Learning to love to cook...

Learning to love to cook... That's the plan at least.

 I have spent the last month or so trying to stretch myself and really cook... And hopefully enjoy it.  I have not gone too crazy, but I have been cooking myself more and that's the first step!  I have made spaghetti with meat sauce, baked "fried" okra, baked "fried eggplant," chicken fajita salad, and jalapeño grilled cheese among other things.  

Fresh corn and green peppers sautéed...

with chicken :)

Oven baked "fried" eggplant! 

Two things I have leaned so far...

First thing I've learned... GO TO THE FARMER'S MARKET! 

Seriously, they have the best produce, are local and often the same price as the grocery store!  We have been going each Saturday morning and planning our meals accordingly.  Bonus- our FM here in Statesboro has incentives!  The first and third time you get $5 of free produce... for 2 weeks Andrew and I got our produce free! :)
Second... improvise, but not too much, especially if you have never cooked much before! Improvising and flexibility are good ways to be flexible and inexpensive in the kitchen.  But you can't just through the recipe out the window or change things in a recipe when you don't know how!  The first two times I attempted the baked "fried okra... well let's just say I made up the recipe and they were no good!
For the next month I hope to cook more... and take more pics :) What have you been cooking? Any tips for me???