If someone is going to offer cooking lessons, I am going to take them.

The Hillside Supper Club and Braun Thermometers hosted a little event in the city the other day, and I am soooo glad I went. I left with the best thermometer I've ever seen {my children cannot handle the in-the-mouth version we currently have, and this one just taps against their forehead and DONE!}, and a good grasp on making healthy hearty soup and pot pie. My family is thankful in advance, and judging by the cold and flu patterns in 2014, it won't be long before we put the thermometer to great use.

Sometimes cooking certain dishes is entirely too intimidating. Homemade pasta? What? I could never... but oh, we did. Chicken pot pie? No way... but yes, we also did that. I think the biggest lesson I'm learning this year regarding the kitchen is to "TRY IT. You might like it!" I know that expression is generally regarding the eating aspect of the kitchen, but for me- eating diverse foods has never been the problem. ;) I just don't want to try cooking recipes that just may not taste good... 2014 says TRY.

SO, here are the things I've learned from my day at The Hillside Supper Club

{*unsponsored, though we got goodies for the kitchen and thermometers to take home}

Eat at the Hillside Supper Club. I'm craving their homemade pasta so much that I've added a pasta maker to my Christmas wish list. There is nothing like it.
Spend a little time at the beginning of your week prepping things. Dicing and seasoning veggies that can be used for soups or pot pies or as sides on your plate make day-of cooking that much more manageable!
Doughs are not as intimidating as they seem. They're only a few quick ingredients, and you can have fresh, unprocessed pastas, pie crusts, etc etc.
Don't just toss meat bones. Simmer simmer simmer, and you'll have brilliant chicken stocks. My mom has been trying to teach this to me forever, but I'm a repeat offender of just tossing the bones. No longer, my friends, no longer.
GET A BRAUN THERMOMETER. I had this "under the tongue" traditional thermometer until last week. As I've said many times, my girls have been sick repeatedly this year. I avoided the thermometer at all cost-- the fits my sick little patients threw when I inserted that stick under their tongues were ridiculous. Now, my medicine cabinet has a thermometer that I merely need to press to my child's forehead {and I can allow them to keep sleeping!! Imagine!}, and their temperature shows directly on the screen. It's colored red, yellow, or green based on their numbers. I'm sold on this forever. PS. No need to worry if you have run out of germ-blocking sleeves.

All in all, a fun, successful day. Cooking classes and fabulous thermometers are my new favorite things.

xx