172. Confident in the Kitchen: My 8 Best Tips for Elevating Your Everyday Cooking

This episode is my audio version of my contribution to the 2025 For the Love of Homeschooling Homesteading & Skillful Living Mega Bundle – available now through April 25, 2025 Get your mega bundle here: https://www.fortheloveofhomeschooling.com/?ref=loribethWhat makes me a passionate home cook?Lori Beth Auldridge is a homeschooling mom of 4 & passionate home cook. She learned from the best (Grandma Huck) while growing up in Appalachia & from private celebrity chefs when she worked as a personal assistant. She is the creator & host of the Elevating Motherhood Podcast. Follow her on IG: @loribethauldridgeWhat if cooking didn’t feel overwhelming? What if you could follow a recipe—or even create your own—without second-guessing yourself? I’m here to help.In this episode, you’ll find my 8 best tips for home cooks to help you build trust in your own cooking instincts. You’ll learn how to elevate flavors, experiment with spices, and make meals that actually taste good—not just edible. We’ll also cover how to study recipes, memorize key dishes, and practice your favorites so they feel effortless.Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated. Let’s make it simple—and enjoyable. I’m glad you’re here. Let’s get started!Tip 1: Cook from Semi-Scratch. Tip 2: Elevate Your Flavor Profiles.Tip 3: Pinch Your SaltTip 4: Bold Flavors, Better CookingTip 5: Study Recipes and Make Them Your OwnTip 6: Perfect a Favorite DishTip 7: Try New MealsTip 8: Memorize a Recipe(More details available in print form in the mega bundle)Lori Beth’s Famous Easy 3-sy Sausage GravyIf you can remember the number 3, you can memorize this recipe!1lb ground sage breakfast sausage3 tbs grass-fed butter1/3 cup white flour3 cups raw milksalt & pepper to tasteBrown the sausage in a pan on the stove. Once browned, add 3 tbs of butter. Let the butter melt, stir the sausage to coat. Add the flour. Stir again, coating the sausage. Allow the butter & flour to cook together for a few moments, forming a roux. Once a roux is achieved, add the milk. Stir continually on low to medium heat until thickened. You’ll know it’s ready when you scrape the pan and the gravy doesn’t come back together right away, but slowly moves back together because of its thickness. Add salt & pepper to taste (aiming to season heavily), tasting for flavor before serving. Serve over biscuits of your choosing.Note: I’ve added my personal preferences for a knock-your-socks-off gravy, but you are welcome to use your own (real) butter, whole milk, & preferred flavor of sausage.