I don't, but I could see why you would.

I have had to go out and buy something last minute when a new recipe I made didn't turn out as expected.

Anonymous wrote:It’s normal either way.

I agree. I feel as though all the advice you'll see says to make things you've made before, but when I was in grad school, I didn't have the money to cook fancy/company food twice (and by "fancy," I mean not beans or pasta, although I sometimes fed guests that).

I still don't do test runs, but I am a very experienced cook by now, and although I am often serving new recipes, they're usually variations on things I've cooked before. If I wanted to serve something completely different from anything I'd made before (maybe dumplings with homemade wrappers?), I'd try it out on my family first. But honestly, I'm not that ambitious these days.

It’s normal either way.

I frequently try new dishes for our family’s dinner, but if we have guests I make an old favorite so I know it will turn out well.

I read that Ida Garden (Barefoot Contessa) did this when she started out. I do not -- I am not a perfectionist.

I'd totally try it out first, but I wouldn't call it "practicing." It's trying a new recipe to see if it's good or not before you serve it to other people. NBD.