I'm at it again... my quarterly attempt to "try cooking up some fun recipes again". I consider it a personal challenge... and an attempt to overcome my lack of confidence in the kitchen.

I've decided that a large part of my frustration in the past has been threefold:

#1 ...trying to find enough quick & easy recipes that utilize ingredients that I already have on hand.

#2 ...trying to find enough tasty recipes that are quick & easy. Period.

#3 ...having enough decent cookware & tools on hand to make meals that will last more than one sitting (thus eliminating the need to cook so frequently).

My overall goal is to lessen the number of times Jim & I eat out each week. (Trust me, it's a lot!)

I'll address #2 and #3 in future articles. For me, Phase One in this process is to remove the intimidation factor by simply making the recipes adapt to my pantry (...rather than making my pantry adapt to the recipes).

While performing a deep-clean on our kitchen this week, I found an old list of "all the best cooking tips" I compiled some time ago.

This list has followed me from kitchen to kitchen with every move we've made through the years.

I learned a few little-known secrets and food tips from Martha Stewart today:
(Keep reading... it gets better.)

...To keep POTATOES from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.

...Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ICE CREAM drips.

...Wrap CELERY in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.

...Cure for headaches: Take a LIME, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.

...Don't throw out all that leftover WINE. Instead, freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and other dishes.

So, where in the world did I find these great tips from Martha Stewart, you ask?... Why on CarTalk of course!