From Rice Rookie to Kitchen Champion: The Story Behind Kitchen Capers

 
The Story Behind Kitchen Capers
 

You know those kitchen moments that make you want to throw in the towel (or maybe throw the towel at something)? The ones where smoke alarms become your cooking soundtrack and takeout seems like the only reasonable option? I've been there too, and so have the 21 nieces and nephews who inspired me to write Kitchen Capers: A Beginner's Guide to Conquering Kitchen Challenges.
 
I have always been inspired to write a cookbook of some kind- and I always wanted it to be more than a book of recipes. Truth is, this has been in the works off and on for several years now. There was a certain event that took place that really lit a fire and made me want to put the finishing touches on this thing.
  
It all started when I gifted a rice cooker to one of my nieces, fresh in her new townhome. Her voice, “Titi, I don’t even know how to cook rice -I always mess it up. This rice cooker is going to help me SO MUCH !” sparked not just a chuckle, but a spark of recognition. I flashed back to my first kitchen—pots and pans staring back like alien artifacts, leaving me wondering how adults managed to eat daily. I’d watched my mom whip up meals like a pro for years, but standing there, I felt clueless, navigating my own spaceship of a kitchen solita. As I developed Kitchen Capers, I reflected on those fumbling moments—and the chats with my nieces and nephews. Their mix of cooking skills (or hilarious lack thereof), their kitchen interestes or fears, and their love for my dishes fueled me. I realized I couldn’t write a guide for life for them, but I could DEFINITELY share my passion—cooking and food, one of my many ways of loving as an auntie. Like music, it’s a universal language. We all need to eat, right?
  
Cooking basics aren’t basic when no one’s shown you how. What’s obvious to pros feels mysterious to beginners—why does pasta stick? How do you know when chicken is  done? Why’s everything burnt or undercooked? Kitchen Capers answers these questions without judgment or complexity. Because I believe cooking should be fun, even when the rice is gummy or crunchy (been there, done that, got the battle-scarred pot to prove it).
 
 Let me share one of the simplest recipes from my “recipe arsenal”—my 15-Minute Lemon Garlic Pasta. It requires minimal ingredients but delivers maximum flavor:
 
 
Cook 8oz pasta in well-salted water (it should taste like the sea!)
 
While pasta cooks, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a pan
 
Add 4 minced garlic cloves, cook for 30 seconds
 
Add zest and juice of one lemon
 
Drain pasta, saving some pasta water
  
Toss pasta with sauce, add ½ cup Parmesan and a splash of pasta water
 
Season with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs if you have them
  
Here's the Titi wisdom I want to share with you today: Progress matters more than perfection. Every great cook started with disasters ( like my first "fancy" cooking attempt involved misreading "capers" as "peppers"—let's just say my salmon was uniquely spicy). The difference between good cooks and "cereal-for-dinner" folks isn't talent—it's practice and patience.
 
So if you're standing in your kitchen feeling overwhelmed, remember that cooking is a journey. You don't need to master everything at once. Start with one good recipe, build your confidence, and soon you'll be improvising like a pro.
 
Kitchen Capers: A Beginner’s Guide to Conquering Kitchen Challenges is available now at titi-cooks.com/book #Kitchen Capers #TitiSimplyCooks #BeginnerCooking. Because everyone deserves to feel kitchen confident—one simple, delicious meal at a time.