, mind.
Check ahead of time that you have all ingredients.
Bake ahead (e.g. pies day before holiday.
Pray ahead.

5. Delegate
Teamwork is important. Jesus had disciples! Do the part you love or need to do, delegate rest (sweeping floor, setting table, buying groceries, unloading dishwasher, chopping salad, mail, bills, customer communication newsletters).
A harried cook is not a happy cook.

6. Cook
Home cooking is one foundation of a strong family and healthy body.
Sometimes love and faith are a successful kitchen's most important ingredients.
Get your timing right. Know when to cook low and slow (caramelized onions, long-term investments, responses to anger); when to cook hot and fast (seared tuna, blanched vegetables, business opportunities, new leads); when to leave things alone (souffle, retirement monies); and when to stir constantly (risotto, customers, acquiring knowledge and skills).

Bon Appetit!