I can Cook!

Congratulations, dude.
I remember cooking my first dinner. Trust me, being able to cook is the first step towards independance. Soon you'll try to cook more complicated food, and sometimes it will work, and sometimes it won't. But keep on trying.

Personally, I love cooking. My grandma has taught me all the family recipes, but I'll never be as good as her.

 

Uhh...I guess compared to that...I can't cook. I can "cook" frozen chicken and frozen pizza, but that's about it. I think I tried to do soup once, I forgot what happend though. I think I can fry some ham, also. But, like you, I never really cared about learning to cook, but lately I've cared slightly more.

 

Here's a real easy one that impresses the ladies (and the parents). It's not on anyone's diet, but at 15, you shouldn't have to worry too much.

Fettuccini Alredo:

1 stick of butter (please, use the real stuff)
2 cloves of garlic, minced (if you've never worked with garlic, buy a "bulb" in the produce section of your grocery store; the bulb will have several...like a dozen or so....wedges {kind of like an orage} surrounded by a paperlike covering. The bulb will be cheap, so just cut into it with a knife and you'll see what I mean. Select two medium size wedges (cloves); cut them each in half which makes the removal of the paper like covering easier, remove the covering and mince the four halves.....which means to chop very finely)
1 pint (16 oz) of heavy whipping cream (found in the dairy section near the milk)
2 cups of shredded parmesan cheese (don't buy the crap in the cans; spend a little money and buy a nice wedge or block of the good stuff. You may need to go to a nicer grocery store for this, or a store that is known for selling decent cheeses. Don't be afraid to ask someone behind the counter) Buy a pound, and you should have more than enough to shred two cups.

1lb dry or 2 lb fresh fettuccini noodles (cook as directed, but DON'T overcook...if you want to really impress, buy half and half of the white noodles and the green (spinich) noodles) they look impressive together.

................

Lightly saute the minced garlic in the butter in a pan. (if you have a non-stick, it will be easier for you). This means to melt the butter over medium heat, add the garlic and occasionally stir the mixture as it lightly bubbles. As garlic sautes, it turns brown---from light to dark brown. You don't want it to turn brown for this recipe, so as soon as it starts to turn color a little, add the pint of whipping cream to the mixture and stir some more over medium heat. As soon as the mixture starts to bubble some (not to the point of a rapid boil!), add the shredded cheese and stir until it is melted. As you're cooking this mixture, it's okay if it bubbles a LITTLE, but don't let it boil. If it starts to bubble too much, turn down the heat. Season this to your taste with salt and pepper. That means to add salt and pepper until it tastes right to you. A rule of thumb is that a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper should work. (but it might need more or less, so be careful....I never write anything down, so I can't really be sure) If your kitchen has white pepper in it, that adds a good flavor along with the black pepper. After you have it tasting good to you, simply add the mixture to the cooked noodles, lightly toss (mix) and serve. You should time things so that the noodles are cooked (and drained of all cooking water!) around the time the sauce is done, so that they are mixed when they both are the hottest. To make the dish look more appetizing, you might sprinkle a small amount (less than half a teaspoon) of nutmeg on top and/or some chopped parsley (about a quarter cup). Another nice "garnish" on top is some more of the shredded parmesan, and you should have some left from the pound that you bought.

Serve this with a salad and bread, and you have a nice meal that even the vegetarian's in this BBS might approve of (except for the fact that is so damn fattening!)

Most of all, don't be afraid to just jump in there and do it. You may have a few failures in the kitchen, but most dishes will come out well. Also, don't be afraid to experiment....you don't always need a recipe. If certain ingredients seem like they might taste good together, give them a try. Unless your cooking with lobster or caviar, a mistake is usually pretty cheap. Also remember these sage words: you can always add more, but it's almost impossible to take it out. That means to add ingredients (especially seasonings and salt) slowly, then taste. If it needs more, you can add more.

After you eat this meal, go for a walk.

 

Congrats. BTW, are you adding cream, or 1/2 and 1/2 ? It helps the eggs cook evenly and gives them a nice taste. Now, you may want to try other ways to cook eggs. Try poached eggs. They're very good with toast. Try eggs over easy. Try eggs with cheese and sauted onions. Try an omlette. Try some toast, bacon and/or sausage, to make a plate. Try a spinich souffle. Try a quiche lorraine. Eggs are a good first building block for skills.

There are some good cooking classes out there. You could check the art institute of houston, or single shots at Central Market, le Panier, Sur la Table, or around. Cooking is one of the great pleasures in life. It's something you can do with all different kinds of people; everyone has something to add, a personal take, and you get to enjoy the results together. It's also fun to cook with your dates, you'll discover. They'll enjoy the process, you get to know each other, have a drink, and there's a shared reward that involves the senses, later.

 

As far as easy you can try this...

Chicken breast. Buy them boneless. Turn your oven on hot (not broil but 300+ degrees. Don't have to be exact, 325/350 whatever. Put the chicken in a pan/glass baking dish. Throw some salt and pepper over it. Maybe squeeze a lemon or lime over it. Bake. Check in about 35 minutes to make sure nothings wrong. It should be done between 40 and 60 minutes. If you overcook (safer than undercook) it shouldn't be a problem. Throw a piece of ham and a piece of cheese over it at the 40 minute mark.

Homemade Cordon Blue.

Side dishes.

Salad is cheap and easy (you just have to wash it). Lettuce (try romaine or any other except iceberg), some small tomatoes (plum or santa or vine ripe or cherry if you must). If you want it to be a little fancy you can buy shaved (not grated) parmesian or reggiano to put over the top.

Boiled veggies. Also easy. Wash. Cut up. Boil in pan of water with a little salt. Check in 10 or 15 minutes should be soft. Drain. Add a little butter and salt. Zucchini, Carrots, Spinach (will cook faster), almost ANY veggie.

Presto Chango you are a gourmet.

Starter - fresh green salad with baby tomatoes and shaved parmesian.

Main Course - Cordon Blue (Chicken with ham and cheese) with fresh vegetables.

Maybe get some good bread with that and you're off!

I also liked the alfredo idea but have found making pasta to be hit and miss for new 'chefs...'

 

Congrats on the cooking. I can do some minor things like making omlettes and packaged meals.

Here is how I usually cook though.


Me: What's for dinner?

Wife: umm blah blah blah

Me: Sounds great!


or I get really complicated and dial 713-227-PAPA

 

I would suggest steak to compliment the Alfredo.

There is a great trick I learned in cooking school for cooking any type of meat. It is a little difficult to explain in writing but here it is:

Make an OK sign with one hand (put your index finger and thumb together in a circle). Use your other hand to touch the palm of your hand on the thumb side. It should feel soft. If you touch your meat and it feels like that, it is rare.

Now touch your middle finger to your thumb. The tension on that pad should increase. That is what med-rare feels like.

Your ring finger to your thumb: medium.

Your pinky: medium-well/well done.

Now you can decide what you're aiming for. To make a steak start with a cut from the sirloin. It doesn't have to be NY strip but it should have a nice marbling (ask the butcher at the grocery store what he would recommend).

Turn on the oven to broil. Cover a baking pan with foil (clean-up will definately earn you brownie points!) and place your steak on the pan. Season on both sides with salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, whatever else...

Broil for a few minutes on each side. You are usually looking for the steak to look done. It should be brown. It should still be rare when you turn it over. On the second side cook it until it is as cooked as you want it.

 

Never be afraid to experiment.

Buy a Grill
Light said grill
Get some meat
Season Meat to taste
Microwave (2) Baking Size potatos 7mins to start them cooking from the inside
Wrap potatos in foil and place on grill
Put Meat on grill
Flip meat and turn potatos after 10-15 mins
cook additional 10-15 mins to desired doneness

*Never under cook pork or chicken*

I do 80% of all the cooking at our house, never let anyone try to shame you out of cooking. REAL MEN CAN COOK!

 

let me get this straight...youre 15 and you just learned to make scrambled eggs. damn...mommas boy

my parents left me and my sister alone starting in the 5th grade during the summers. i had to learn to cook then. by 6th grade i was making my own recipes for stir frys and grilling my own meats.

any person over the age of 6 should be able to follow a recipe...

 

This always works for me. You'll need:

1 lb meat (chicken, beef, whatever)
1 six-pack, beer
1 container of butter, any size
Onions, eight or ten
Season-All
Salt
Pepper
Fajita seasoning
Bouillon cubes
Cheese (any kind, lots of it)
Taco shells
Salsa
Bread crumbs
Ketchup
Saltines

First, turn on the stove burner to HIGH. Put a frying pan on it. Throw some butter in. When the butter melts down and looks ready to cook in, be in the living room drinking a beer watching TV. When the butter has turned black and sludgy, and its stench fills the entire house, turn the burner off, throw the pan in the sink and douse it with water. Finish first beer.

Begin chopping up onions. Realize that this is a colossal pain in the ass and throw onions out. Put another pan on the burner. Throw more butter in it. Pour in some salt and some pepper, and some Season-All, and some fajita seasoning. Wait. Wait. Finish second beer. Wait. Wait. Notice the butter is not melting. Peer intently at the burner. Notice burner is turned off. Turn burner on high, get impatient, throw meat into pan and go play PlayStation.

When you can smell the meat cooking, go poke it with a spatula, or fork, or empty beer bottle. Try to shape it to look like something, like breasts. Or a naked-lady silhouette, if you're really artistic. Turn the burner way down to WARM. Finish third beer.

Notice you're really hungry. Begin randomly tasting stuff from the pantry and fridge (here's where you'll need boullion cubes, bread crumbs, and cheese). Eat taco shells and salsa. Begin to feel sated. Realize you've spoiled your dinner. Chug fourth beer.

Notice meat has turned very, very dark brown. Wonder if it's really beef, or if an unfortunate packing-plant worker got a little to close to a piece of machinery and got sucked in. Take a drink for the poor young man's senseless tragedy. Take another. And another. Make it an even five. Hell, finish fifth beer.

Realize meat has burned to a hardened, coal-like state. Throw it out. Make impromptu dinner of saltines with ketchup and last beer.

 

Try macaroni and cheese. I think everyone in this thread forgot he was a beginner.

Macroni and cheese is good, cheap, and VERY easy.

Boil water, put noodles in for about 7 minutes, drain, put in butter & milk, mix in cheese sauce...

VOILA!