Question by cassey: beginner cooking questions?
So I’m just starting to cook and i need some simple things to cook, like pasta, does anyone have any thoughts?
Best answer:
Answer by rudeink
Baked Ziti? It’s pasta, sauce, cheese, ground meat in a casserole dish. Tastes like spaghetti.
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there is a wonderful mac and cheese recipe on Yahoo food that is easy and foolproof. as you gain confidence, you can experiment with adding meat and making it into a casserole or veggies.
there will be tons of ideas from lots of nice folks with great recipes. however, you also need basic knowledge and that is not so easy to convey during a recipe exchange like what happens here. Go to a decent book store and check out the cook book section. The Good And Easy Cook Book by Betty Crocker is a great one. In any case look for a cook book that assumes you know nothing. These are the ones that will teach you lots of terms, methods, etc. Not mater what you end up cooking or what recipes you use, try to do the following. Read the recipe through before starting it. Gather your ingredients before starting. There is nothing worse than being half way through and realizing you either don’;t have the knowledge, equipment or ingredient to finish what you started. And you will make mistakes. Thats what the dog is for!LOL Each time you screw something up it is a learning experience and you won’t make that mistake again. Good luck. cooking is great fun and a wonderful learning experience.
Pasta is just boiling water and adding the noodles. Cooking until just al dente (still a slightly firm middle or with a bite to the noodle) Adding a sauce. I like to stir fry different veggies and add the cooked pasta, generally without a sauce, when I make it that way. Sometimes I fry up sliced sausages, either Polska Kielbasa, Italian Sausage or ground meats for protein, and what ever I happen to have on hand. If I use meats I avoidadding more oil, if I just am making it with veggies I drizzle on a bit of EVOO. (extra virgin dark olive oil)
Tomato sauces are great as well. I just buy the bottled, add more oregano, and veggies, like celery, onions, sweet bell peppers simmer until the veggies are done and top the pasta. Add Parmesan Cheese and its done.
Chocolate chip cookies are always a safe bet. Fried rice is good, too. Here is a moderately simple recipe for it:http://chinesefood.about.com/od/ricefried/r/basicfriedrice.htm
I own a fine dining restaurant and love that you have an interest in cooking.
Two thoughts;
Go to your mother, mother-in law, favorite aunt, grand papa, or who ever likes to cook in your family and ask for advice. This will not only enable you to cook but will connect you in a way you could never imagine.
Preparing family favorites is an art and a legacy.
Secondly, get a cook book with the title of “basics” included. A simple book that tells you how to do the basics like sautee, blanch, fry, etc…. If you have no experience these books are very helpful. All of the skills of cooking are very simple. Once you master these you can go on to create your own masterpieces!
Go out and buy the latest edition of “The Joy of Cooking”
Not only do all the recipes work great, there’s lot’s of info about cooking methods, ingredients, menu planning, entertaining, shopping, you name it.
This book rules.
Try the buttermilk pancakes.
First of all, go out and buy yourself a couple of cookbooks. I find that the best cookbooks are the ones put out by local organations: Jr. League, Church groups, Homemakers clubs, etc. These types of cookbooks have recipes that are simple and down-to-earth, and you can usually find the ingredients needed right on your kitchen shelf. Once you learn the basics of cooking, you’ll be cooking up a storm!
The easiest thing to make that sounds fancy, Shrimp Scampi. You only need 4 ingredients: butter, garlic, parmesean cheese, and the shrimp. For 2 people, get a half pound of 26-30 peeled and veined shrimp. Turn oven to 350. Put butter in pan, add garlic (chopped) and simmer for 1 minute. Add shrimp and toss them around for a minute. Take pan, add some parmesean cheese on top and put in oven for about a minute. Shrimp cook very fast. Take out and serve. Restaurants charge $ 15 for this.
Here is a really good site for easy meals. ENJOY!!
http://simplemeals.cdkitchen.com/
Cooking pasta correctly can be really tricky, especially for a beginning cook. It will either come out too limp, sticky or al dente:) … You might look for a box of lasagna noodles that says they can be made uncooked! There will be a recipe for lasagna right on the box. And, since you’re already at the grocery store, you can get whatever else you need…. Then, just pick up a bag of green salad, some Balsamic Vignarette dressing, and a loaf of garlic bread to heat up…..
Mom’s Potato Soup
8-10 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
4 stalks celery sliced
Water
6 cups milk
Salt and pepper to taste
In large pot, combine potatoes, onion and celery. Cover with water and simmer 1 hour or until veggies are tender. Add milk and heat through (do not boil!). Salt and pepper to taste.
Bubble Pizza
2 tubes biscuits
1 lb hamburger, browned
2 cup shredded cheese, can use 1c moz and 1c cheddar
1 jar pizza sauce
Preferred pizza toppings
Cut biscuits into quarters, place in bowl and add in sauce, hamburger and toppings and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese. Pour into greased 9x13inch baking dish, bake 20 minutes at 350. Top with remaining cheese and bake for another 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
Alfredo Fettuccine
1 pint heavy cream
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1/2 – 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder, add in more to suit your taste if you prefer
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 ounces fettuccine, cooked and drained
In a saucepan combine butter, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Simmer this until all is melted, and mixed well. Add the Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Simmer this for 15 – 20 minutes over low heat. Toss pasta lightly with sauce, coating well.
Over-Rice Dish
2 lbs lean ground beef
1 Lg. can tomato sauce or 1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can water
1 TBS prepared mustard
1 TBS Worcestershire
1/2 medium size onion chopped
1 small green, red, or yellow pepper, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Brown meat in heavy skillet. Add remaining ingredients and pour over meat in skillet. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 1 to 11/2 hrs. until sauce is thick. Serve with rice or egg noodles.
E-Z Sweet & Sour Rice Bowl
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
2 T oil
1 bag fresh stir-fry vegetables,
1 can pineapple chunks, drained
2 T reserved pineapple juice
1 c sweet and sour sauce
4 c hot cooked rice
1/2 c sliced green onions
Heat oil in large skillet. Add chicken and cook 8 to 10 mins til light brown. Add vegetables, pineapple and reserved pineapple juice. Cover, cook 5 to 8 mins til vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken is done. Stir in sweet and sour sauce. Stir green onions into cooked rice. Serve over cooked rice.