I can't cook!!

[SpicyNoodles]

Hey Everyone,

 

I believe I'm perfectly capable of cooking, however I haven't had much practice since my awesome mother always has food ready on the table by the time I come home from work or school. I know, I am spoiled But now that I'm moving out and living on my own I thought I'd ask for some help from people on this forum on anything related to cooking, from cooking techniques to recipes!

 

Another thing I want to accomplish from this thread besides being able to feed myself, is to prove my boyfriend wrong when he says that the women of my generation cannot cook

 

Thanks in advance!!

[Mithril]

I can't cook either and moving out in 3 weeks. I've been trying to evolve photosynthesis but it hasn't been working.

 

Maybe you can start with spicy noodles.

[Pantaloons]

Here's a website that started just recently from **DELETED**. Looks quite cool so far; written just for me.

http://www.poorstudentscookbook.com/

 

Epicurious' "Quick and Easy" is also often quick and easy

http://www.epicurious.com/recipesmenus/quickeasy/recipes

[SpicyNoodles]

I can't cook either and moving out in 3 weeks. I've been trying to evolve photosynthesis but it hasn't been working.

 

Maybe you can start with spicy noodles.

 

Oh trust me, I've mastered instant noodles...it happens when you can't cook.

[SpicyNoodles]

Here's a website that started just recently from **DELETED**. Looks quite cool so far; written just for me.

http://www.poorstudentscookbook.com/

 

Epicurious' "Quick and Easy" is also often quick and easy

http://www.epicurious.com/recipesmenus/quickeasy/recipes

 

Thanks Pantaloons! This is great!

[sparkles3288]

I'm not very good at cooking either and meat freaks me out to cook it.

 

However, even *I* have had successful dishes with a cookbook I got from Christmas that is published by Better Homes. It's a hardcover book that covers the basics of everything, many of which are illustrated with pictures. It's a godsend to people that are not the best cooks!

[Angelia]

I'm currently a dietetic intern so maybe I could help a little!

 

Dietitians of Canada have some recipes up:

http://www.dietitians.ca/Your-Health/Plan-Shop-Cook/Cook-Healthy.aspx

 

And they also give suggestions of some good nutritious cookbooks:

http://www.dietitians.ca/Nutrition-Resources-A-Z/Fact-Sheet-Pages(HTML)/Meal-Planning-and-Cooking/Good-Cookbooks-for-Healthy-Eating.aspx

 

This magazine is free and can be a good resource. I've used a couple of recipes out of it and they have all been delicious:

http://www.tdn-digital.com/digital.shtml

 

Can I mention crockpots? You can get a small one for not that much money. And yes it takes a bit of time in the morning, but basically you throw everything in, and when you come home at night you have a very tasty meal (one of the best ways for beginner cooks to start off). There are many websites that have crockpot recipes http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/chicken_sweet_potato_stew.html

and there are also cookbooks like companies coming that are purely just crockpot recipes! http://www.companyscoming.com/slow_cooker-recipes/

 

Hope this helps a little!!

[SpicyNoodles]

I'm currently a dietetic intern so maybe I could help a little!

 

Dietitians of Canada have some recipes up:

http://www.dietitians.ca/Your-Health/Plan-Shop-Cook/Cook-Healthy.aspx

 

And they also give suggestions of some good nutritious cookbooks:

http://www.dietitians.ca/Nutrition-Resources-A-Z/Fact-Sheet-Pages(HTML)/Meal-Planning-and-Cooking/Good-Cookbooks-for-Healthy-Eating.aspx

 

This magazine is free and can be a good resource. I've used a couple of recipes out of it and they have all been delicious:

http://www.tdn-digital.com/digital.shtml

 

Can I mention crockpots? You can get a small one for not that much money. And yes it takes a bit of time in the morning, but basically you throw everything in, and when you come home at night you have a very tasty meal (one of the best ways for beginner cooks to start off). There are many websites that have crockpot recipes http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/chicken_sweet_potato_stew.html

and there are also cookbooks like companies coming that are purely just crockpot recipes! http://www.companyscoming.com/slow_cooker-recipes/

 

Hope this helps a little!!

 

Oooo that crockpot idea is really good. Thanks Angelia and Sparkles.

My boyfriend was telling me that I could always just throw together 2% cottage cheese + 1 medium banana and trail mix. He says it tastes great and it's pretty filling. That sounds more like a snack than a meal to me.

[mm88]

Eat right Ontario will give you a grocery lost along with the recipes, if I remember correctly. Another suggestion is to buy or download a copy of the Betty crocker cookbook. It's got a ton of tips and basic recipes like pancakes to get you started. Its also conveniently sorted by type of food:breads, poultry, etc.

 

Happy cooking!!

[thatonekid]

Can I mention crockpots? You can get a small one for not that much money. And yes it takes a bit of time in the morning, but basically you throw everything in, and when you come home at night you have a very tasty meal (one of the best ways for beginner cooks to start off). There are many websites that have crockpot recipes http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/chicken_sweet_potato_stew.html

and there are also cookbooks like companies coming that are purely just crockpot recipes! http://www.companyscoming.com/slow_cooker-recipes/

A crockpot is an amazing little investment. You don't even really need to know how to cook to make a decent meal with a crockpot.

[isix]

A crockpot is an amazing little investment. You don't even really need to know how to cook to make a decent meal with a crockpot.

Good to know, tok... I'll be coming over to sample your crockpot cookings

[isix]

 

Another thing I want to accomplish from this thread besides being able to feed myself, is to prove my boyfriend wrong when he says that the women of my generation cannot cook

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

Spicynoodles, you are going about this all wrong (and by wrong, I mean, mature and practical). I would have simply countered with "and how many men of your generation can cook?" There, problem solved. Now he has to either learn how to cook too or the both of you just admit you can't cook and spend your days eating take-out. Win-win-win. (the last win is for the take-out people).

 

On a more serious note, if you have an iPhone, there are a bunch of free recipe apps that have been very helpful for me the last two years where I tried to properly cook for myself. epicurious and the foodnetwork app are two that come to mind (of course, you can also just check out their websites). I personally prefer websites and blogs because usually people post feedback about the recipe, the changes they made to make it better, what alternative ingredients you can use, etc...things that aren't available in cookbooks.

[SpicyNoodles]

Spicynoodles, you are going about this all wrong (and by wrong, I mean, mature and practical). I would have simply countered with "and how many men of your generation can cook?" There, problem solved. Now he has to either learn how to cook too or the both of you just admit you can't cook and spend your days eating take-out. Win-win-win. (the last win is for the take-out people).

 

On a more serious note, if you have an iPhone, there are a bunch of free recipe apps that have been very helpful for me the last two years where I tried to properly cook for myself. epicurious and the foodnetwork app are two that come to mind (of course, you can also just check out their websites). I personally prefer websites and blogs because usually people post feedback about the recipe, the changes they made to make it better, what alternative ingredients you can use, etc...things that aren't available in cookbooks.

 

Thanks for all the help, everyone. I now have so much to work with.

isix, I would have turned the insult around, but he's convinced that guys are becoming better cooks lol. I guess it's because he's a gym rat, so he's surrounded by guys who have to watch what they eat, and therefore, cook to ensure they know what they're taking into their body. Well put, with the win-win-win comment though haha!

[MedDream]

I'm not a very good cook either, but what I did is got my mom to write out or tell me all her favourite recipes, and I went through the cookbooks in my house and found my family favs from there to make my own book.

 

I don't eat red meat, but for chicken, fish, and seafood a nice marinade is just olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper, and some chili flakes if you like. Just pan fry, barbeque, or bake. yay!

 

Pasta is always an option as well

[dblu7]

Depending on your taste (i.e. if you don't mind eating somewhat similar meals to start with), pick a handful of recipes (doesn't matter from where [things you eat at home, a dish you had at someone's house, etc.]) and just nail them down. It builds confidence and gets you comfortable in the kitchen. Sprinkle in a few new recipes and you're golden.

 

(I grew up cooking [both my parents love to cook] so when I started to really cook I just picked a recipe that I liked, cooked it until I could do it blindfolded, then moved on.)

 

Also, one thing I wish I started doing way earlier is keeping a recipe book....Mine's super scrawled-up and messy, but I basically just keep tabs on stuff that I made that worked well.

 

Last, ff you're ever looking for solid ("date-night") but easy to make food, check out Anthony Sedlak's stuff.....usually centers around one ingredient, ingredients are usually easy to find or substitute, and the food is glorious.

[SpicyNoodles]

I guess one of the things that turns me off from cooking is how complicated the ingredients can get. I don't want to go out and purchase all these exotic spices and weird sauces only to use it whenever I make that one dish. I'll start off with dishes that use common, every-day ingredients and then add dishes that require "different" ingredients. Thanks, dblu7, I didn't think to approach cooking in that way...I probably would've gone with the "jack of all dishes, master of none" approach

[ellorie]

I think I'm a pretty good cook - the key is to find recipes that don't have any complicated, expensive ingredients that you won't use more than once. I used to buy stuff just for one recipe and it was a waste of money.

 

Casseroles are great things to cook. I know a few pasta ones and a rice one. They can last you a long time, too. You can find good recipes by just googling "easy [insert protein here] casserole". That's how I found all mine.

 

I also like "everything in the fridge soup". Basically, you cook up whatever vegetables, proteins, carbs and spices you have around the place (using common sense, of course) and add a couple cartons of chicken broth and you're good to go. I like that for getting rid of the tail ends of things I have in the fridge.

 

Chilli is another easy thing to cook that you can get tons of leftovers out of.

 

Also, stirfry. Easiest dinner ever. Throw some vegetables and some meat or tofu into a pan, add some bottled sauce, serve over rice, and you're all set. If you get bored of rice, you can also experiment with the various types of asian noodles the grocery store sells.

 

If you're like me and you can't cook rice stovetop, I'd highly recommend getting a rice cooker. An easy comfort/studying meal I like is putting the rice in the rice cooker with some chopped onions and chicken bullion and then crumbling a little feta cheese on top of it, or cheddar if I'm not feeling fancy. Sounds weird, but I think it tastes good.

[tigars53]

Usually I just buy some random meat (fish, chicken breast, porc, beef, anything).

Then I cook the meat in a pan with some random club house spices thingy, make some pasta with alfredo sauce and have some raw vegetables with dipping sauce.

Great complete meal with all the food groups everytime!

[Lyne88]

Here is a recipe I really like, its super easy, cheap and very tasty:

 

Preheat the oven at 350. Brown some chicken breast in a frying pan. When they have a nice color put them in the oven for about 20 mins. Melt a 1/4 cup of cream cheese in the pan you used for the chicken on medium heat. Add a 1/4 cup of chicken broth and 2-3 tablespoond of pesto. Keep strirring until the sauce gets thick. Pour the sauce over the chicken and voila!

 

I usually serve this with chicken rosemary rice and steamed veg. Make some instant rice but instead of water use chicken stock and add a bit of rosemary. For the veg I usually use carrots because it makes for a nice colorfull meal but anything else will work just fine.

 

If you want recipes for any other type of meat or occasion just PM me and I'll be glad to help

[SpicyNoodles]

Here is a recipe I really like, its super easy, cheap and very tasty:

 

Preheat the oven at 350. Brown some chicken breast in a frying pan. When they have a nice color put them in the oven for about 20 mins. Melt a 1/4 cup of cream cheese in the pan you used for the chicken on medium heat. Add a 1/4 cup of chicken broth and 2-3 tablespoond of pesto. Keep strirring until the sauce gets thick. Pour the sauce over the chicken and voila!

 

I usually serve this with chicken rosemary rice and steamed veg. Make some instant rice but instead of water use chicken stock and add a bit of rosemary. For the veg I usually use carrots because it makes for a nice colorfull meal but anything else will work just fine.

 

If you want recipes for any other type of meat or occasion just PM me and I'll be glad to help

 

Omg, this recipe sounds amazing. I'm going to be referring to this thread all the time throughout my studies. So thanks for this, and I'll definitely keep your offer in mind

[questforstarfish]

http://food.com

 

That is all you need, ever. You can use the recipe sifter and combine any number of options to search by (you can look for very specific things such as diabetic-friendly low-fat vegan food whose main ingredient is beans, or pasta recipes, or whatever, or you can just search "main courses" and press go!), this has totally turned me around on cooking! Once you search and the page of recipes shows up, you can put them in order of which are more relevant, orr what I do is get the most popular ones first. This puts all the highest-rated recipes at the top of the page so you know which ones have been reviewed well!

 

I also have some cookbooks but I love food.com and use it way more often

[<abstract>]

http://food.com

 

That is all you need, ever. You can use the recipe sifter and combine any number of options to search by (you can look for very specific things such as diabetic-friendly low-fat vegan food whose main ingredient is beans, or pasta recipes, or whatever, or you can just search "main courses" and press go!), this has totally turned me around on cooking! Once you search and the page of recipes shows up, you can put them in order of which are more relevant, orr what I do is get the most popular ones first. This puts all the highest-rated recipes at the top of the page so you know which ones have been reviewed well!

 

I also have some cookbooks but I love food.com and use it way more often

 

 

That site is awesome!

[aravis]

Boiling vegetables (like broccoli, snap peas, asparagus, chinese broccoli, bok choy):

1. Wash vegetables by soaking in a good amount of cold tap water for 10-15 minutes then drain them with a colander and rinse off with cold tap water. (For bok choy, make sure you get rid of the dirt between the ears. You can cut off the bottoms to separate the leaves to make this easier)

2. Using your sauce pan, fill halfway with cold filtered water (tap water tends to leave white residue). Set it on an appropriate sized burner and turn the temperature to high.

3. When the water is boiling, add the vegetables. You only need to boil them for a couple minutes.

4. Drain vegetables and rinse with cold tap water. This stops the cooking process and prevents your vegetables from overcooking.

 

Stir-fry vegetables (Good with broccoli, bell peppers, onions, carrots, mushrooms)

1. Wash, drain/dry and cut vegetables into roughly equal pieces.

2. Add a tablespoon of oil (canola is good) to a frying pan and heat to med-high.

3. When the oil is hot (you can test by pressing a piece of vegetable to the oil and see if it sizzles), add the vegetables. Stir every couple of minutes until cooked. You want to see nice sear marks.

4. Enjoy your veggies with soy sauce or lemon juice and pepper or plain!

 

For more info on how to cook veggies, I suggest reading the vegetables section of Julia Child's cook book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking"!

[isix]

Vegan for stoners...and yes, I did initially think this meant vegan special brownies, but it's actually a blog with easy/basic vegan recipes for lazy people. I'm not vegan myself but I love the recipes, and if desired, I think it should be pretty easy to substitute non-vegan ingredients.

 

Link--> http://theveganstoner.com/

[SpicyNoodles]

Boiling vegetables (like broccoli, snap peas, asparagus, chinese broccoli, bok choy):

1. Wash vegetables by soaking in a good amount of cold tap water for 10-15 minutes then drain them with a colander and rinse off with cold tap water. (For bok choy, make sure you get rid of the dirt between the ears. You can cut off the bottoms to separate the leaves to make this easier)

2. Using your sauce pan, fill halfway with cold filtered water (tap water tends to leave white residue). Set it on an appropriate sized burner and turn the temperature to high.

3. When the water is boiling, add the vegetables. You only need to boil them for a couple minutes.

4. Drain vegetables and rinse with cold tap water. This stops the cooking process and prevents your vegetables from overcooking.

 

Stir-fry vegetables (Good with broccoli, bell peppers, onions, carrots, mushrooms)

1. Wash, drain/dry and cut vegetables into roughly equal pieces.

2. Add a tablespoon of oil (canola is good) to a frying pan and heat to med-high.

3. When the oil is hot (you can test by pressing a piece of vegetable to the oil and see if it sizzles), add the vegetables. Stir every couple of minutes until cooked. You want to see nice sear marks.

4. Enjoy your veggies with soy sauce or lemon juice and pepper or plain!

 

For more info on how to cook veggies, I suggest reading the vegetables section of Julia Child's cook book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking"!

 

Hey, thanks for this technique. I guess I would have oversimplified this process but I'm sure this approach would result in tastier veggies. I often find that leftover vegetables can get soggy or just not appetizing.

 

It's interesting that you start off with cold water when boiling the vegetables. I always thought that as long as the water wasn't going to eventually be consumed that you could just use hot water so that it boils faster, and then dump it out later. Whereas if you're making soups then you'd wanna use cold water...

 

Thanks for everyone's contributions so far. I'm looking for any advice pertaining to cooking, so even the basics are greatly appreciated.