When did you first start cooking?

[Kaabi]

I didn't start cooking until college, when I basically needed to cook or I would have, err, starved. I also cooked for a lot of other people, and got some money in return. I wish I'd started earlier, though, then I would've been better.

[TexasRose]

Oh wow, I can't even remember. Seriously, I was barely in school, if that. That's one reason I've always enjoyed cooking. My mom is a great cook and I learned a lot just from helping her and branched out from there.

[Mama Mangia]

I think I was born cooking!

[BagCSC]

Yeah, started helping mother in the kitchen around age 6 or so...with little things like hot dogs, mac and cheese, fish sticks, etc.

[TexasRose]

I have to laugh at how particular I used to be. I would make tuna salad and my mom told me I needed 1/4 cup each of chopped onion and celery. I was so careful to fill the 1/4 cup measure exactly right.

I also remember the time I made mashed potatoes and forgot to drain them after boiling first. And the many times I forgot to salt something. Blech!

[BagCSC]

It is rare that I use measurements when cooking. It is all from eyeball unless I am following someone elses recipie.

[Twinmama]

This is going to sound so silly, but at some point in elementary school I read the book "Betsy's Wedding" in which Betsy discovers she's such a terrible cook that she can't even scramble eggs and it's a running joke in the book that she is a terrible cook, and I got all upset and ran to my mother and begged her to teach me how to scramble eggs.

and I went from there.

[TexasRose]

I measure less and less. I used to be fanatical about it but these days I generally eyeball things unless I'm baking, where you need to be more exact.

I figure if Rachael Ray can be famous using measurements like "a handful of this" and "once around the pan" then I can do it too.

[PoorGirl]

I started cooking when my mom was in a bad car accident and someone else had to cook. I dont care for it much. But I try for the sake for my family. lets just say that I should by stock in Hamburger Helper and oven bake. That is why I am here.

[DevilsCharm]

I think when you are a very experienced cook, you don't have to be so careful about measurements; you can just do them naturally, like driving.