Post by TaQuilla on Jul 8, 2007 23:22:01 GMT -5
I just thought I'd compile a list for those who may not necessarily like to cook, or are just learning how. When I first decided to stay at home, I ate way too much , and cooked way too little, lol. I lived at the .99 cent store, which seemed great for the pocketbook, but wrecked havoc on my waistline. We kept quick, boxed, processed things on hand at all times. I began to realize that the more that I cooked things myself, things would actually be cheaper, my hubby would be happier, and my family (and myself) would be much healthier. Some things that I've learned along the way (and trust me, I'm still learning!) :
~ get a good set of pans! This is something I just learned real recently - but I'm putting it first on the list, because it has made such a difference in how I feel about cooking (and the cleaning that comes after ) I have the T-fal cookware set w/thermospot - it tells you exactly when the pan is hot enough and WOW do they clean up sooooo easy. I promise you, anything you put in those bad boys will literally rinse right out! Really worth the small investment. Newlyweds/new homeowners, put this on your registry www.target.com/gp/detail.html?asin=B000063YA3
~start small, don't attempt to make a 9 course meal if you can't even boil water, lol. I know this seems like a given, but trust me, I've attempted Martha Stewart type concoctions, far before my culinary time had really come, and it wasn't pretty. Get a subscription to (or check out from the library) "Quick Cooking" magazine or something similar that has simple yet tasty meals that you can get under your belt until you have your family's trust in the kitchen (took me about 3 yrs or so to get my son's, because of my non-Martha mishaps ) You are not Rachael Ray, YET, but you can be w/practice!
~If you don't know...ASK!!! Don't attempt to "saute" if you don't really know what it means. Or if you run across words that seem foreign, like "dredge", "knead", "julienne", etc., or unfamiliar ingredients like "shallots", "semolina", "gruyere cheese", etc... ask someone who may know, or save that recipe for another time. Which brings me to my next one...
~Read every recipe through completely (way) ahead of time before attempting to create it. You do not want to get halfway into the recipe, 10 minutes before you need to get dinner on the table, and realize that something needs to marinate for 2 hrs, chill overnight, or simmer an hour. You also want to double check that you have all of the ingredients at this time. You may think you have something, and then find out that you don't at the last minute. Also make sure that you understand and are fully capable of following each step.
~Have a plan! Figure out on Sunday what your menus for the week will be, and shop for them on Sun or Mon. It is so much easier when you wake up each morning and know exactly what you're having for dinner that night. This way you have ample time to prepare for recipes that may have multiple steps (defrosting meat, marinating, soaking beans, etc). It will help to avoid that "I don't feel like defrosting meat, let's just eat out" feeling.
These are just a few, I'll post more as I think of them. Anyone else have tips?
~ get a good set of pans! This is something I just learned real recently - but I'm putting it first on the list, because it has made such a difference in how I feel about cooking (and the cleaning that comes after ) I have the T-fal cookware set w/thermospot - it tells you exactly when the pan is hot enough and WOW do they clean up sooooo easy. I promise you, anything you put in those bad boys will literally rinse right out! Really worth the small investment. Newlyweds/new homeowners, put this on your registry www.target.com/gp/detail.html?asin=B000063YA3
~start small, don't attempt to make a 9 course meal if you can't even boil water, lol. I know this seems like a given, but trust me, I've attempted Martha Stewart type concoctions, far before my culinary time had really come, and it wasn't pretty. Get a subscription to (or check out from the library) "Quick Cooking" magazine or something similar that has simple yet tasty meals that you can get under your belt until you have your family's trust in the kitchen (took me about 3 yrs or so to get my son's, because of my non-Martha mishaps ) You are not Rachael Ray, YET, but you can be w/practice!
~If you don't know...ASK!!! Don't attempt to "saute" if you don't really know what it means. Or if you run across words that seem foreign, like "dredge", "knead", "julienne", etc., or unfamiliar ingredients like "shallots", "semolina", "gruyere cheese", etc... ask someone who may know, or save that recipe for another time. Which brings me to my next one...
~Read every recipe through completely (way) ahead of time before attempting to create it. You do not want to get halfway into the recipe, 10 minutes before you need to get dinner on the table, and realize that something needs to marinate for 2 hrs, chill overnight, or simmer an hour. You also want to double check that you have all of the ingredients at this time. You may think you have something, and then find out that you don't at the last minute. Also make sure that you understand and are fully capable of following each step.
~Have a plan! Figure out on Sunday what your menus for the week will be, and shop for them on Sun or Mon. It is so much easier when you wake up each morning and know exactly what you're having for dinner that night. This way you have ample time to prepare for recipes that may have multiple steps (defrosting meat, marinating, soaking beans, etc). It will help to avoid that "I don't feel like defrosting meat, let's just eat out" feeling.
These are just a few, I'll post more as I think of them. Anyone else have tips?