Can't cook, won't cook, don't know how to cook thread (and I need to save money!!!)

willing2learn_3

Hi Everyone

I'm kind of the female equivalent of a batchelor. I live alone and I really don't know how to cook! That coupled with my 'ocd' tendencies means that i'm quick to throw away food, not knowing if it's still ok to eat, etc.

Example....(one of many in my case! lol!) I looked at some recipes today to see if i could follow any and create some meals that i could then freeze, etc....and stop me buying takeaway food at the supermarket which i really can't afford. The recipes suggest using tomato puree....

...now, what do I do, buy a new tomato puree, or use the one that's been sat in my fridge for the last 6 months? I don't know how long that stuff lasts and it doesn't tell me on the tube.

Please laugh quietly and discreetly if you are going to....this is a big issue that i need tackling if i'm going to save money!

thoughts on that one? and no doubt i will continue on here with other challenges as and when they crop up! lol!

In the meantime i'm going through some recipe books tonight and then ordering shopping online so that i have ingredients for a number of recipes, that will be a start.

If anyone wants to share recipes on here i'm ok with it but i don't eat meat, apart from fish and i'm following a seriously low fat diet, so i don't fry at all or eat any dairy.....but feel free to share for others if you want

Thanks for listening guys!

W2L

brighthair

for me - if it smells ok, and tastes ok, it's ok!

The only thing I am funny about is fish/seafood, evrything else, quick sniff/taste test, and good to go

willing2learn_3

I've got a recipe for chilli tonight.....but i have friends that say they prepared the chilli or the stew or whatever earlier.....How do you do that and cool it down and then heat it all up again without poisoning yourself?

:rotfl:

Please stop laughing this is a genuine question. I'm not one of those girls that enjoyed the cooking classes at school and my parents never cooked with me.....i've just never cooked ok!

sore subject! :mad:

willing2learn_3

brighthair wrote: »

for me - if it smells ok, and tastes ok, it's ok!

The only thing I am funny about is fish/seafood, evrything else, quick sniff/taste test, and good to go

LOL! Thanks and that's what all my friends say as well. I trust their cooking, but just not mine!

You know the truth is i've just never been interested enough in the whole subject to pick up that intuitiveness, guess i will with time now that i'm interested.

brighthair

willing2learn wrote: »

I've got a recipe for chilli tonight.....but i have friends that say they prepared the chilli or the stew or whatever earlier.....How do you do that and cool it down and then heat it all up again without poisoning yourself?

:rotfl:

Please stop laughing this is a genuine question. I'm not one of those girls that enjoyed the cooking classes at school and my parents never cooked with me.....i've just never cooked ok!

sore subject! :mad:

I make it, portion it, let it cool, then freeze or fridge it. Basically if you put it in the fridge when it's hot, it heats up the fridge, and everything else and you're more likely to poison yourself
Reheat on the hob, or stick it in the microwave

willing2learn_3

Thanks Brighthair

I made a banana loaf the other week, my first attempt. It was put in a tin after it cooled down....i opened it yesterday and it was covered in 'fur!'

???

:rotfl:

Ok, thanks for the heating cooling advice. :T

lovebargainshatewaste

When I moved away from home quite a few moons ago, I could barely boil potatoes. Pretty much all I know about food and cooking is self taught. Which means you can do it too. Start with something you feel you can cope with. Cook a big batch once you're happy with how it tastes. There's no point cooking a big pot of something if you're not sure how it'll turn out. Once you cook a big batch, portion it up into freezer bags/freezeable containers (I get mine in £land, 10 tubs for £1). Let them sit and cool for a while and then pop in the freezer. If you put them into the freezer while they're hot, the temp in the freezer will get too high. You can then either defrost in the fridge or in the microwave. As long as the food is piping hot, you won't make yourself ill.

Trying different dishes will build your confidence, and you can then relax the recipe and measuring. I've posted a couple of recipes (not sure where they are at the mo though ). They're suitable for people who don't eat meat. The recipes are not exact, but only use a few ingredients, so quite easy to do.

Don't give yourself a hard time if you cook something that doesn't taste great. We all make mistakes - it's the best way to learn. If you have a slow cooker, this is the easiest way to make chilli/stew/soup/bolognaise etc without dairy and fat.

Good luck and well done so far!

Oh, and I'd use the tomato pur!e you already have in the fridge.

2manybooks

Have a look on Amazon for a vegetarian student cookbook. There are loads on there from 1p used. They should be a good bet for explaining the basics, using cheap ingredients and not expecting you to have loads of fancy gadgets.

There are loads of people on here who will be able to answer your questions, I've been inspired and now make my own pizza dough etc. which I would never have attempted before starting reading the forums two months ago.

AlwaysAllie

willing2learn wrote: »

Thanks Brighthair

I made a banana loaf the other week, my first attempt. It was put in a tin after it cooled down....i opened it yesterday and it was covered in 'fur!'

In my experience banana loaf is quick to go furry - keeping it in the fridge may delay that process a little but really you need to just eat it quickly or freeze it. You could freeze it in halves or thirds or even in slices then just get one out when you wanted.

AA

savingqueen

Hi, haven't time at mo to post receipes or offer detailed advice but wanted to say....well done for making a start and the more you do, the better you'll get and the more you will enjoy it. Expect some disasters (even experienced cooks get them) - I still have some but not nearly as many as when I first started cooking properly. I still have a way to go, you never stop learning really. I relied on takeaways, frozen meals, mum's/partner's cooking etc for years and years. Didn't really start cooking til my 30s.

You can get lots of receipes and advice here and by googling too. Free receipes from library, supermarket mags (the free ones), from packets of food etc etc. Start with small portions so you don't waste much and keep it simple. Good luck, you'll be fine!

McKneff

I agree with the poster who says freeze your cakes. Making a loaf cake - cut it into slices before you freeze it.

Making gravy, freeze into portion size and just take out one at a time. (you could put it in a cup in the steamer.)

Do you end up cooking on 2, 3 or 4 rings. Buy a small steamer, you can get a whole meal for your self in one of those and
it saves turning on all thos rings, So over time saving lots of electricity.