I recently sent a meal to my neighbor's house. I'm not sure I remember why (Mom was sick, perhaps?) and I'm not completely sure what it was (chili, I think?). Either way, her kids raved about how good it was. Yes, even the picky one. I guess the conversation turned to the subject of food and cooking and the dad said to the kids that of course Mrs. Juth is a good cook - she's Italian! Well, I'm not sure that's exactly the reason, although it does seem that many Italians I know are good cooks. But if that were the only reason, what hope would there be for the rest of you?

I am not sure how my cooking would stand up to Martha Stewart's and I've only really been cooking for 13 years or so, but here are a few tips I've picked up along the way. They are really simple, but I think they make the difference between an OK cook and a really good one.

1. Use good ingredients.

This might seem simple enough, but I am surprised when I share recipes how many people are still using lemon juice out of a jar, garlic out of a spice tin and grated cheese from a plastic tub (you know which one I mean...). So rule number one is to stock your pantry with only the freshest ingredients. Get fresh garlic, lemons, Parmigiano-Regianno cheese and fresh herbs (if you only have one make it parsley). I promise you that if you make even these simple changes you will see a difference in the quality of your cooking. Too much money you say? It might cost more in the long run, but keeping your pantry stocked with these items is worth the extra money spent, in my opinion. Save your money elsewhere.

This brings me to tip number two.

2. Have good tools

I am not talking hammers and screwdrivers. I am talking kitchen shears, a microplane grater (which interestingly enough doubles as the other kind of tool) and a garlic press. And of course a good knife. The newest knife I purchased is the least expensive I own and my new favorite. Another absolute must have in our house is this handy item. I use it every single day, at least once, if not more. It is especially nice for making quick fruit shakes for breakfast.

3. Keep a well stocked pantry

If you have pasta, frozen shrimp, a jar of pesto, frozen chicken cutlets and ground beef, a few cans of tomatoes and beans, canned or boxed broths, a pint of heavy cream, frozen broccoli, cheddar and mozzarella cheeses and frozen pizza dough, you will never be at a loss for dinner. I failed to include a variety of oils, including good quality olive oil, bottles of red and white wines and some vinegars. But you knew that already, didn't you?

4. Collect recipes

This might seem obvious, but keep your eyes open for new and interesting recipes. Hardly a day goes by that I don't rip a recipe out of a magazine or print one I've found on the internet. Two of my favorite websites for recipes are allrecipes.com and Williams-Sonoma. Get a binder and some of those plastic protective sheets to store them in. Mark each recipe as you make it. Did you make changes? Did your family like it? I always make notes so that I know for next time.

Just tonight my son told me that he loved me a little bit more after enjoying a delicious meal. OK, maybe he didn't really love me more, but it was worth the effort I put into cooking to see him enjoy it so much.