Good recipes & cooking tips wanted

[bl8tant]

For the last 19 years I've benefited from being married to a good cook. However, now that I'm single, I'm trying to learn to cook for myself and my sons, who spend a portion of their time with me.

It's not that I don't want to learn, merely that I never took the time to do so. There's so much to learn it's hard to know where I should get started. I've begun by watching "America's Test Kitchen," which seems to be a very practical, results-oriented show, and I've started reading "Cooking for Geeks."

I'm looking for recipes that:

- are not actively unhealthful, though they don't have to be low-carb/salt/fat/sugar

- can be prepared in less than an hour start to finish (or in a crock pot/slow cooker). That way I can make a meal from scratch after I get home.

- are appropriate for someone with limited skills but a willingness to experiment

- can be adjusted to make larger or smaller portions. Sometimes I need to cook just for me, but other times I have 1, 2, or all 3 boys to feed as well.

Thanks!

(and obtw I think I should get credit for not posting this in the Relief Society forum-- all my cookin' brethren should feel free to step in here and post some of their favorite recipes!)

[Suzie]

bl8tant, did you ever watch "30 minutes meals" with Rachael Ray? She makes these simple, yet yummy family meals in 30 minutes. You can catch some of the shows on Youtube, TV and the recipes in the Food Network web site. :)

[beefche]

bla8ant, one of the best things to learn is a marinara sauce. It's pretty simple and you can use it in a variety of ways. Here's my recipe that I posted on a blog a while ago (it's kinda wordy, but you can see the ingredient list). You can substitute various things (instead of crushed tomatoes, use tomato sauce...if you don't have all the herbs, get Italian Seasoning in the spice aisle which contains most of the herbs, etc.).

You need:

Stewed tomatoes

Crushed tomatoes

herbs such as oregano, thyme, savory, basil, rosemary, parsley

red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

onions

garlic

Do this:

Dice onion and garlic (I use 1 whole onion and about 4-5 cloves of garlic--not that jar stuff--eww) and saute about 5 minutes in extra virgin olive oil. I typically will saute the onion first until it is translucent and then add the garlic for about a minute. I tend to burn garlic and if you do burn it--then toss everything and start over. Seriously, burned garlic is just horrible.

After I add the garlic, I add either one can of stewed/diced tomatoes and 1 can of crushed tomatoes or 2 cans of crushed tomatoes. I always use crushed tomatoes because I like the texture better.

I then add the herbs. I use whatever I have that sounds like it would be good in Italian food. They have one called Italian seasoning that contains several different herbs. I use that along with my list above. How much to add is a guess. I would start with 1/2 teaspoon each and then add more as you like. I adore thyme and savory, so I tend to add more of these. I may also sometimes use paprika and cayenne. Chili powder is yummy too--add about 1 teaspoon so it's not too chili tasting. Be careful with the red pepper flakes--these are HOT! I typically use my hand to measure (yeah, I'm a Rachel Ray fan) and I use about 1-2 shakes for the red pepper flakes.

Once you add the herbs (salt and pepper to taste), then let it simmer about 10-15 min. This is great for spaghetti, lasagna, pasta. Cook penne pasta or any large pasta with browned Italian sausage and this sauce--yummy!

I will often make a meat sauce. Once I cook the onion and garlic, I add ground beef or ground turkey (if you use turkey, add one can of beef broth and cook down prior to adding tomatoes--this makes it taste meatier). After it browns, I add the rest of the ingredients.

Try making this meat sauce and making an Italian sandwich. Take Italian bread, slice it lengthwise, scoop out some of the bread, put the prepared meat sauce in the middle, add cheese (mozzarella or provolone) and then toast in the oven, 350 degrees until the cheese melts and starts to turn brown.

You can make this sauce and freeze it for later as well.

[UrbanFool]

This is one of my favorite recipes. I make it with Jasmine or Basmati rice. You can marinate it for the hour, or just pop it in the oven. You can also put it in ziploc bags and freeze it with the marinade so you can just pull it out of the freezer, thaw it, and cook it. I buy low sodium soy sauce as a rule, and use thigh/leg quarters to save money. I keep meaning to try it without the butter, but have never gotten around to it.

FORBIDDEN CITY CHICKEN

3/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons butter -- melted

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 garlic clove -- crushed

2 dashes Tabasco sauce

2 small broiler chickens -- split or 1 whole chicken (small)

sesame seeds

Arrange chicken halves skin side up in one layer in a baking pan. In a bowl, mix together everything but the sesame seeds. Spread the mixture over the chicken and chill for one hour

To Freeze: Freeze it at this point. Remember, if you are freezing this raw, you must use FRESH chicken, not frozen, defrosted chicken!

To Serve: Thaw chicken in the refrigerator

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle some sesame seeds over the chicken and bake uncovered for one hour until chicken is golden (more time will probably be needed for a whole chicken)

[zippy_do46]

Quick meals- for those days you need a meal quick.

I have Browned off Hamburger meat with onions, salt, and pepper. Amount is what ever fits your needs. Store in the freezer in a gallon freezer bag. Take out what you need for meals like:

*Tacos- Taco shells. shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, pkg. of taco seasoning. Heat Hamburger meat and follow directions on pkg. of taco seasoning.

*Follow directions on a box of Macroni and Cheese( your choice) Heat up Hamburger meat and add to the Macroni and Cheese. Add a can of vegetable or salad and you have a meal.

* Follow directions on a bag of frozen Hash Browns. After the potatoes are lightly brown you can stir in some of the frozen Hamburger meat. Sprinkle top with shredded cheese.

Good luck! Remember if your Hambuger is very lean you will have to use Pam Spray or some cooking oil to brown off the Hamburger.

The good thing about doing this is...you can use any amount of Hamburger to make any amount. :)

[ChefToddMohr]

I have seen the change made in thousands of people’s lives when they learn to cook. I’m not talking about following recipes and spending a lot of money on cookbooks. I mean there is great freedom in understanding the basic methods that go into cooking. When you learn HOW to saute’, you can then use chicken, shrimp, tofu, beef, vegetables, it’s all the same.

Being able to cook by method means you never have the stress of trying to figure out “what’s for dinner” every night. You can cook with the ingredients on-hand. You’ll never have the frustration of written recipes not working, you’ll save money on take-out food, improve your nutrition, gain a new hobby, reunite your family, entertain for friends, gain confidence, eat a greater variety of foods, and have a skill for a lifetime.

Learn how to cook and a whole new lifestyle opens for you.

Chef Todd Mohr

WebCookingClasses.com

[UrbanFool]

Yeah, that's all great until you get a husband who won't eat vegetables. I guess I can be thankful I can cram bread into him to fill some holes.

[Mahone]

- Take bread out of packet

- Put bread in toaster

- Put baked beans in microwave or on top of the hob (oh, the choices)

- When toast pops up, add butter, cut up, and pour beans on top

Do you regret not asking in the relief society section now?

[zippy_do46]

Mahone, I wish I could click on the laugh button again. :)

Bl8tant, if my hubby can learn anyone can. But at last I believe I have created a monster. :) Now my kitchen is full of just have to have tools that he just had to have. :) I hide the sale page Bed and Bath :)I showed him how to use a knife to chop vegetables. He now has 3 tools that do that:) good luck

[Guest]

I have a very good idea for you.

Go to your closest Super Suppers store and buy their ready-to-cook packages. It's what I do now. The Super Suppers in my neck of the woods offer free delivery to my house! Now, my husband thinks I'm this great cook! Hah. They charge $11 for a 3-serving package - I have 2 children ages 9 and 7, and a lot of times, we have left-overs. They have "restaurant sized" servings which is just way too much food.

Basically, it is all the ingredients to make a meal complete with instructions on how to cook it. So, I don't have to go buy an entire spice rack and figure out what in the world is tarragon sauce to follow a recipe.

[bl8tant]

I made my first cooked-from-scratch meal last night: a big pot of "weeknight chili" from a Cook's Illustrated cookbook I bought. It came out pretty well despite my inexperience: it's not as good as my former wife's best, but it's better than her average, better than my mom's, and better than my sister's.

(anatess, I have a friend who runs the Super Suppers franchise in the town where I used to live- can't believe I didn't think of that!)

Thanks to all for the helpful suggestions! Now, where did I put those beans for my toast...

[Guest]

I sent Pam a package of easy Filipino meals. I can't remember now but I think I sent her the pansit and the barbecue marinade.

If Pam will chime in here and give some feedback on whether that was a good thing or not, I can send you one too. I'm Filipino, so of course I'm going to tell you it's the best stuff. LOL.

[Tarnished]

This works great for if you have a garden planted, but even if you don't you can pick up the ingredients usually year round.

Squash and Tomato Dish

Zucchini Squash (how ever many look right, I usually use 1-3)

Summer Squash (the yellow kind that look similar to zucchini, again however many look right again 1-3)

Tomatos (about 2 or 3 large ones)

Cheese (I usually use cheddar but I have found that almost any kind will work)

Slice up zuccini and summer squash and tomatos, place tomatos to the side, you can cook squash in a skillet with some water, or what I do currently is to cook them in a steamer (pot with water in bottom and collander type thing with lid that goes over). Steam/cook squash until it is easily pierced with a fork, when squash is almost done add tomatos on top, allow to steam/cook for a few minutes more (2 to 5 min). When tomatos can be easily pierced with a fork remove from heat, dish up squash and tomatos into a dish (usually a bowl), sprinkle cheese over top, add as much as desired. Enjoy.

What I like about this recipe is that I can put the squash on to cook and then put a timer on it for 30 min or so and go forget it (especially if it is steaming), and the whole thing is pretty tasty. Here is another easy steaming recipe.

Cauliflower Spahetti

1 head of Cauliflower (Brocoflower works too)

Spaghetti (about on inch in diameter of grasped spaghetti)

Parmesean Cheese

Take cauliflower and cut up into smaller pieces, place in steamer and begin to cook. You will cook cauliflower until it is easily pierced with a fork. When cauliflower feels about half done place spaghetti in the water that is being used to steam cauliflower, feel free to add oil or butter to water if needed. When cauliflower is done spaghetti should be about done as well. Drain spaghetti in collander used to steam cauliflower, dump all into a bowl and liberally sprinkle parmesean cheese over it, mix cheese in and enjoy.

[beefche]

I found an easy recipe for Thai pasta. It tastes similar to the one they serve at the Cheesecake Factory.

Linguini

3 cooked chicken breasts - I usually poach them, but grilled or roasted is fine

2 carrots - julienned

3 scallions - sliced on the diagonal into 1/2" pieces

1 1/2 c mung bean sprouts

1 c dry-roasted peanuts, chopped (reserve 1/4 c for sauce)

1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped

SAUCE:

4 T creamy peanut butter

4 T low sodium soy sauce

4 T hot water

2 t sesame oil

1 T ground ginger

dash of cayenne

I didn't use any chicken, bean sprouts, ginger, sesame oil, cayenne, or extra peanuts. I did use Sriracha sauce (spicy Asian chili sauce). Basically, you cook the linguini and in a separate saucepan (on low heat) mix the sauce ingredients. I did place the jullienned carrots into the sauce to cook them slightly. Once the noodles are done, I drained and then put them in the sauce pan to mix. I then served it in a bowl with the sliced onions and cilantro on top. It took about 25 min total to cook and then serve. Very, very tasty (although I put too much sriracha) and easy!

[bl8tant]

I found an easy recipe for Thai pasta. It tastes similar to the one they serve at the Cheesecake Factory.

Wow, this looks really good! I might try it this weekend; I bet I can even get my kids to eat it. Thank you.

[GaySaint]

I've got two easy ones for you. The first is a crock-pot roast recipe that is super easy and very good. Get a roast, put it in the crock pot, add two cans of Campbell's French onion soup and one package of Lipton's onion soup powdered mix. Sounds like a lot of onion, but it turns out really nice. Get a big roast and use the leftovers for shredded beef tacos the next night.

The next is my famous Broccoli Cheese soup. Even people who won't eat broccoli love this recipe, works great on a winter night, is amazing served in bread bowls, and only takes about 20 minutes start to finish:

Pot 1:

16oz bag frozen chopped broccoli (or use fresh, but the frozen really works fine)

4 chicken bullion cubes

2 cups of water

Onion powder to taste (have a heavy hand here)

Combine the ingredients of pot one, and allow to simmer on the stove while you work with pan 2.

Pot 2 (Big enough to hold contents of both Pots!)

½ cube (¼ cup) butter

½ cup flour

2 cups milk (1 or 2% works best)

1 cup grated tightly-packed cheddar cheese (at whatever sharpness is your favorite)

Melt the butter in the pan, and add the flour. Stir until blended well. VERY SLOWLY add the two cups of milk, stirring constantly so the mixture stays smooth (it will start off very pasty - this is where messing up can lead to disaster. Add a little bit of milk, and mix until blended. Repeat). After all the milk is blended, add the cheese and continue stirring until entire mixture is smooth and the cheese is melted. Add pot 1 to pot 2.

Serves 4 to 6. Doubling this recipe works great, but I wouldn’t go more than that. If you need more soup, make multiple double batches.

[Misshalfway]

I found an easy recipe for Thai pasta. It tastes similar to the one they serve at the Cheesecake Factory.

Linguini

3 cooked chicken breasts - I usually poach them, but grilled or roasted is fine

2 carrots - julienned

3 scallions - sliced on the diagonal into 1/2" pieces

1 1/2 c mung bean sprouts

1 c dry-roasted peanuts, chopped (reserve 1/4 c for sauce)

1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped

SAUCE:

4 T creamy peanut butter

4 T low sodium soy sauce

4 T hot water

2 t sesame oil

1 T ground ginger

dash of cayenne

I didn't use any chicken, bean sprouts, ginger, sesame oil, cayenne, or extra peanuts. I did use Sriracha sauce (spicy Asian chili sauce). Basically, you cook the linguini and in a separate saucepan (on low heat) mix the sauce ingredients. I did place the jullienned carrots into the sauce to cook them slightly. Once the noodles are done, I drained and then put them in the sauce pan to mix. I then served it in a bowl with the sliced onions and cilantro on top. It took about 25 min total to cook and then serve. Very, very tasty (although I put too much sriracha) and easy!

This feels a little like Pad Thai. I think I'll try it. Thx. I'm really into Thai food lately.