Do you always follow recipes from books to the letter?

Hi Bluebelleangel, Actually my mother-in-law never had any daughters and she I had a really great relationship. Her and I acted more like mother and daughter. I am glad that she had shared so many recipes with me. She was a wonderful mother who will be greatly missed.

Hi Randylovesdar, It's a good thing your mother-in-law was gracious enough to give you her old time recipes. That's very nice of her. I wish I had a mother-in-law who's like that, though she also cooks but much of her recipes are native from their place in the province and she does not bake. In fact, I taught her some of my own recipes and some of my mother's best loved recipes as well. Thanks for your input. Have a nice day!

Hi Shia, Sometimes, it's really your mood that dictates what you could do in preparing the family's meal. Like you, when I am not up to it, I'll cook those dishes that calls for the simplest preparation and the simplest procedures. That way, I can save time, effort and energy. These are the times when I am most lazy to do anything in the kitchen. Thanks for your repsonse. Have a nice day!

OMG! in my haste, I didn't realize that I had made a wrong spelling. That should be response.

Hi Sender, We're on the same boat! Have a nice day.

Hello BStuff, I agree with you. Anyone who is comfortable with themselves and the way they cook can try just anything that's worthy of appreciation from the people they cook for. Have a nice day!

Hi Metatronik, You know for a man, it's a good thing you learned to cook early. I wish my elder daughter starts soon. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Hi Princesslawyer. I'm sure you'll easily learn because you have the desire and interest to do it. Cooking is easy for as long as you know the principles involved in every particular dish. You should start soon. I'm sure you'll love it when you get to hear others appreciating the dishes you lovingly prepared for them. I am no chef and am no expert cook but I know I cook good food because my husband still loves my cooking and so do my kids. Have a nice day!

I really hope so! The thing is, I don't have time for that, at least for now. I'm busy with school. I'll consider taking cooking lessons after taking the bar exams and while waiting for the result.

Hi Youless, Most cooks, do follow recipes to the letter only on the first try. I do too sometimes. It's good to know how the original recipe would come out and like you, at most times I change some measurements or alter ingredients to my taste preference. Thanks for your response. Have a nice day

Hi Allamgirl, I'm sure it's the cook book. :) Cheers! Have a nice day!

Hi Denzlangga, How lucky you are to be the food tester and taster. I used to be my mother's taster when I was young. It's really hard for the cook to look for substitute ingredients. It happened to me many times before that I get frustrated when I couldn't find any feasible alternative to some ingredients. Sadly, it sometimes affect my mood when I cook. Thanks for your response. Have a nice day!

Hi Nancy, Getting great ideas from cook books is also my hobby. When I feel the desire to surprise my family with a new recipe, I scan my books and find at least 4 or 5 which ingredients are readily available in my kitchen then I choose which ever will make for a good meal depending on my taste preference for the day. Thank you for your input. Have a nice day!

You're right. There are some ingredients that you could not simply substitute for anything. A Blueberry Muffin is simply not Blueberry Muffin without the Blueberries, and a Blueberry can never be a raisin instead. In taste and in texture, it sure will make a great difference and therefore there is no substitute to a blueberry than blueberry as it has a distinct taste that no other ingredient can match. Sadly, where I live, blueberries are imported canned goods that costs way to much. Sometimes, it's even worth 3 times as much as all the other ingredients combined. It's almost like putting gold in your baked goods. So I can never try to bake Blueberry Muffin unless I opted to buy the canned berries. Better yet, I'll go to a renowned bake shop and buy a slice or a muffin with coffee. Thanks for your response. Have a nice day!

Hi Puccagirl, Thanks for your response. It definitely makes the difference when you are a picky eater. At least you know what you put in in the food when you do the cooking. Have a nice day!

Hello Gerbera, It really is frustrating when you have set your mind to cook something from a cookbook and finding out your don't have all the ingredients required. If I couldn't find any good substitute I totally scratch the idea and find another recipe to cook instead. Thanks for your response. Have a nice day!

Hi Will, I can feel you are a seasoned cook. You are exactly right to say that these cook books are good guides that is why they are called instructionals. Cooking is an art and therefore everyone cooks differently and preferences for tastes differ with every person's perspective. Thanks for your input. Have a nice day!

Hello TexLadyPj, Thanks for the response. It's truly personal preference for different tastes that decides how the cook in the family cooks for them. My mother also loves heavy seasoning and tasty meals and I am afraid I got that from her too although when I cook for people who visit, I try to lessen on some seasonings because it's hard when people would not like what you prepared for them. I always kept cook books but most times I follow my preference for adding seasonings when I do cook from a book recipe. Have a nice day!

Hi Phaedra, That would be horrible to get yourself hurt while cooking, but any man would love how you go out of your way to cook for him. You are lucky that your partner cooks too. I'm sure you have it in you, it's just a matter of time. They say that when you lovingly prepare a meal for your partner, it will surely turn out right. Have a nice day!

Hi Doryvien, We're on the same boat. It's especially hard to look for so many ingredients in our country that are coming from the US market. Most times these ingredients are very costly and there's no choice but to look for cheaper alternatives that won't affect the taste that much. Thanks for the response and have a nice day.

Hi Tinym8, It's nice to know that a lot of people just like me, are trying recipes from cook books and it's even funny to know that just like me, not everyone are following recipes to the letter. I guess it's always a cook's preference for different things that matters. These cookbooks are just kind of inspirations and although the authors are maybe experts, people tend to look for ways to be their own chef.

Hi Damned_dle, Same here, it's hard sometimes to know what a dish would really taste unless you follow recipes to the letter, but it's just wishful thinking sometimes that I want to cook recipes that call for ingredients that are not available anywhere where I live or ingredients that cost too much making it highly improbable to make for an ordinary day's meal. Thanks for the input and happy mylotting.

Hi Juryse, When you are just starting to venture into cooking, that is what you will usually do. But I don't agree with you that you are not a good cook. The fact that you can follow recipes means you know what is asked and therefore you can cook. You'll find later that it's just a matter of practice to master your seasoning mixes. Like you, I sometimes follow as much as I could in trying new recipes but still I sometimes add or deduct from the measurements of a recipe ingredients especially salt or fish sauce for Asian dishes. Have a nice day!