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The on-ramp for cooking is finding the recipes that make you want to cook, whether you get them from NYT Cooking or BuzzFeed or even a cookbook.

It doesn’t matter what they’re for (Slutty Brownies or kale salad or Bacon Explosion). What does matter is having the tools that make recipes work.

Why think about it in advance? If you suddenly need a spatula, you can get one at CVS. Who cares if it’s plastic? The dollar store sells measuring spoons. Is it a problem that they’re shaped like the state of Texas?