Basic Recipes for Novice Cook

Bitsy_Beans · 4 September 2011 at 8:46AM

I wanted to pick the collective OS brain

I want to create a book of basic recipes for a friend who is a complete novice when it comes to cooking. She'd never even baked a cake before. I was thinking of including all the simple recipes we use instinctively that she wouldn't know for starters eg how to make a basic white sauce.

Now I've sat down to start it my mind has gone blank :rotfl:

So aside from knowing how to make a white/cheese sauce what else do you think it would be worth me including?

flutterbyuk25 · 4 September 2011 at 9:03AM

hello Bitsy, lovely idea

How bout basic spag bol and a basic soup (leek and potato or veg maybe?)?

x

ps I don't know how to make white sauce!

but then again I don't like it :rotfl:

jolfc · 4 September 2011 at 9:07AM

shortcrust pastry, then they can make savoury pies, fruit pies quiches, sausage rolls loads of things.

savoury mince is good to then they can make shepherds pie, meat pie ( using the pastry,

) and buy yorkshire pudding to go with it or make dumplings which are a doddle.

Football_Widow_2 · 4 September 2011 at 9:07AM

Hi Bitsy - only me. Glad you are tackling one of your frogs - well done you!

What about a homemade mince - as that could be a basis for cottage pie and bolognaise sauce.

Also what about a simple fairy cake receipe that she could then add flavours to if she wanted.

Oh and of course how to do roast potatoes - always worried me but once mastered really easy.

How to do scrambled egg and how to boil an egg (something I still can't do properly!!)

FW x

Pink. · 4 September 2011 at 9:12AM

Hi bitsy,

What about a basic tomato sauce for pasta and a simple omelette or quiche recipe? You could recommend that she buys the pastry if she feels overwhelmed or include your basic shortcrust recipe.

This website is great for first time cooks and might give you some ideas:

http://www.beyondbakedbeans.com/

Pink

Bitsy_Beans · 4 September 2011 at 9:17AM

See I knew I was smart to ask you lot!

Thanks for all the suggestions......keep 'em coming

Need2bthrifty · 4 September 2011 at 9:18AM

I think its a great idea and second the savoury mince as a must. What about a cheap and cheerful stew/casserole, maybe a meat one and a chicken one.

Another might be the essential guide to a roast dinner or Christmas dinner, with all the timings for the veg, suggestions on how to get everything ready at the same time and still hot when it is served. When I started cooking that was my biggest problem - the poor old roast was ready and drying out before I got the veg etc, cooked. lol.

Callie22 · 4 September 2011 at 10:03AM

Basic crumble and a basic sponge mix - that way she can make lots of fruit based desserts. I'd also add in a basic biscuit recipe (maybe Twinks' hobnobs?) and a couple of easy cake recipes (like malt loaf or a simple tea bread).

For savoury, maybe a basic curry recipe - and notes on how to cook rice?

CH27 · 4 September 2011 at 10:06AM

I'd include a basic casserole recipe & a soup one too.

Betty_Crumble · 4 September 2011 at 11:55AM

White sauce/Cheese sauce

First off sorry but I dont do measurements but hope this helps anyway.

Bring a huge nob of butter up to just bubbling in a non stick pan and add a tablespoon of plain flour and combine, keep adding a spoon of flour until your mixture resembles pastry, not too dry and not too sloppy, remove from heat a mo. Heat up some milk but not boiling. Return pan to heat and add milk a bit of a time, this is important, at this point its best to use a whisk and continue adding milk a bit at a time until youve got a slightly looser mix, keep doing this until you have the consistancy you want, dont leave on the heat if you are not stirring in case it catches on the bottom, add s&p and you are done.

If you want cheese sauce you will have to make a slightly looser mix initially as when you the grated cheese it will thicken it further.

Betty_Crumble · 4 September 2011 at 12:02PM

Callie22 wrote: »

Basic crumble and a basic sponge mix - that way she can make lots of fruit based desserts. I'd also add in a basic biscuit recipe (maybe Twinks' hobnobs?) and a couple of easy cake recipes (like malt loaf or a simple tea bread).

For savoury, maybe a basic curry recipe - and notes on how to cook rice?

Rice.
Use a cup (not mug) of rice per person, use a seive and rinse until water runs clear, this removes the starch that makes it stick together. Place in a pan and cover with water to an inch above the rice, bring to the boil then immediatley turn down to the lowest heat with a lid on. Check after about 6/7 mins and when you see holes on top give it 1 quick stir, shake pan and replace lid, should take about 5/6 mins after that. The principles are there just check on the timings as your hob may be different to mine, its never failed me yet. Hope this helps.

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Basic Recipes for Novice Cook

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