"Cooking for Dummies"

[AL]

Yes, I am the "dummy" in question.

I have never cooked. Ever. Unless you count the VERY basics such as eggs/ microwave bacon, grilling, opening a can of soup or packet of Ramen noodles.

Lately I have tried my hand at simple, fun stuff - preserves (figs, strawberry-fig), blueberry jam (that's the one with the skin and everything, or is that jelly?), bread - was good the first day but heavy and chewy the next, and most recently donuts -which were amazing!
ETA - OOOH OOH I forgot my pumpkin bread, which was also Fabulous!

Now I need to learn to cook "real" food. In my journal folks have offered me a couple of 'simple' recipes. But.... sometimes I don't know what they mean


So - my starter questions for my "Cooking for Dummies" thread (others can chime in anytime so I don't feel so alone )

- When I processed my own meatie chickens, we skinned all of them. What can I do when I need that fat / extra flavor?
Example - my mom made chicken and dumplings and said there wasn't enough fat for flavoring, so she added a can of cream of chicken soup. Not very tasty if you ask me.


- When you talk about "stock" - that is basically the water after boiling bones, skin, etc.... right?

 

[Wifezilla]

Yes...stock or broth. I also add onion and celery tops, bits of various veggies... All that gets strained out but adds flavor and nutrition to the stock.

Check out this site...
http://www.cheeseslave.com/2009/01/22/how-to-make-homemade-chicken-stock/

 

[abifae]

When I processed my own meatie chickens, we skinned all of them. What can I do when I need that fat / extra flavor?

I like to brown my meat in butter or bacon grease before I add it to dishes. That is a really easy way to add fat - and therefore more flavor. If you are adding it to something without browning it, toss in the butter and grease anyway LOL.

When you talk about "stock" - that is basically the water after boiling bones, skin, etc.... right?

Right!! I do a whole chicken, poached, and then set the meat and skin aside for meals (shredded chicken for anything spanish/mexican is great to have prepped) and then I add the bones back to the broth (with a bit of apple cider vinegar for best results) and let it simmer another few hours. Then I strain out the chunks and store the stock.

 

[AnnaRaven]

Yes, I am the "dummy" in question.

I have never cooked. Ever. Unless you count the VERY basics such as eggs/ microwave bacon, grilling, opening a can of soup or packet of Ramen noodles.

Lately I have tried my hand at simple, fun stuff - preserves (figs, strawberry-fig), blueberry jam (that's the one with the skin and everything, or is that jelly?), bread - was good the first day but heavy and chewy the next, and most recently donuts -which were amazing!
ETA - OOOH OOH I forgot my pumpkin bread, which was also Fabulous!

Now I need to learn to cook "real" food. In my journal folks have offered me a couple of 'simple' recipes. But.... sometimes I don't know what they mean


So - my starter questions for my "Cooking for Dummies" thread (others can chime in anytime so I don't feel so alone )

- When I processed my own meatie chickens, we skinned all of them. What can I do when I need that fat / extra flavor?
Example - my mom made chicken and dumplings and said there wasn't enough fat for flavoring, so she added a can of cream of chicken soup. Not very tasty if you ask me.


- When you talk about "stock" - that is basically the water after boiling bones, skin, etc.... right?

One of my favorite sites for new cooks is Cooking for Engineers.

I like that he goes into detail about things and gives very complete clear instructions for non-cooks. Worth trying.

 

[Homemaker]

Just thought I would give you some words of encouragement. When I met my husband he could not cook. He would order pizza almost every night and he ate boiled plain noodles otherwise But, we've been married 7 years now and he is one of the best cooks I know. He got interested in cooking and just started small. This weekend he is cooking for an event with 60 people. He's come a long way from boiled noodles So you can do it. It sounds like your off to a great start. Try to find a good basic cookbook. Around here everyone seems to get a copy of Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. It explains a lot of basics. Good luck and happy eating!

 

[AL]

Thanks WZ!

So, Abi, if I need fat / skin for flavoring say, chicken and rice, use butter or bacon grease instead? My mom doesn't brown the chicken , she boils it.


Hey that's a great website, thanks AR!!

hehe homemaker, thanks for the encouragement. I don't think I will be cooking for the masses, but I would like to eat soemthing besides the cardboard passed off as meals in the freezer section.


So ... as far as kitchen "essentials", what would you recommend? I have a small soup pan, a pizza pan........ and I think that's it. An electric stove / oven, a microwave, a George Foreman grill and a charcoal grill. And a toaster

I have already decided to buy a kitchen aid stand mixer when I get my bonus at work. What accessories should I get first? (my mom started drooling when I said I wanted one but was afraid I wouldn't use it enough, she assured me she would "help" me use it)

Also, what kind of ingredients should I "always" have on hand?

 

[AnnaRaven]

You don't need a KitchenAid.
Use the money to get a decent cooking set.
I loved my Calphalon set for years. Easy cleanup, survived daily use and abuse.

A food processor is handy.

You also need a good chef's knife, a paring knife, and a mandoline might be helpful.

If you're baking, that's a whole 'nother set of stuff.

 

[AnnaRaven]

Also, what kind of ingredients should I "always" have on hand?

A variety of spices:
parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme (like the song), garlic - granulated is better than ground. cumin is good for mexican spice and cayenne pepper flakes for a little heat. curry powder if you like that flavor.

mustard - dijon is good to have.
vinegar - a white wine vinegar is nice to have for making vinaigrette.

onions, carrots, celery are good to have around.

olive oil (extra virgin) and butter.

salt - table salt and kosher salt.
pepper.

I always keep a hunk of parmiggiano cheese but that's cuz I live with an italian.

Oh - I also have worcestershire sauce. A dash will perk up everything from bloody mary's to stew.

 

[abifae]

So, Abi, if I need fat / skin for flavoring say, chicken and rice, use butter or bacon grease instead? My mom doesn't brown the chicken , she boils it.

Yep If you don't have skins, use any yummy fats you like LOL. I boil chicken only if i am need of shredded chicken and broth.

So ... as far as kitchen "essentials", what would you recommend? I have a small soup pan, a pizza pan........ and I think that's it. An electric stove / oven, a microwave, a George Foreman grill and a charcoal grill. And a toaster

A couple really good knives!!!

Also, what kind of ingredients should I "always" have on hand?

It depends on what you like to cook.

I always have curry ingredients on hand, the warming spices, coconut milk, pumpkin (canned or cooked down and frozen)...

I do a lot of asian, so I always have rice vinegar, shoyu, black soy sauce, sambel oelek (I always spell it wrong *rolls eyes*), ginger, red chiles...

I greatly enjoy Mediterranean, so then you get nutmeg, saffron, cinnamon...

I do Tex-Mex occasionally so I have chile powders, more nutmeg lol, oregano, cumin....

LOL. I could go on.

Basically, if you tend towards Italian, always have the basic Italian spices. If you mostly do Tex-Mex, have those spices.

When my sister started cooking, I got her sea salt, good pepper, basil, oregano, rosemary, mint... can't remember what all. nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger. Just the basics.

When my niece started to cook, I got her an asian set.



Good oils are essential.

 

[patandchickens]

Essential equipment you are lacking:

---some sort of skillet or frypan. Cast iron IF you want to follow instructions for seasoning it and then cook with enough fat that it will continue the process, and don't let anyone else wash it because they will probably use soap and mess up the seasoning. Honestly if you are just learning to cook, a stainless steel skillet might be a better bet, it is not as nonstick but that's something you'll have to learn about anyhow. Actual nonstick skillets are not so great for heating up real hot and then searing the meat (or whatever), so while you COULD start with one, it would not be my recommendation.

---one decent knife, the blade perhaps 5-6" long, and something to sharpen it with (or at least touch it up with). You can use this as a paring knife when you need to, or you can also buy a paring knife (for your purposes, cheapie ones are fine)

Pantry staples: it varies WAY too much among people for it to make sense for person A to make recommendations to person B via the internet, IMHO.

I would suggest that you decide on ten recipes you want to learn to make -- preferably all from more or less the same cooking tradition, e.g. "spaghetti sauce, meatloaf, roast chicken, stroganoff..." not "spaghetti sauce, pad thai, mongolian beef, chicken korma, jerk chicken..." -- and then look at recipes for those things, see whatcha need, and go get it. That will be the start of your pantry, and most of the ingredients you use in those things you will be able to use in lots and lots of other things too.

This way you may have to pre-plan when trying a new recipe BUT you will not end up with stuff you never use going bad on the shelves and wastin' ya money.

Ignore the lists in books, they are only useful if you are cooking almost-entirely the same as the author of that cookbook does

Good luck, have fun,

Pat