First impressions on some things are hard to erase. Some things such as painting nails, cleaning your room, and cooking.

Cooking — that’s a big one — you can’t just BAM! know how to cook. Not in a few hours, not in a few days, maybe not even in a few weeks! I only have two pieces of advice for you. Get the right tools to do it, and watch Food Network. But, if you’re someone (like me) who has a ridiculously awesome cook in your own home, you might have a slight advantage. Now if you might be aware that I’ve mentioned my dad a couple times in some of my previous stories, but if you think he’s the one that can cook, you’re miles away from close. He can barbecue the ribs but that’s about it. Oh, he can make a mean top ramen too.

No, it’s my mom who is the cooking angel. She taught me everything I know from peeling a carrot, to making chicken cacciatore. So many things my mom makes are … too awesome to describe. Pork Milanese with a poached egg, a parmesan cheese frico and pickled red onions on an escarole salad. Wow, my mouth is watering just saying it! Seared scallops with a garlic sauce on fettuccine pasta and a corn and bacon salad. OMG I’m hungry now! (Editor’s note: Annie, we are totally coming to your house for dinner).

Memories are made in the kitchen. Did you read Gretchen Leigh’s article in the March 22 issue? That was great! Everything she said was so true! Each moment spent in the kitchen is an avalanche of emotion. Like those little emoticons when texting: angry, happy, all of them. And you know, going out to eat once in a while isn’t bad either. It’s just my mom doesn’t want me stuck eating pizza or fast food every night when I’m out of the house and in college. Yeah, I’m one of those kids who doesn’t want mac ‘n’ cheese and dino bites every night.  Dude, that’s an after-school snack not dinner. Cooking does have an economical value too. If you had fast food every night for a week that’s what, 45-50 buckaroos? And if you went out to eat at a restaurant that’s more formal every night for a week, get real, some broke, city girl fresh out of college isn’t about to blow her money on that. Ummmm Duh! Aeropostale! I’ve got other priorities! But anyway, you have to shop smart too. Making something simple like home made chili is just enough.

To close this out all I want to say is thanks, mom.

Annie Livengood of Covington is an aspiring journalist and sixthgrader at Crestwood Elementary.