# I don't know how to cook.



## bobby (Mar 21, 2005)

I don't know how to cook. In fact, I don't have the slightest idea where to start. Cooking interests me for two reasons:



1. I am trying to lose weight and have been told several times that it would be a valuable and beneficent skill to learn how to cook



2. I want to impress members of the opposite gender. 



So... Where do I start? What are some useful tools to start out with? And, most importantly, do you have any easy, healthy, recipes I can try.



Thanks a bunch


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## lindatooo (Mar 21, 2005)

Oh Boy, bobby, did you ever come to the right place!  


This is the most helpful bunch I've ever seen - you just need to tell us what your situation is with respect to utensils, pots, pans, kitchen...etc...and something about what sort of foods you like!

We're glad to help you!


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## GB (Mar 21, 2005)

Welcome bobby. You really did come to the right place. My first piece of advice is to get a good cookbook. Personally I really like Mark Bittermans book "How To Cook Everything". I think it is a very well rounded book that has good explanations  as to why you do what you do when you cook. Find a recipe that looks interesting and jump right in. With cooking it is best to learn by doing IMO. There are a ton of very knowledgeable people on this board so ask as many questions as you can think of and I promise you will get a ton of great advice.

And I love your motivation...Women love men who cook


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## Raine (Mar 21, 2005)

Bobby, you have already taken that first step. Having the desire to cook.   There are many ways and options to learn to cook.  Watching cooking shows, reading food section of newspaper, magazines, cookbooks, and other cooks.   And now days you have the Internet.  Check locally, community college, etc for cooking classes.

Search newspaper and cookbooks, etc for recipe that interest you, simple ones to start, and then try it. Practice, practice,practice.

Of course, if you have any questions, just holler. We have a good cross-section of helpful, knowegeable folks here. 

You never know, we all might learn something!


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## bobby (Mar 21, 2005)

Wow, I’m overwhelmed.



I was hoping to make something with mostly vegetables and maybe a little bit of chicken or fish.



As far as my situation goes, as of now, I'm limited on my utensils and cookware, but I am willing to start building up supplies as necessary.



I'm limited on my cookware vocabulary, but I will do my best.



Stovetop:  Pots, Saucepans, and one of those flat thingies



Bake: Glass and metal rectangular things (like to bake casseroles in)  cookie sheets, muffin sheets



Utensils/other: colanders, both kinds of spatulas, potato peeler, cheese grater - I'm willing to pick up anything within reason that'll fit into this category.

I have access to an oven, microwave, blender, and maybe a few more things(if my mom doesn't have them)


While we're at it, is there a "complete idiots guide to cookware terms" someone could link me to? hehe


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## bobby (Mar 21, 2005)

ah, and while I was typing up that last one, two excelent ideas!  thanks GB and Rainee.  I sure don't have to worry about being ignored here


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## MJ (Mar 21, 2005)

Welcome to Discuss Cooking Bobby. I'm happy you found us! Don't be a stranger my friend.


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## Raine (Mar 21, 2005)

Check out the Terms & Techniques forum. Bunch of stuff in there.  Cooking terms, ingredients, temp/cooking times.


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## wasabi (Mar 21, 2005)

*Hi Bobby. You are not alone. My cooking skills are very basic. Here is a link to a book that might help. I'm not calling you a dummy now. I have lots of dummy books to help me with my computer and the internet. Good luck.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0764552503/ref=sib_rdr_fc/102-1788636-7740922?%5Fencoding=UTF8&p=S001#reader-page
*


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## momcooks (Mar 21, 2005)

Is there a community college nearby?  Maybe a cooking class.  I think it's horrible that home ec barely exists in schools.  It was always my favorite class.


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## purrfectlydevine (Mar 21, 2005)

Teaching my daughter to cook was one area where I failed miserably.  My only defense is that she has a disability and I put all my energy into giving her the tools needed to overcome it.  She had 6 weeks of cooking in junior high.  By the time she had room in her schedule, cooking was no longer offered.


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## pdswife (Mar 22, 2005)

Welcome Bobby!  THis is a great place to learn a million things!


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## lyndalou (Mar 22, 2005)

Welcome, Bobby,

It looks as though you have a good rudimentary start as far as utensils go. I couldn't cook without my whisk and wooden spoons . As soon as you an afford it, I would urge you to get a good set of knives, also.


Everyone on these boards is going to want to help you out, so keep the questions coming. We're cooks at all levels, so you will benefit from all of our advice, I hope. 

I have also heard somewhere   that a children's cookbook will be helpful to a person who has never cooked. It may be worth looking into.

Anyway, good luck and keep asking questions.


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## SizzlininIN (Mar 22, 2005)

Welcome Bobby........everyone has given you wonderful advice.  Here is a place you can always come to and get your answers.  I was amazed when I started watching the food network cooking channel at all the different terms and techniques I learnt.  I recommend you watch some of these........you'll be amazed at the things you will learn.  I recommend the following since your just starting out Paula Dean, Rachael Ray's 30 Min Meals, How To Boil Water, Food 911, and Everyday Italian.


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## GB (Mar 22, 2005)

Good suggestion SizzlininIN! I would also add Good Eats to that list. I actually find that show to be the one I learn the most from because Alton teach why you do things, not just how.


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## SizzlininIN (Mar 22, 2005)

Altons too scientific for me.........to be perfectly honest he scares me  ..........I'm more apt to watch shows where I could pull up a chair to the cook surface and watch and chat right along with the cook and not feel intimidated.


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## PolishedTopaz (Mar 22, 2005)

Hello and welcome Bobby............check this thread.http://discusscooking.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6919


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## Darkstream (Mar 22, 2005)

Where exactly are you ? Are you in the continental United States?

I think what you need more than anything is a REALLY basic cookbook. That is how I started out, and I have never looked back. I still use it sometimes, because it works.

But there is no point in recommending one if it is not available in your locality.















.


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## bobby (Mar 22, 2005)

Yes, I'm in the continental United States.  Please recommend away


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## choclatechef (Mar 22, 2005)

wasabi said:
			
		

> *Hi Bobby. You are not alone. My cooking skills are very basic. Here is a link to a book that might help. I'm not calling you a dummy now. I have lots of dummy books to help me with my computer and the internet. Good luck.*
> 
> *http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0764552503/ref=sib_rdr_fc/102-1788636-7740922?%5Fencoding=UTF8&p=S001#reader-page*


 
That is just the book I was going to recommend.  Great minds think alike!


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## Michael in FtW (Mar 22, 2005)

Hi, Bobby! Welcome!

Everyone has given you such good ideas it's hard to add anything to them ... but there is one resouce for learning to cook that has not been mentioned. Your Mom! Or, your grandmother, or an aunt. I'm sure they would be flattered that you asked for their help - and would enjoy your company in the kitchen.


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## abjcooking (Mar 22, 2005)

Bobby,

My brother was in the same position last year when he came to me and asked me to teach him how to cook.  Since I live out of state I decided to make him a beginners cookbook which would require little equiptment.  I have posted a few of those recipes under the misc. section for you.  They are great recipes to start with (some aren't low fat though),  simple and inexpensive so if a recipe doesn't turn out it isn't a big deal.  One of the recipes I posted the other day.  It was one of his first recipes to cook and it is still his favorite today.
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9036

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.


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## kitchenelf (Mar 22, 2005)

Welcome Welcome Welcome Bobby.  I was going to give you a menu to make but I'm sure you'll find enough in a cookbook.  You'll get some great ideas.  You also might want to subscribe to Cooking Light.  

I love to soak boneless skinless chicken breasts in buttermilk for about 3 days.  On the 4th day when I get up I will remove from that marinade (throw it away) and soak in equal amounts of teriyaki sauce and pineapple juice and then add some dry sherry, fresh ginger (about 1/2 tsp), 1 large chopped garlic clove, and a tsp. of Splenda.  Remove from that marinade and cook.  I brown both sides in a skillet first then finish in oven.  Add a couple boiled new potatoes (red potatoes) with some spray butter, garlic salt, pepper, parsley, and steamed veggie of your choice and you've got a pretty healthy meal.  If you have to watch sugar then the pineapple juice may be a problem.  BUT the buttermilk is still the way to go to tenderize it.


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## ironchef (Mar 22, 2005)

You should also try looking into your local community/jr. colleges and see if any of them offer culinary programs. See if you can just enroll in their introduction classes without actually having to enroll in the culinary program itself. A lot of the colleges also offer "adult educational classes" which include some sort of night/weekend culinary class as well.


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## purrfectlydevine (Mar 22, 2005)

I agree with GB about Alton Brown.  I've never used his recipes, but I have used information I learned from the show.


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## Otter (Mar 23, 2005)

For an introduction to cooking processes, lots of definitions and relatively easy recipes written understandably, I would say Cooking for Dummies and How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.


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## Raine (Mar 23, 2005)

Another good basic cookbook, that I have enjoyed and found helpful over the years is Betty Crocker.


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## bobby (Mar 23, 2005)

*Subject: Replies.*



Okay, sorry it’s taken so long for me to respond.  I started a big response yesterday, but my computer froze up, then I didn’t feel like typing it all up again J  Anyway, here we go:



Utensils to invest in:  Whisk, wooden spoons, set of knives – I think I might be able to scrap up a used set from my mom.  She hasn’t taken very good care of them, but it should get me started.  As long as I’m stealing a knives set, I should steal a cutting board too :-D 



Books to look into:



Any children’s cook book

Miller, Bryan Cooking for Dummies 

Bitterman, Mark How to Cook Everything (is it Bittman or Bitterman? 

Betty Crocker



TV Shows to watch: Paula Dean, Rachael Ray's 30 Min Meals, How To Boil Water, Food 911, Everyday Italian, and Good Eats.  Are these all on Food Network?





As far as the Community College thing goes, yes, there is one here.  I may be able to get into a course this summer (for kids), but if I’m too old for that, I can get into something in the fall in my schedule permits.



Thanks: 

I appreciate everyone’s warm welcomes and advice.

Rainee, the Terms & Techniques forum was very useful, thank you.

Wasabi- that page by page link will be very useful until I can buy the book myself, thank you.

PolishedTopaz, very insightful link, thank you.

I REALLY appreciate the recipe’s that was the main thing I hoped to get from this thread.

Again, I appreciate all the replies.  Thank you all so much for pointing me in the right direction.  Feel free to continue to add pointers.



Oh yeah.  No one in my family knows how to cook either L


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## PolishedTopaz (Mar 23, 2005)

Well that explains alot!!! LMAO As someone said before you came to the right place........we can be your "cooking" family . And remember there is no such thing as a "dumb" question! You are guaranteed [sp?] to get a honest and fast response to any and all questions.

Oh with your moms' knives.........take them to a pro to have them sharpened BEFORE you put them to ANY food. Because a dull knife will cut you faster and worse than a sharp one.


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## Raine (Mar 23, 2005)

Also check your local newspaper for groups that may be having a cooking class, i.e like the local tea/garden club,etc.


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## GB (Mar 23, 2005)

bobby said:
			
		

> How to Cook Everything (is it Bittman or Bitterman?


Sorry I was going from memory. I just looked it up and it Bittman  

Here is a link with more info.


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## purrfectlydevine (Mar 23, 2005)

Around here the school districts often offer adult education classes.  The cooking classes are usually themed such as for diabetics, heart patients etc.  The plus is that you would learn healthy recipes.


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## lindatooo (Mar 23, 2005)

AND if all of that great advice fails - it certainly would be an attractant to a member of the opposite *** to simply say - "I don't know how to cook - will you help me?"  Now what woman could resist that plea?????


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## bobby (Mar 23, 2005)

ah, if only I were into women.  The handle "bobby" can be so deceiving


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## bobby (Mar 23, 2005)

GB- don't worry about the simple spelling mistake, I appreciate that getting me the information was your first priority.  I would have figured out the correct spelling sooner or later, even had no one responed to that rude comment of mine.


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## GB (Mar 24, 2005)

Your comment was certainly not rude  

Another suggestion might be to go to your local library and check out these cookbooks before you buy them. Everyone has different tastes in cookbooks and some will appeal to you more than others. For instance one of the most popular and cherished cookbooks out there is The Joy Of Cooking. I bet 99% of the people on this board love that book and find it amazingly valuable. I am in the %1. I bought it without even looking at it. I just went on reputation. For some reason this cookbook just does not speak to me so I never use it. Had I gone to the library and checked it out first I could have saved myself some $$$


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## SizzlininIN (Mar 24, 2005)

Ok............now we know Bobby is a girl!

Here's a simple recipe...........I hope you like Aspargus:

Asparagus.........now these are sold in bundles but if your just cooking for yourself you don't have to buy the whole bundle as your charged by the pound so you may want to just pull out 8 or so spears.  I love the stuff and could eat a whole bundle  .

Ok.......you can do this several ways but here are the two I ways I make mine.

(Cooking Inside)
Put a pot of water on your stove and turn the heat on high. 
Now take your asparagus to the sink and give it a rinse.  Now with each asparagus spear grab ahold of it with one hand on one end and the other hand on the other.  Now bend the asparagus.  This will cause the bottom end to snap off.  You throw the bottom end away as this is the tough part and you don't want to eat it.  
Now if the asparagus is not very thich.....about the size of a pencil then you don't have to do anything more.  Now if its the thickness of say 3 pencils put together then you need to take a vegetable peeler and peel off the the top layer from about 1/2 way down.
Now get a large mixing bowl and put some cold water in it and add some ice.....I'll explain soon.
When your water is boiling add 1/8 tsp salt and throw in your asparagus.  You only want the asparagus to be in the hot water for 2 minutes (This technique is called Blanching) and then take them out and put them in the ice water (This is called an Ice Bath.........your shocking the vegetable and this keeps the color a vibrant green). After being in the ice bath for about 30 seconds remove them and put them in a non stick skillet thats on a low setting .  I then add 1 tbsp margarine some salt and pepper........just a pinch of each.  Only keep them in the skillet till the margarine melts.........moving the asparagus around to coat with the margarine and S & P..........your done! 

Now if your making them on the grill. Prepare the asparagus the same way as far as washing, snapping off the tough end and peeling the top layer if needed.  Toss the aspargus with some Extra Virgin Olive Oil.......I'd say 1 teaspoon and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Rub the Oil and S & P all over the aspargus and then take them out of the bowl and put them on the grill.  Cook for about 2 minutes on one side then turn and cook on the other and your all done!


If you want to cook some chicken to go along with the aspargus...........about 2 hours before your ready to eat:

Wash a chicken breast and remove excess fat. Put the chicken in a resealable plastic food bag.  Add the following in the bag also:

The juice of 1 lemon, 1 lime, 1 orange.  To really get the juice out roll the fruit roll each under your palm on the counter kind of like mushing it down while rolling it around.  Cut the fruit in half and squeeze the juice out of each half.  Squeeze with the cut side facing the ceiling this way the seeds won't fall into the bag.

Also add 1 clove of garlic that you finely chop.  Once you start watching those cooking shows you'll discover the easiest way to get this garlic finely minced or chopped.

Add a few pinches of Salt & Pepper.  Also, 1 tsp. chili powder and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

Once all these ingredients are added to the bag then move the chicken around to get all the ingredients all over it.  Seal the bag and throw it in the refrigerator and let it remain for 2 hours.  This is called marinating your meat. 

About 10 minutes before your ready to put your asparagus on the grill take the meat out of the bag and add your chicken to the grill.  You'll cook the chicken on medium high heat for I'd say 5 minutes.  This side will be nicely browned......then flip it over and do the same on the other side. Remove the chicken and put on a plate and immediately add your aspargus to the grill.  Sitting the meat to the side for these few minutes is what is called resting your meat.  This gets all the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.  

You can buy a grill pan and cook the chicken and asparagus on top of your stove instead.

I hope all this makes sense to you.  If you lived close I'd tell you to get your buns over here and I'd walk you through it.  The amounts of spices and juices are an estimate.  I cook for more than one but figured those amounts are probably what I'd use for just myself.   If you have any questions please feel free to give me a holler.


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## bobby (Mar 24, 2005)

Sizz.. that sounds so good


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## norgeskog (Mar 24, 2005)

bobby said:
			
		

> Wow, I’m overwhelmed.


 
bobby, I think at a book store they have one of those '.........for dummies' books related to cooking.  If they do not, we should get together here and do one.


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## bobby (Mar 26, 2005)

definately! :-D


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## jkath (Apr 4, 2005)

*Hey Bobby! I wish this site were around when I was your age... but that was almot 20 years ago....!*
*PS - what state are you in?*
** 
*My favorite "basics" cookbooks:*
** 
*Any Taste of Home  cookbook - they have ingredients that are easy to find, and all taste like "real" food - no ultra gourmet stuff. (Better to start off with the basics) These are at most public libraries, or you can find them on www.tasteofhome.com *
** 
*I adore my 1944 edition of "The Good Housekeeping Cook Book" I picked it up at an Estate sale and it is 981 pages of serious information, including how to choose a roast, how to slice up a turkey, how to measure ingredients, meal planning, cookery terms, etc. Go to garage sales - it'll amaze you what cookbooks you can pick up for a dollar!*
** 
*As for the weight issue - first - I wish you luck! Please join our thread on the healthy eating forum. We post stuff about weight loss, exercise, and "motivating each other" stuff *

** 
*Here's a step-by-step that I posted a couple of months ago for a fellow DC-er who'd never cooked/eaten an artichoke. Just thought it would be a fun cooking experience for you:*

Artichokes:
Cut just the end of the stem, and then cut the pointy part straight across about 1" from top. Then, with scissors, cut each leaf across (parallel to the bottom & top cuts) so you get rid of the sharp "hook". Then, in a large kettle of rolling boiling water (set on high), place your artichokes in (they'll float). If the water boils over, turn the heat down to medium. I boil till the chokes are fork tender in the stem, about 35 - 40 minutes.

Then...
drain thoroughly in a collander (turn them head down till the water runs out)
and place each, stem down, in a bowl. (after all, nobody likes to share!)

Take each leaf off, and dip in melted butter. Scrape just the flesh  about 1/3 of the way up with your teeth. Pure heaven. Discard leaves in your bowl.

When you reach the thin leaves, forget them. Put one hand on the stem half and one on the leaf half. Pull (think New Year's cracker) and you'll see the "choke". With a spoon, CAREFULLY take out just the thistle-looking stuff (this would be on the stem end). You will have a disc-shaped piece of heaven. Cut this into small pieces, and throw them in your leftover melted butter. (think soup) Eat these babies, and you will know why nobody shares. 
Also, the part that's left (the leaf end) has what we used to call "the bite-around", which is a circle-shaped portion of the flesh that you can...well...bite around.


Also, you can eat these with a Garlic Aioli, which is good with either a hot artichoke or cold artichoke, but in my opinion, it is best as made above.


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## Rob Babcock (Apr 8, 2005)

I'd suggest watching _Food Network_, too.  There's lots of fun and informative shows there, including my all time favorite, _Good Eats_.  Alton Brown is a great teacher, and he gives you a heavy dose of food science so you actually understand a recipe instead of merely copying it.  Best of all, he makes it fun- the show is hilarious!


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