FOLLOW FRIDAY: Be a Better Cook

The only way you can know for sure what is in your food is to make it yourself.  

If you are just starting to cook, want to make your cooking better, or want to get some help from experts, here are three sites to help you out.

The Feed: America's Test Kitchen  I stumbled upon this site while looking for a Gravlax (cured salmon) recipe.  It was love at first site!  I keep going back for more ideas and techniques.  Since finding The Feed, I've experimented with maple syrup cream and finally made homemade egg nog.

The Reluctant Gourmet  This website is a great place to learn all about cooking, basic techniques, how-tos, and what a cook keeps in his/her pantry.  Here you will learn how to cook, read a recipe, and make your cooking better.

Baking Tips at King Arthur Flour  I always lust over the King Arthur Catalog when it comes in the mail.  The kitchen tools, baking mixes, recipes, and of course delicious photos make me swoon.  This website is where you learn to bake breads, pastries, and cookies like I see in the catalogs.  Be sure to check out the community pages and recipes as well!

Do you consult cookbooks or the internet to learn how to cook foods or find recipes?

• Come back next week for 6 smoothie and protein shake recipes to help you slim down and feel better in the New Year!