Learning How to Cook

When I lived back in my apartment, I was known as the "one who could cook." My poor roommate/best friend Michelle burned cheese once...in the crockpot. Don't ask, though it is a hilarious story.

But I prided myself on the fact that I could cook a supper from "scratch". Or so I thought.

Then, I moved to Africa. 

And I was humbled because I quickly realized I have no clue how to cook.

I'm ashamed to say this, but it actually dawned on my several months ago that you could make pudding and it doesn't have to come from a box. Shameful, I know.

But, I've come a long way. I still have so far to go, but I know my way around herbs, meat, and definitely the oven a whole lot better now.

Baking has become sort of therapy for me. I really started to enjoy the dessert side of it all. I've gotten pretty good at the sweets, so that's really helped my waistline (sarcasm).

Here's a couple of my favorite things I've made:

 

 This is my one and only batch of doughnuts I've made. It has mint chocolate icing on the top, and I made doughnut holes covered with cinnamon and sugar. They were quite yummy!

This is one of the many pie shells I've made. I've gotten pretty good at them, but not quite perfected. My recipe secret is Joy. She makes cooking fun.

 

 I made a birthday cake for Maggie, and since then she has asked me to make a few more. This one was for a friend's sister. Remember, no box mixes, no can's of icing...all from scratch. It sure is more time consuming.

 

This here is my favorite Saturday morning/late night meal: The Single Lady Pancake

Its a buttermilk pancake with bananas, pecans, chocolate chips, and maple syrup that I make myself. Its my comfort food. And it makes just enough for one giant pancake.

But I've tried cinnamon rolls, cheesecake, pumpkin pie, apple crisp, vanilla coconut pie, and so many others. I think the Laffoons like it because I'm always bringing over my newest recipe for them to try. 

Here are some things that are bit different than how Americans know them.

 

This is a lemon. When they get this big, they are actually yellow, but when they are smaller, they are green. Our oranges are green as well. But these crazy looking lemons these are just huge!

And here is a typical "head of lettuce." Its smaller than the lemons! You can only get lettuce seasonally of course, so a lot of the time you only find leaves...no heads of lettuce at all. I got pretty lucky with this one.


Cooking here has really just changed my perspective on so many things. I make most everything from scratch. Sometimes, its not that you can't get it here, its just so much cheaper to make it from scratch.

So listen up boys...I can actually do know how to cook now.
You know...just FYI.