Do You Cook Everything From Scratch?

As I get older, I am trying my best to “adult”. No more microwaveable meals for me; I’ve been doing my best to cook meals from scratch. Last night, I made homemade garlic mashed potatoes, and although they were delicious, were they any better than instant mashed?

My dad came over for dinner and I wanted to treat him to a good meal. While my fiancé Ross cooked up steaks, I took charge of homemade garlic mashed potatoes. I checked out this recipe and it seemed fairly simple. I highly underestimated the amount of time it would take to peel the potatoes, cut them up, boil them, mash them, and mix them with a mixture of garlic and half & half. After an hour, the mashed potatoes were ready to be served, but I couldn’t help but think about the convenience of the tried-and-true instant mashed that I am so used to cooking. It takes a quarter of the time and they are just as yummy.

It was rewarding to enjoy the fruits of my labor, but I can’t help but love the convenience of my microwave. Maybe it’s because I am new to cooking and I need some improvements on flavor and technique, so I won’t completely abandon my “adulting” in the kitchen just yet.

But I want to know what you think. Cooking is time-consuming and difficult. Do you use the microwave as much as you can, or do you enjoy the cooking process from start to finish? Asking for a friend.