I need a little cooking help please.

I didn't want to jack either Thanksgiving thread so I'll start a new one.

With the house empty of children now, I have been having some real trouble with "empty nest". I am just not handling it very well, so I thought i would take up a new hobby. I have been watching some stuff on the Food Network and doing a little reading but all the stuff that looks so delicious also looks so hard to cook.

Can anyone suggest either a good starter book or website? I know there are some chefs on this board. Everytime Three Bags talks about what he's been cooking I always come away impressed. And who could forget 21 and her poopies inducing macaroni and cheese ;D And Rosie and her barbecued turkey. There are things I think I would like to eat and share with others, but not if I suck at it.

The point is that I basically just wander around the house after work and I have decided enough is enough.

I'm gonna learn to cook. Maybe. With a little help please.

Thanks all.

 

I bought that book earlier this year. Some really good stuff in there for those of us who can barely boil water. It could be a good start.

 

Oh IJAG. I bet you can mess up at least 297 of those recipes.

 

I subscribe to Eating Well. It's healthier fare, but gives really great step-by-step instructions and tells you tricks to making really difficult stuff.

You can also probably find cooking lessons. I know an appliance store that offers them here. I've taken a couple and learned oodles.

 

IJAG,

That looks to be right up my alley. Thanks very much.

And BYH, if not IJAG, I am sure I can mess up a few.

I tried to make something that involved boiling potatoes recently and no one mentioned that the water goes away and then you are just ruining a pan.

So yeah, I got that going for me

 

I've only screwed up 82 so far. Next up: Hard-boiling an egg!

 

Dirk, the tried and trusted red-and-white checkerboard Betty Crocker cookbook is a good way to start.

 

Dirk:

I learned how to make a great apricot chicken from that. All you need: russian dressing, dry onion soup mix and apricot jam, plus chicken breasts. That's it!

Soooo good.

 

Ok, if that's where you're at now, may I suggest the "A man, A Can, A (plan, grill, etc)" series. I bought some for my brother when he started college. He's a damned good cook now.

 

Just follow the directions on the back, and you'll feel like a champ in no time.

 

When in doubt, bake chicken breasts at 400 degrees for 25 minutes in the oven and turn once; Season or marinade how you want (try putting in a ziploc bag of apple cider overnight)


But the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook is always a staple. You wont use 95 percent of the recipes; you'll goose the five percent you do use but use them all the time;

 

I got the Betty Crocker book years ago from my mom when I moved out. Never cracked 'cause I figured I couldn't cook so why try (yes I have been that pathetic at times). Then I got married and my funny little honey likes to cook and is very good at it. But you guys, as always have been very helpful.

This is a great group. As long as I don't want to go to Denver. ;D