A few favorites

Learning how to cook has been a passion of mine since college.  I absolutely LOVE finding new recipes and experimenting with them at home.  When I first started cooking, I followed recipes exactly as they directed and couldn't cook without some sort of instructions.  Lately, I've grown more confident and I've started making up my own meals as well as trying my hand at recipes I come across online and in books.  

I thought, today, I would share a few of my favorite cooking websites.  These are resources that I look to not only for recipes, but also for inspiration. 

(Kana Okada, Slow-Cooker Chicken, Fennel, and White Bean Soup)

Real Simple

 http://www.realsimple.com/
As a beginner, this website was perfect!  I needed simple, fool-proof recipes and these guys were exactly that. 

(Deb Perelman, Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake)

Smitten Kitchen

http://smittenkitchen.com/

Deb's food is both gorgeous and 

exceptionally tasty! (Her tomato soup?Yum.)  I love her posts and look forward to her recipes.

(Ree Drummond, Short Ribs in Tomato Sauce)

The Pioneer Woman

http://thepioneerwoman.com/
I love this site!  Funny and colorful
with recipes that will make you swoon.  Great for cooking for large crowds or if you want hearty, down-home fare.  

(Laura, Cheesy Turkey Sausage Stromboli)

Heavenly Homemakers

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/

Simple recipes made completely from scratch.  If you want to learn how to make healthy, homemade food this is a great resource.

These are just a few!  There are so many good sites out there, but these are ones I check frequently.  Check 'em out!