I love to cook, which is a good thing since I prepare the majority of the weeknight dinners for our busy family of four. My wife and I do our best to stay fit - and we try to get our kids to eat proper meals too - so I like to put a healthy spin on the dinners I prepare.
The recipes you will find here on the Cook-a-Paloooza blog, and in my weekly updates, are dishes I prepare for my family during the week - and would make again!
What is Cook-a-Palooza?
Cook-a-Palooza is an extension of a cookbook I wrote titled The Cook-a-Palooza Experience! What does Cook-a-Palooza mean? Here's how I think of it.PALOOZA: It is often referred to as meaning "a lot of one thing". I think of it as a variety of good things with a common thread. I could never limit myself to a single diet because I LOVE eating different foods! Variety keeps me inspired in the kitchen and the common thread among the meals I prepare is they have at least a few ingredients that are good for me and my family (at least most of the time)!
My Story
I wrote my cookbook in the evening and on weekends while I worked as a Human Resource professional. I wasn't sure if anyone would like my recipes, so a friend suggested I enter one in a local recipe contest to see how it would fair. By some form of beginner's luck my recipe won the contest.
Here's a quick rundown of what happened afterwards.
- The win gave me the confidence to publish my cookbook.
- The cookbook led to live cooking presentations, including a couple on a Food Network Canada cooking stage.
- I soon found myself doing interviews on local television and radio stations.
- I now blog and teach cooking classes online and at local universities and colleges.
Not Bad for a Home Cook!
Now, I can't take all the credit. My most important cooking lessons came from cooking alongside better cooks than myself. In fact, the first cooking class I attended made me realize my skills in the kitchen would progress much faster by learning from others.Anyone can cook good food and feel good about what they eat - no matter the circumstances. But sometimes we need the experience of others to help us progress faster, than attempting to do it on our own. I'm here to help!
I invite you to take a look at the Cook-a-Palooza Recipe Menu to help solve the mystery of what to make tonight for dinner, and to take a look at my online cooking school Cooking Pro Jumpstart to get more delicious successes on your plate in less time!
Thanks for reading my story!
Happy Cooking!
Brent
