Guest Post by Christina K.

Maybe you visit Easy Peasy regularly, but never try to replicate any of the recipes you see here because you are afraid they won't turn out the same awesome way for you as they did for Angela. 

You are not alone!  I used to have the same fear until I took the Whole30 Challenge along with Angela last month.  Taking that challenge forced me to prepare every single one of my meals at home from scratch.  And I was definitely intimidated before we began.

Here are some tips for losing the fear and making great meals:

1. You have probably heard this one before, but it is vital so it is first.  Read your recipe all the way through a couple of times before you get even the first ingredient out.  You don't want to be in the middle of cooking a recipe only to find that you were supposed to have had the butter out at room temperature or to see that the garlic should have been roasted beforehand.

2. Once you have read the recipe, collect everything you need.  That means ingredients, yes.  But it also includes any bowls, knives, cutting boards, and cooking utensils.  Get a plate prepared with a paper towel if you are frying.  Have your cooling racks at the ready if you are baking.  Not everyone has time or discipline to prep all of the ingredients once a week for all of the meals she will be cooking, but everyone does have the time to collect all of these things just before cooking.  Do this and you won't find yourself running around trying to open a can of tomatoes as your garlic begins to burn in the pan.

3. Stick to the recipe!  If you are not a proficient cook, your additions or substitutions may just be the downfall of your meal.  Of course, omissions due to things such as allergies or general dislike of an ingredient are acceptable, but you must remember that your dish's flavor might be dramatically altered without that cilantro or cumin.  Don't expect it to taste the same if you have made changes! 

It really helps to find a recipe that you believe you can tackle and that uses flavors you enjoy.  If you don't believe there are any recipes out there that you can tackle, I urge you to re-read Angela's posts and keep these tips in mind.  If I can make a successful batch of her Chicken Thighs, you can too!

Thank you, Christina, for posting as my very first guest! She is a wonderful writer and a new blogger so go check out her blog Electric Ignition, "like" her on facebook and tell her I sent you! Stay tuned .. she has some funny stories, sad stories, inspiring stories to tell. If only she would write a book ...

Peace!