What I've learned...

Speaking as someone who just started cooking within the past year, I wanted to share a little more than recipes with you today.  I have learned a lot in this past year with my new kitchen. 

Teflon is over-rated.  Years ago, I had a Teflon-coated skillet with me at college.  I would use it for everything, because it was the only pan I had.  I had to borrow one of my roommate's pots just for macaroni and cheese (a dish out of a box that I was very proud of making).  I mostly made Hamburger Helper with my Teflon pan.  I had a colander to drain the ground beef and a measuring cup to portion out the few ingredients that the meal required.  This Teflon pan was very well-used.  Now, I have a stainless aluminum skillet.  I find that I can brown ground beef in my current pan as well I could in the Teflon pan.  Where does the biggest difference lie?  The new pan is a lot sturdier than the Teflon pan.  I don't have to be careful about what instruments I use when I cook in my skillet.  I can use a metal spoon or tongs.  I don't have to buy all silicon coated or nylon utensils.  The scariest moment for me when I first got my new skillets was the first time I wanted to cook eggs.  I thought they would certainly stick to the pan, but they didn't.  They didn't stick, because the pan was at the proper temperature before I put the eggs in it.  I only used a small amount of butter in the pan first. 

"Dishwasher Safe" does not mean "use the dishwasher". There are many cookie sheets, muffin pans, pots, knives, glasses, etc. that all have the label "Dishwasher Safe" written on the packages. If you read the fine print, they usually say, for best results, hand wash only.  Knives should never be washed in the dishwasher.  While the blades appear to be sturdy, the edges that slice through all those delicious foods are actually very delicate.  They can chip and dull easily in the dishwasher.  The cookie sheets that were once flat and and smooth, can be warp because they were cleaned in a dishwasher.  Most cookies sheets are not a single layer of metal molded into the tray shape.  When placed in the dishwasher, the pressure can cause water to seep between the layers of metal.  the next time they go in the oven, they'll pop up and will not lie flat.  So, in the future, handwash these delicate items.

Knives are probably the most important utensil in the kitchen.  A bad knife can not only cause the preparation for a meal to take longer, but it is also more likely to cause injury.  When using a poorly sharpened knife, one must exert a much greater amount of pressure.  The chances that the knife will slip are also increased when it isn't sharp.  Please select knives with great care and do your research.  I most recently bought a set of Zwilling J. A. Henckel Mikado series. They are literally the best knife I've ever used.  I found myself wanting to chop and dice more and more just so I could use the knife.  Cutting an onion is a snap with this knife.  The steak knives that came with the collection also slice through a chicken breast with ease. My advice in this area is that your knives are more important than your cookware.  If you can't afford a great knife, start small and build a collection.  You don't have to buy and entire set all at once.  Also, I bought my set with a 20% off coupon at Bed Bath and Beyond.  Those coupons can save loads of money (especially on larger purchases).  If you get them, don't throw them away because they're expired...the store will honor them regardless of any expiration dates.