I can't cook!

SP123_3

ok, so I REALLY can't cook - I once set a kitchen on fire

But now I need to learn (plus, I am feeling slighty guilty about never cooking).

Anyone got any recommendations for good total idiot-proof cookbooks or websites? Only need to be able to make healthy meals for 2 adults, no kids to cater for.

Thanks!

MUMMYTO2BOYS

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=43570

Slow cooker thread, well worth buying one and reading up.

McKneff

Google The Complete Cooking Collection

With the internet you really never need to buy a cook book

Good for you wanting to cook, its very satisfying.

If you can read, you can cook.

Go for it.

Butterfly_Brain

One of the best books is Jamies Ministry of Food or Delias How to Cook - you can pick up both of these from your local library they both have excellent websites too.
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes
http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes

We all had to learn at sometime and I have had my fair share of disasters in the kitchen.
Have you any family or friends who could give you a few pointers?

misskool

What is it about cooking that you find difficult? And work from there?
There are lots of videos online that will show you, or failing that, ask a close friend or a relative to show you how to cook simple meals.

What sort of things do you like to eat?

McKneff

A 3 tier steamer can save you a lot of money, you can virtually cook a whole meal in one rather than have 3 or 4 cooker rings on.

Most things cook in half an hour, but buy a decent one (not with loose bottoms i might add)

freakyogre

I'd suggest getting a student cookbook, my dad bought me one when I moved out and although a lot of it is quite basic, there are some really good ideas in there.

Or have a look on here - http://www.studentrecipes.com/

SP123_3

Wow, loads of replies already!

I will check out the websites. I have never been able to co-ordinate times, judge how hot a ring should be etc. My cooking co-ordination is zero and I get very flustered. Plus, I don't enjoy it. My husband does all the cooking (he really likes it), but he works away a lot. It used to not be an issue as I'd have a proper meal at lunchtime and a sandwich at night, but as I've changed jobs that's no longer an option, so I have to learn. Ideally, I want to be able to cook up in bulk and freeze, so that it's just a quite reheat for the evening. I do not want to come home after a long day and than spend hours at the hob!

The basics have completely eluded me. What on earth does 'browning' mince mean, for example??? Is it cheating to buy packets and jars, or should it be tins of basics to make up sauces? It doesn't help that I am not a foodie and really don't care what I eat on a day to day basis.

We have decent pots and pans and kitchen kit, and I think we have a slow cooker. All I need is the know-how!

seraphina

Avoid the steamer/slow cooker/gadgets for now and concentrate on simple recipes from reassuring books - the Delia ones are good but these days I think Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food can't be beaten, it's got some really tasty and more modern recipes than Delia (who I often think has very long ingredient lists)

And go for it!

seraphina

SP123 wrote: »

The basics have completely eluded me. What on earth does 'browning' mince mean, for example??? Is it cheating to buy packets and jars, or should it be tins of basics to make up sauces? It doesn't help that I am not a foodie and really don't care what I eat on a day to day basis.

We have decent pots and pans and kitchen kit, and I think we have a slow cooker. All I need is the know-how!

Browning mince means just that - chuck it in a pan with some warm oil until it goes from pink to brown. Start with the pan on a medium heat - about halfway between off and full on, heat the oil and chuck in the mince. If it starts going black it's burning and too hot - take it off the heat/lower the heat and give it a few mins before putting it back on a lower heat.

Don't worry about packets/jars etc - concentrate on one or two recipes at a time. Can your partner help with techniques? (If you're anything like me it's not an option - I wind up throwing things at DH if he's trying to teach me stuff:rotfl:Moi, headstrong??)

seraphina

And the road to culinary heaven is paved with culinary disasters - it doesn't come overnight so patience is a virtue!