I got to thinking the other day, how much I like to cook. I also got to thinking, what a pain it is to search through cookbooks and then try to follow the directions with nothing more than a paragraph or two, at best, to tell you how to make the dish. Often times, without a picture either (which is a personal peeve of mine when it comes to cookbooks). Don’t get me wrong, cookbooks can be great, especially if you have one from your favorite chef or restaurant. But, as a busy Mom, when I really want to make something foolproof (well, almost), I want someone to show me!
Have you ever explored YouTube.com for recipes? I honestly hadn’t, until recently. I guess it never occurred to me that YouTube would be such an immense source. I usually took a look around foodnetwork.com or simply did a Google search for the type of dish I was interested in. This method worked okay for getting multiple recipe ideas, but not necessarily for video recipes. I still had to do a lot of filtering myself.
What most appeals to me about the “show me” factor is that you’re taken step-by-step through the cooking process for a particular dish. You can pause, rewind, take time to gather ingredients, and compare different cooking styles (videos) for the same dish. What interests me about YouTube in particular? Well, you can get stuff from the pros (yes, food network stars) as well as the average Joe (or Jane), all in video format. It’s a no-brainer really.
Want a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that reminds you of the ones your grandma used to make? Just do a YouTube search for “chocolate chip cookie recipes.” You’re sure to find one that speaks to you and grandma too. Want an authentic recipe for spaghetti and meatballs? Check out one of my faves from chef, Keith Severson.
The possibilities that YouTube offers are endless, literally. I have made more fabulous dishes and learned much more about cooking from what I have found on this exciting resource ... bon appetite!
Originally published on Twins Pregnancy and Beyond
