Maggie Evans 
Times are changing, or going back a few decades. That is because people are choosing to cook at home rather than go out, 82% of them, in fact, prefer home-cooked over takeout.
If you are one of the many food lovers who want to enjoy more of your own freshly cooked meals there are a few things to consider.
Read on for the 6 most important tips to be a successful at-home chef.
Read the Whole Recipe
Even if it is your favorite recipe you probably do not have it memorized. Plus, you may have missed an essential component of the dish.
For example, you may need to let an ingredient marinate or sit for several hours. If you expect to eat in an hour then missing that part of the recipe will ruin your plans.
Make a Grocery List for Multiple Recipes
Many family favorite recipes include some of the most common ingredients. So, when you go shopping combine recipe lists to get bulk items that will not perish.
This will also help you plan your weekly meals without having to visit the market several times because you missed an ingredient.
Do Meal Prep
Preparing your food before you start cooking can save you from rushing and even burning parts of your dish. This means chopping and measuring ingredients and then setting them aside for easy adding.
Even your favorite crockpot recipes that are known for slow cooking can be prepared ahead of time. Freeze pre-prepared meals then drop them in the pot for a one-step dinner when you are busy.
Timing is Everything
Your all-time favorite recipe might not include side dishes or other components. For example, if you want rice with your dish then you may need to plan on cooking this part first.
The last thing you need is for your main dish to get cold while you wait for your sides to finish cooking. Therefore, always look at the cooking times of all your meal’s components.
Alterations are OK
Substituting ingredients, even in your favorite family recipes, are acceptable. This will most likely make the recipe more to your liking.
Sometimes you prefer whole wheat flour over white, or all you have is white onions and not yellow onions. In most cases, this will not affect your recipe, so do not let it stop you from trying to cook a dish if you can easily make an alteration.
Clean as You Cook
After eating, the last thing you want to do is clean an entire kitchen. This is why many people turn to order food because of the after-meal work.
Save yourself from a huge mess by cleaning while your food is cooking. Then after you eat, there will only be a few minor things to wash like your cooking dishes or pans.
Collecting Your Favorite Recipes
Now that you know how to prepare yourself like a pro cook you can now start gathering your favorite recipes. Keep a separate list or bookmark the dishes you enjoyed the most so you will not forget where you found them.
Check out our Food section for more recipe ideas.
