If you ever feel like Facebook’s usefulness to society has started to wane, you can rekindle your love with the platform by going to Jennifer Garner’s Facebook page. She posts cooking videos on it, and they are a joy to watch. Unlike some more slickly produced ones that you can find, these feel very homemade, but in a way that is warm and inviting, and with a host that feels as much like your friendly next door neighbor than a big name Hollywood actress. Labeled “#PretendCookingShow,” these make for some of the best cooking videos you can watch. One of the highlights is the video of her making bagels, and it is less about the recipe than it is about her. She soothes us as she recites the ingredients and process, and you feel like she is talking directly to you. On top of that, she knows the best food is made with love, and when the bagels are baking away in the oven, she sings to them and reads a book for them.
Garner’s recipes aren’t foolproof, and the homemade nature of them is part of the appeal, rather than the well tested recipes made by professional chefs who nail it every time. As you likely aren’t at that professional level, Garner’s style is probably a better choice for your skills, even if there can be a bit of inconsistency. As Garner noticed that the bagels were not perfect, she shrugged it off. “You win some, you lose some. I squeaked out a W today.” She has a whole range of things that she makes in the videos, so if you want to feel like a friend is teaching you how to make pizza, roast chicken, raspberry preserves, and plenty of other favorites, check out her magnificent Facebook page!