Where to start - cooking for the phobic

Welshlassie

Right guys, I new to this MSE stuff, but am making lots of changes.

We have been married nearly 2 years, together 9 and in that time I have cooked once. I hate it. However I have started working from home 3 days a week and would love to surprise DH with a meal. He won't be home until about 5pm. I'd like to get into the whole OS thing and have been reading the threads over the last few days, but DH isn't really that interested in this sort of thing so it would be difficult to implement if I left it to him.

As we are TTC and I would be off work with the baby for a few months afterward it makes sense to try to learn to cook now.

Does anyone have any suggestions for something easy to start with, with the standard things I should have in the house?

lynzpower

Hi there Welshlassie

What sort of food do you normally have? For example, do you buy pre-packed meals like frozen spag bol etc? You can start by doing homemade versions of your favourites.

Why do you "hate it" is it you find it boring, or that you lack confidence?

Welshlassie

We're both pretty adventureous and will try anything, DH usually is quite good and does quick a few dishes from scratch. He does an awesome Spag bol and Chilli. We do have prepacked stuff in the freezer, but usually for when I'm by myself.

I hate it, probably because I lack confidence. My sister was taught how to cook as a child while I had the DIY lessons, I can put up a shelf but can't boil an egg. I love watching food and cooking programmes and wish I could do something like that. Its got to be a bit of a joke in our families now as everyone knows I'm useless.

DH seems to intitively know what goes well with what and throws stuff together and it always comes out right. I don't even know where to start.

newlywed

Spag bol is really very easy - in fact we were banned from making it in school cooking lessons as it was too easy!

I've recently realised that in fact lasagne is easy too (thanks to Black-Saturn's recipe for the white sauce). Was always too scared to try and make it!

Once you can do Spaghetti sauce you can easily make lasagne, shepherds pie, pasta dishes - all similar types of sauce.

I'm sure OH is getting sick of mince and tomato sauce though!!

newlywed

For really easy one - how about grilling some pork chops (timing etc usually on the back of the packet if bought via supermarket) and boiling up some veg and potato?

Edit: or try baking a cake? There was a thread a little while back about the easiest cake to make. If you cook something your OH doesn't then you won't have to feel like it's being compared?

newlywed

Just found that thread - easiest cake to make

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=218992

newlywed

Or my mum's dish of rice onions and potatoes....

Put a layer of uncooked rice in the bottom of a greased ovenproof (casserole) dish. Then slice up a large onion and layer on top of the rice, then layer of sliced raw potaotes (one big one should do it just to cover all the onion - overlap the slices a bit if you've got enough). Make up some chicken stock (instructions on the paket) and carefully pour into the dish up to the level of potato. Cover with lid or foil and Gas Mark 5 for about 50 mins.

serve with some meat or some sort.... sausages or chops and gravy poured over.

Diffficult to get this wrong - the rice sometimes goes a bit sticky if you cook it too long but when you serve it an pour gravy over it's fine.

lynzpower

Last night I made a *REALLY* easy meal and it was really quite impressive and perfect for "starting out" on.

Pork Medallions in Cracked Pepper & mushroom sauce (with vegetables- your choice really what you wanted) & cous cous ( sounds posh?)

I bought some pork fillet from the supermarket the other day with no idea what to do with them, people on here said cut into medallions.

youll need
bag coucous
pork fillet ( or chops)
packet of pepper sauce ( just not OS for this yet )
mushrooms
butter
milk

1. Slice pork fillet into medallions about 1.5 cm thick like coins
2. heat up a tiny bit of oil ( less than teaspoon in a non stick fry pan)
3. on a lowish (electric mark 5) heat line the medallions up in the pan,
4. turn them over till they are looking white all over, dont put the heat up
5. meanwhile with a knob of butter in a pan on a low heat ( 4) slice mushrooms and cook in that pan. HAndful of mushrooms will do,
6. make up the packet sauce as per istructions on side ( using milk mine was)
7. pour sauce into the mushrooms allow to simmer for 5 mins ( cook on low heat no bubbling needed)
8. pour muhrooms & sauce in the pan with the medallions and stir covering all meat on low heat. for about 15-20 mins
9. pour boiling water over the couscous as per the packet cover & leave to stand for 5 mins ( very simple)
10. Serve.

poorbutrich

I'll probably work this out as soon as I post, but does anyone want to explain to a thickie what TTC means?

whistler-alison

If you are looking for a book, can I recommend the River Cottage Family Cookbook. It's intended audience is parents cooking with their children and older children starting to cook on their own. Now don't think I am trying to insult your intelligence! The reason why I suggest it is because it takes nothing for granted and has lots of great information about cooking basics in between the recipes which doesn't blind you with science and the recipes are all basic things for newbie cooks.

Welshlassie

poorbutrich wrote:

I'll probably work this out as soon as I post, but does anyone want to explain to a thickie what TTC means?

Sorry Try to Conceive