So I didn’t make a resolution on New Year’s Day exactly, but as the year progressed, I found myself falling into a pattern. Since it seems to be a healthy and productive pattern, I decided I would try to continue it for the entire year:
I will try at least one new recipe every week.
The horror!
It can be an entree or dessert… breakfast, lunch or dinner, and it DEFINITELY doesn’t have to be complicated. (I prefer the recipes to be as simple as possible, really. I’d rather not have to Google too many cooking terms.)
I wouldn’t call myself a bad cook. I’m just terrified of trying something new and having it turn out wrong. All that effort and all that wasted food! It was becoming an issue. I was raised by two parents who are great cooks and who have tried to share many recipes with me. I shied away from making them for myself, however, for fear of making an inadequate dish.
After a weekend of cooking-anxiety-related stress, I Googled “fear of cooking.” (I admit, I felt a little silly as I was doing this.) But then the results came up: Mageiracophobia! (Don’t ask me how to say it.) The fear of cooking! This is a real thing, and enough people have felt the same way as I have that they gave the phobia a name. (OK, there’s also a name for the fear of garlic. ”Alliumphobia.” I thought that was just called “being a vampire.”)
I am not alone! I found this article by Dr. Susan Albers. Here’s an excerpt:
“I’ve heard the theory that if you can read a recipe, you can cook. So, why is it that so many very intelligent men and women get overwhelmed, throw their hands up in the air and deem themselves incapable in the kitchen? There are many things that stand in the way. In part, it may be perfectionism. What if this dish doesn’t come out just right? It’s very difficult for many of us to not be good at something on the first try. Not to mention that all change is difficult. Trying something new, in general, can cause anxiety.”
Now, I’m not going to go look for a therapist or meds or anything… but I do feel a sense of relief knowing that I’m not the only one who starts sweating when a recipe tells me to “blanch” something. I think my resolution is a good first step. I’d love to eventually take some basic cooking classes. Knowledge is power, right?
Here’s my most recent dinner concoction: Cilantro Lime Chicken
The crock pot: God's gift to mageirocophobes
If you read my Irish Potato post, this is another Shell recipe, which can be found… here! (I couldn’t find the tropical seasoning, so after Mr. Dish talked me down off a ledge in the Hispanic foods aisle I decided to use a packet of Lowry’s Southwest chicken seasoning.)
It was delicious! Falls apart with the poke of a fork. We made chicken tacos out of it and loved every tangy, zesty bite.
So they say acceptance is the first step to recovery. I don’t know what step #2 is, but I hope it’s a delicious and anxiety-free one.
