free advice: lessons learned while cooking spaghetti

I don't cook much, so figure these tips might come in handy for others who don't:

1.  Don't wear a new shirt.

2.  Corn is easy.  Thus, it goes well with everything.

3.  If you cook a big portion once a week, you don't have to cook any more than once a week.

4.  Eating the same thing every day for three weeks straight is very doable, particularly if the recipe's easy.  Like corn.

5.  The tea kettle is very useful for boiling water faster than the stove will on its own.

6.  Don't sample as you go.  Make it all really fast and it put away in tupperware.  If you sample, you'll get hungrier and eat more and more and too much.  Instead, if you find it the next day, cold, in a tupperware, you will have the necessary willpower to restrain.

7.  Do the dishes right away.  It's a pain, but easier to take care of the whole kitchen adventure in one fell swoop.  Recurring adventures are less fun.

8.  If you change one little thing each week, it's easier than starting with a great big new idea each time.  For instance, I kept things the same for two weeks to not ruffle feathers too much.  On the third, I added corn.

9.  You don't have to thaw ground beef before you cook it.  It's easier, but not necessary.  Taking the paper off the bottom is recommended, though.  And easier when thawed.

10.  Two forks can help turn unthawed ground beef much easier than one forks can.

11.  It is difficult to watch Hamish and Andy and cook unthawed ground beef simultaneously.  Best to check program times before attempting to cook.

12.  Spaghetti noodles take longer to cook than broccoli.

13.  Broccoli cooked as long as spaghetti noodles is disgusting.  Particularly when it's spent a week in tupperware.

14.  Overcooked, week old broccoli is, like most things, better with corn.  Cranberry sauce added in makes it a great meal.

15.  You only actually save money cooking if you give up the daily trips to Max Brenner for dinner, too.