Cooking can either be something you love to do, or despise. It could be a way to let out your creativity while making delicious food, or it could be a bothersome task that ends in you buying takeout for the 5th time this week. 

To most, it may seem like it takes a lot of work to put together a meal, but in reality, cooking can be incredibly fun and easy. Plus, making your own food allows for you to customize the meal to fit your individual needs. You can add in your favorite vegetables, mix up your favorite sauce, or put in as many seasonings as your heart desires.

Another nice side-effect of cooking is the pride you take in your work. The food is often more enjoyable when you make it yourself!

Cooking can also help you save money. Making one big meal at the beginning of the week and saving the leftovers for the rest of the days is a great way to eat homemade, delicious food for little cost.

So, if you’re convinced that cooking could be an exciting, new thing to try, or you’re just hungry and looking for something easy to make, then check out some of these tasty recipes:

Pizza

Ingredients:

• Pillsbury pizza crust
• Sauce of your choice 
• Cheese of your choice
• Toppings of your choice

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and grease a nonstick cookie sheet.
2. Unroll the pizza crust onto the sheet and form your desired thickness and shape.
3. Bake the dough by itself for 8 minutes.
4. Take out the dough and place all sauces, cheeses, and toppings onto the pizza.
5. Bake the pizza for 6 to 10 minutes, or until it is a golden brown.
6. Cut and serve!

Caccio e Peppe

Ingredients:

• Pecorino Romano cheese
• Bucatini pasta
• Unsalted butter
• Black Pepper
• Salt
• Grilled chicken(optional)
• Peas (optional)

Directions:

1. Boil a large pot of water and season with salt.
2. While it is boiling, grate your cheese.
3. Add pasta into the pot and cook for 8-12 minutes, or until it is al dente.
4. Drain the pasta and add it back into the pot, along with some pasta water and the butter.
5. Add the grated cheese and black pepper into the pot and toss together until it is smooth and creamy.
6. Top with any additional ingredients, some grated cheese, and serve.

Spicy Noodles

Ingredients:

• Lo mein noodles
• Butter
• Crushed red pepper
• 2 Large eggs
• Brown sugar
• Soy sauce
• Sriracha
• Green onion 

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, and sriracha. Put aside.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the noodles and cook until tender. Drain the water once finished.
3. While the noodles are cooking, add the butter onto a skillet and whisk two eggs in a bowl. Add the eggs and crushed red pepper onto the skillet and lightly scramble the eggs.
4. When the noodles are done, add them onto the skillet and drizzle the sauce on top. Stir everything together.
5. Top the noodles with the sliced green onions and serve.

Chicken Rice Bowl

Ingredients for the bowl:

• Chicken breast strips
• White or brown rice
• 1 Avocado
• Cherry tomatoes
• Black beans
• Corn kettles
• Taco seasoning 
• Cilantro

Ingredients for the sauce:

• Mayonnaise
• Cilantro 
• Lime juice
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, cilantro, lime juice, garlic powder, 2 teaspoons of water, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2. Cut the tomatoes and avocado into small pieces and set aside.
3. In a skillet, add some olive oil and heat on medium. Add the chicken, turn occasionally, and cook for about 4 minutes. Remove and place on a plate. 
4. In the same skillet, add the corn, taco seasoning, olive oil, and black beans. Toss in some salt and pepper and stir occasionally for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. 
5. In a bowl, add the rice, corn, beans, tomatoes, avocado, and chicken. Drizzle with the sauce, top with cilantro, and serve.op

Beef Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

• Beef sirloin
• Broccoli
• Bell pepper
• Carrots
• Green onion
• Minced garlic
• Soy sauce
• Sesame seeds
• Vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet on medium heat. Cut the beef into two inch strips and add onto the skillet. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it has browned. 
2. Thinly slice the carrots and cut the bell pepper into matchsticks. Add onto the same skillet as the beef, along with the broccoli, green onion, and garlic. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
3. Mix everything together in the skillet and season with soy sauce and sesame seeds. Continue cooking until vegetables are tender.
4. Once ready, add the stir fry into a bowl and enjoy!

These meals can all be adjusted to fit your tastes. If you don’t like a certain vegetable, feel free to take it out or add in one you do enjoy. If spicy food isn’t your thing, then skip adding the sriracha into the noodles. 

There are hundreds of recipes online for all kinds of cooks, whether you’ve never cooked in your life or love to come up with recipes every night. Finding the right one for you is a great thing, because as long as you’re good at making one meal, you will do well. 

So, feel free to check out some of these recipes and work on your cooking abilities!