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RE: .....Cooking advice..... - 7/20/2008 4:46:25 PM
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lexie
Posts: 3174
Joined: 6/27/2005
From: Toronto
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I did not know how to cook at all when I got married. All the meals I cooked where more like heating up when I was in university and on my own.
I learned to cook from finding recipes in books or the internet that sounded good, and following them. The ones I liked I wrote down in a book, the ones I didn't like I threw away. It probably took a year to get my kitchen fully stocked with everything I would ever need (ingredient wise and equipment wise).
It did help to have my husband who is a good cook. In the beginning I would get him to taste for the proper amount of spice, or to tell me if something was cooked enough. He also showed me techniques I didn't know.
Now I'm confident in my cook abilities. I still like to use recipes but have figured out how to make them my own, and I'm slowly starting to make a lot more things from scratch as well as a lot of different ethnic foods. Knowing how to cook will definitely come over time!
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RE: .....Cooking advice..... - 7/20/2008 10:20:58 PM
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FAWIHTT
Posts: 76
Joined: 2/14/2008
Status: offline
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I like rachel ray because she really explains alot. It's Simple dishes. I haven't watch how to boil water.
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God Has Blessed us to make us a blessing. Genesis 12:2
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RE: .....Cooking advice..... - 7/21/2008 10:38:28 AM
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uncabeeil
Posts: 5797
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Joisey. Got a problem wit dat?
Status: offline
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quote:
I haven't watch how to boil water. I don't know if it's on any more. I'm pretty sure it isn't on the Food Channel, but it might be somewhere else.
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Confusion reigns, but it shall be conquered. - Damien Spinelli
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RE: .....Cooking advice..... - 7/21/2008 10:42:46 AM
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christsstar
Posts: 4849
Joined: 4/8/2005
Status: offline
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Got this in my email this morning. Thought it was appropriate to share here.
You are a Lousy Cook if...
*Your family automatically heads for the table every time
they hear a fire alarm.
*Anyone has ever broken a tooth eating your homemade yogurt.
*Your kids know what "peas porridge in a pot nine days old"
tastes like.
*Your son goes outside to make mud pies, and the rest of the
family grabs forks and follows him.
*Your kids' favorite drink is Alka-Seltzer.
*You have to buy 25 pounds of dog food twice a week for your
toy poodle.
*Your kids got even with the neighborhood bully by inviting
him over for dinner.
*Your husband refers to the smoke detector as the oven timer.
*No matter what you do to it, the gravy still turns bright
purple.
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RE: .....Cooking advice..... - 7/21/2008 11:44:29 AM
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DenimDiva
Posts: 6335
Joined: 9/28/2007
From: CA
Status: offline
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lol- those are cute! I hadn't heard some of them before.
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RE: .....Cooking advice..... - 7/22/2008 2:44:58 AM
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ChiefWannahakaloogie
Posts: 5570
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: under your bed
Status: offline
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quote:
The truth be told I can't cook and the last thing I tried to warm up on the stove I burnt. I was wondering is there anything out that might be able to solve my problem of being the worlds worst cook? Even though this very random I am tired of all that prepared food and I want to cook some that is actually good and impressing. So where does one start? Is there any good sites that describe the basic? Any simple recipes? It would be great if you could help thanks!
foods my life. im a baker/chef. i started out when i was a tiny kid, cooking with my mom. really simple dishes are pizza and pasta. you can really make them as simple and easy or fancy and detailed as you like. i have recipes if you would like some.
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get the better homes and gardens classic cookbook. (the one w
ith the plaid cover) it gives pictures and descriptions of all the different types of meats, etc in plain english.
i dont have this one, but "the joy of cooking" is very similar, in that you can look any kind of food up in it and she gives tons of different ways of cooking it, basic or elaborate. its probably the most used cook book in our library.
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Follow that cookbook and you should turn out yummy meals in no time.
yeP, when you first start out learning, its important that you stick the recipes. once you have developed your own taste and can distinguish between slight differences between lots of foods, you can start branching out of the recipes.
with cooking you can almost always put your own ingredients in it. with baking, however, you have to stick with the recipe to a T unless your experienced with the science of it all.
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Oh, and it may be worth you keeping a notebook or file to keep the recipes you know you can cook in ~ with your own notes added to them.
yes, do this! i write EVERYTHING down when im developing a new recipe and following others.
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There are a lot of terms that are used in cookery and it may be worth you keeping a glossery as you start cooking.
true. again, The Joy of Cooking explains a huge chunk of them.
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If you like rice, buy a microwave rice cooker...it comes out perfect everytime when you follow the instructions. Same with the George Foreman Grill, perfect everytime when you follow the cooking times.
shes right...i cook my rice over the stove because i have it down pat, but start out with the microwave stuff. rice is a really simple easy and good tasting dish, so its def. a good starter.
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I would not start with pasta. Pasta has a kind of feel to it to know when it is ready. What I would start with is baked meats. Those are the easiest things to cook. There is not really a way to mess it up except to cook it too long. Chicken, pork chops, ribs. All you really have to do it put on some salt and pepper (or any other spices you like) and bake them. They don't require much effort at all.
i disagree. i find pastas to be the easiest dish you could possibly make, IMHO.
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I love that cookbook! Joy of Cooking isn't nearly as good, IMO. However my favorite cookbook is one that I got at an antique store that was cira 1918.
seems others disagree with me  hahaa, it's a good idea to get them both at a library before you actually buy one, so you know for sure you like whichever best.
allrecipes.com is a great site to find new recipes at. i love it because the users can give reviews of the recipe, tell what they did to change it etc etc. and it has a huge variety of recipes.
im just wondering where the OP went 
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Ich bin eine wütende bäcker frau, und iche backe dich
*food*
Ice cream love
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RE: .....Cooking advice..... - 7/22/2008 9:28:23 AM
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agapetos
Posts: 5601
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: This side of the lil duck pond!
Status: offline
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quote:
i disagree. i find pastas to be the easiest dish you could possibly make, IMHO. You may find it easy to cook pasta correctly now, but that may not have been the case when you were starting to cook.
In reality, it's very difficult to agree on what an easy dish would be. It all depends on our previous experiences in the kitchen. Even using a new appliance, be it a blender, a microwave or a new oven takes time to get used to.
Think of foods that you enjoy eating and know what they should look and taste like. Then look up recipes for them. See if there is anything you don't understand or know and find out what they mean and if you think you could cook it.
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Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not using them in fruit salads!
My blog
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RE: .....Cooking advice..... - 7/22/2008 2:15:34 PM
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laura...
Posts: 2778
Joined: 3/1/2005
From: NE Ohio
Status: offline
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Two essential cookbooks for the beginner cook:
Betty Crocker's Cookbook for Boys and Girls
Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook
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This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’ Jer 6:16
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RE: .....Cooking advice..... - 7/22/2008 2:25:01 PM
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doinkdom
Posts: 4185
Joined: 4/12/2005
From: The higher lowcountry
Status: online
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quote:
ORIGINAL: laura...
Two essential cookbooks for the beginner cook:
Betty Crocker's Cookbook for Boys and Girls
Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook
I had the Betty Crocker's Cookbook for Boys and Girls but it was yellow-striped. I still fix the tuna melts that are in that book! They're always so yummy!
I loved that book!
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RE: .....Cooking advice..... - 7/22/2008 2:40:51 PM
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laura...
Posts: 2778
Joined: 3/1/2005
From: NE Ohio
Status: offline
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Some specialized cooking equipment will help a lot.
Buy a rice cooker. A cheap one will do. It will guarantee you perfect rice every time. No scorching ever.
A Forman type grill. It doesn't have to be an actual Forman. I got one (not a Forman) as a Christmas gift 2 years ago. We love it. I can grill burgers, chicken breasts, fish, veggies, etc. on it. I can put a piece of meat or fish on it frozen and it is still done in less than 10 minutes. Because there's a timer it's unlikely that you will burn the food.
Invest in good cookware. Cheap cookware is much harder to cook with than good cookware. Thin metal cookware will burn your food. It doesn't have to be super expensive to be good. Just don't buy cheap unless you find expensive cookware at a garage sale. There have been threads in the past that talk about the wonders of cast iron and Revere-ware. As a beginner cook, avoid copper bottoms. They tend to burn your food faster. Find cookware that has a thick bottom.
Absolutely, positively avoid cheap non-stick cookware. If you must get non-stick spend the mega bucks for Pampered Chef. I don't own any non-stick cookware (other than the forman type grill).
Buy good quality utensiles -- spatulas, flippers, etc. Again, you don't have to go super expensive but don't buy cheap either. Make sure they have a good weight to them. Avoid nylon and cheap silicon. They will melt or flake off and ruin your food.
Like any job...good tools make the job easier.
_____________________________
This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’ Jer 6:16
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RE: .....Cooking advice..... - 7/22/2008 2:42:21 PM
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christsstar
Posts: 4849
Joined: 4/8/2005
Status: offline
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Some really good and reasonably priced cookware is the Rachael Ray pots/pan set. AWESOME!!! I love them.
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RE: .....Cooking advice..... - 7/22/2008 2:46:56 PM
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Miss Giggles
Posts: 4158
Joined: 4/18/2005
From: MI
Status: online
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I almost bought them and only came in orange and blue (handles). For something that I am going to keep for twenty something years it should have had the option of black handles - HOPEFULLY someday we'll forget who she is! LOL
I just didn't like either color.
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RE: .....Cooking advice..... - 7/22/2008 2:48:25 PM
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MrsTracy72
Posts: 1746
Joined: 2/28/2007
Status: offline
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This may be a bit off topic, but I am so happy. I just found pans that are made specifically for ice cream cone cupcakes. I make those all of the time for my kids, but they always fall down and get ruined because the cones are tall and skinny and I have nothing to hold them up. They are 12.00 for a set of 3 pans and those make a total of 18 cupcakes. I am going to buy two sets so that I can make them for the classroom treats again. YAY!!!!!
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RE: .....Cooking advice..... - 7/22/2008 3:00:31 PM
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christsstar
Posts: 4849
Joined: 4/8/2005
Status: offline
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I love the orange handles!! I think they're awesome!! That was one reason I bought them. That, and they were half the price of other pots/pans of that quality.
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