You don’t have to be a professional to be a great cook!

So let’s be real, there are soo many tips I could have added to this list, but I 100% believe that working on these three skills/ideas will help you level up your cooking skills!

You don’t have to get wild…but use good ingredients!

This comes from my Italian heritage as well as working in Italian restaurants…if you’re using quality ingredients you don’t have to mask them with a ton of added flavor, they’ll be able to shine on their own!

The best way to do this is to use seasonal ingredients. I totally understand that can be challenging when in grocery stores you have access to foods like tomatoes, asparagus, and butternut squash…but really these veggies taste SOO much better when you enjoy them in season.

• Tomatoes are most flavorful during the summer…you’ll probably have the most juicy & sweet tomato in July and August.

• Asparagus are perfect when they are thin and have the best, most delicate flavor in April.

• Butternut squash thrives in cold weather; for a vibrantly colored squash choose to eat this in the fall when it’s packed with the most nutrients!

Not sure what’s in season? Type seasonal vegetables {insert month] and google it! You’ll be surprised how this one shift can significantly change your cooking!

Another great way to explore seasonal produce, specifically for your area, is to sign up for a CSA (community share agriculture) from a local COOP or farmer. Try exploring your local farmers market or shopping at a farm-fresh market. 

Like Ina Garten always says…”use a really good  EVOO,” because if you start with good quality ingredients, you really don’t have to do  much to them, they already taste awesome!

Some ingredients, like a really good EVOO may cost you a little more, but if you want to level up your cooking skills…it’s a smart investment.

Starting with a foundation good ingredients will give you a head start on the road to becoming a better cook!

Turn UP the Heat🔥…but also turn it down.

You can change the heat under your pan when it’s on the burner!

Some of you are probs like…no shit Celestina! I don’t mean to offend or assume that you didn’t know the knob or the button exist, that’s not what I’m implying at all!

It’s there so that you can turn the heat up & down throughout the cooking process! Cooking is an art….a painter wouldn’t use the same paint brush to give the canvas a first coat as she would to hone in on fine details.

Same concept with adjusting the heat under a pan during the cooking process!

When you’re sautéing onions, for example, you may need the pan on medium high to get the pan hot initially…then you may notice once you add the onions in that the pan was too hot and they are starting to brown too quickly…turn the heat down.

I’m sorry if this sounds elementary, I just want to reinforce that you’re totally in control of the outcome of the food you cook on the stove.

To that same pan, if you add in peppers after the onions…turn the heat back up to medium high. Your pan is going to lose heat when you add in more ingredients, so it’s important to bring the heat back up so that your veggies continue to sauté rather than sweat (meaning releasing the liquid at a lower temperature).

Long story short…use the knob! 😝

Don’t Be a Tart…but Use Acidity!

Not sure if you knew this, but I’m obsessed with citrus zest!

Using acidy can bring so much balance to a dish!

Salt isn’t the only way to coax flavor out of food…most of the time too much salt leads to completely inedible food.

I’m actually not much of a salter; instead, I use impactful flavors, like acidity to amp up a meal.

Most savory dishes can benefit from a squeeze of citrus, a splash of vino, or a bit of vinegar…these acidic liquid help to wake the dish up and add a brightness.

More so than salt, acidity might be your greatest asset in the kitchen!

This week try:

• Zesting a lemon to finish off sautéed greens or fish.

• Add lime zest to your guacamole, in addition to lime juice!

• Combine orange juice & balsamic for the most perfectly balanced vinaigrette.

Don’t have a zester? I love this one!

Adding something pickled is another fun way to add acidity.

Try adding pickled red onions to a taco! So good.

Even certain fresh fruits & vegetables in their pure form can be added to a dish to bring up the acidity level in a dish…like green apples in a salad, or tomatoes on avocado toast!

For more inspo check out Instagram where I post daily time-saving cooking tips!

Ready to start cooking like this on the regs?