I need a little cooking help please.

I agree with you on that, Barsuk. I ad-lib when I cook. My wife follows every recipe exactly.

Also, I agree that watching the Food Network has helped me with technique.

But I am not a real complicated-recipe guy. I read this somewhere -- it may have been Claiborne's book -- that when chefs try to impress each other, it's something really simple, like a perfect roast chicken.

For the most part, I try to take what nature is offering at the moment. Nothing beats local produce in-season. I try not to force the issue. Take what's good now and use that instead of using inferior ingredients. So what's on TV or in a mag doesn't really dictate what I make -- what's in season or looks like quality that day at the store influences me most.

Also, we have a very good fish store here. The guy who owns it, sometimes I'll ask him how he'd cook that. And usually he has a pretty good suggestion.

Cook's Illustrated is a terrific mag, too.

 

To follow up what Frank said about fresh ingredients....

I remember my Mom going to the grocery store once a month and running up a huge bill by purchasing all of the non-perishables, then hitting it once a week for perishables.

I'm the complete opposite.

I've got a couple cans of soup, flour, sugar, spices and a couple other things that are needed regularly, like olive oil.

Then just about every night (not the late ones) I hit the grocery store. I usually have an idea of what sounds good to me. Then I look at all the meats and pick out what looks good. Then the veggies and the sides.

I guess that's more traditional (old) like folks going to the market every day for their dinner.

 

I can't remember the last can of veggies I've had..

 

I'll second the recommendation of the food network and the companion web site. It's almost always on during the weekend when me and Mrs. Fear are home. We'll Tivo our favorites and watch them later, too.

Put me among the Alton Brown fans, although it took Mrs. Fear a while to come around since he is just a bit goofy for her taste. She eventually did after trying his meatloaf glaze.

Start your own cookbook. We have two big (2 1/2 inch) binders with recipes that have come from all over. A bunch were from her grandmothers. My mom printed out a bunch of my favorites from my side of the family, but most are just printed ones from the Food Network and other recipe sites that we like.

Also, invest in good cookware. Luckily we loaded up the registry and got a bunch of good stuff. Until we got our Emeril pan set we never knew what we were missing with our old hand me down pots and pans until we got the new stuff.

Once you get the confidence in handling the basic stuff don't be afraid to experiment. I still don't know what possessed me to put a bit of liquid smoke (probably I just opened the cabinet and it was in the front) in the egg wash when making fried chicken one night, but it was the best I've ever had.

 

I made a grilled stuffed jalapeno with bacon appetizer (40 of them, actually) from that flaxen floozie Sandra Lee, and they were a huge hit at a recent party. I've had a lot of success with her 'Semi-Homemade' recipes.

I've also swiped several dishes from "Dinner Impossible." You sort of have to guess what's going in to some of Robert's dishes, but that's the fun of it.

Is that what I'm reduced to? Discussing the Food Network on an anonymous message board at 2:18 in the morning?

 

Dude you missed the great Gaida vs. Rachael debates of a coupla years back.

 

There is no debate.
Giada, any time, any place and more importantly, any volume.

 

Yes. That debate is over.

Rachel is a roasted turkey left in the over an hour or two too long.

 

To start, Alton Brown is my hero.

Second, I make two other suggestions for the OP:

http://men.msn.com/articlemh.aspx?cp-documentid=5558021&GT1=10618

http://www.amazon.com/Im-Just-Here-Food-Version/dp/158479559X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-0471495-1208713?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194429430&sr=1-1

 

Perhaps I'm going to get a bunch of grief for this, but I have several Rachael Ray cookbooks. Her recipes are quick and there aren't 400 ingredients. Her pasta dishes are wonderful, and with the holidays coming up, she makes a mean sage, sausage and pumpkin pasta that is terrific.

I didn't cook at all before I got married seven years ago, but after going back to cook recipes in her books time and time again, it inspired me to branch out to books by Chicago-based chefs Charlie Trotter and Tony Mantuano, whose recipes are much more complicated.

I print out recipes from the Food Network site all the time ... Giada, Bobby Flay, Dave Lieberman, Tyler Florence ... all good stuff. Some maybe more complicated than the others.

 

I made the sage, sausage and pumpkin pasta a couple of weeks ago. I was pretty leary at first, but it turned out to be fantastic.

Hmm.. I may make that for lunch today.

 

My thanks to everyone for their suggestions. Lot's of good stuff in there to try.

Food network has gotten a lot of play in our house lately. I am a big fan of Guy Fieri and "Guy's Big Bite". At this point, I am leaning toward straight recipes off the shows.

But the book suggestions look great. I honestly didn't know that there were very simple cookbooks for simple minded chefs. Like myself.

I appreciate all the help, thanks.