I need a little cooking help please.

Someone had mentioned writing stuff down when you tweak a recipe. I do it right in the cookbook (for example, when I change spices in some baked item like a cake, or change the liquid in cranberry bread to orange juice.) I have cookbooks that look like scribble pads.

If you make cakes or cookies (most anything baked like that), keep the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt measurements exact.

Church cookbooks or cookbooks being sold as fundraisers by a group are a great way to get some 'local' recipes or some you wouldn't necessarily find elsewhere.

Check the oven before you preheat it. (Advice from my mom when I was eight, and I still refuse to turn the oven on until I have looked in it to see there is nothing in it.)

 

Dirk,
My two cents worth.

It depends on how involved you want to get with your cooking.

For example, do you want to make. say, your own chicken stock or tomato sauce from scratch or do you want to "open a tin of this" and "open a tin of that"?

If you want boneless, skinless chicken breasts, you can save money by deboning them yourself. Not difficult and then you have some bones for your chicken stock.

Do you want to know how to make your own roux and sauces or do you want to buy stuff in a bottle?

Nothing wrong with either approach but one is perhaps a little more satisfying if you have the time and inclinationn

As others have posted, if you have ONE cookbook in your kitchen, make it the Joy of Cooking. Good collection of recipes and an invaluable reference tool.

And if you really want to go the distance, take some cooking courses if they're offered in your area.

And this may sound silly but I alway suggest one on knife skills. A lot of people don't have a clue about sharpening a knife and a huge majority don't know basic cutting skills.

Have fun!

 

Jr,

I do want to try some of that "from scratch" stuff...eventually. But I really think I am at the baby steps part of the process.

It's funny you should mention knives. I was cutting up bacon to make fresh bacon bits (from a "Guys Big Bite" episode) and I was annoyed at how dull the knife I was using was. But I have no idea how to sharpen a knife.

Another thing to learn

 

Everyday Food

http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/

Pretty simple, but not too simple. The notes on how it will take to make is very helpful.

http://www.epicurious.com/

For a little more advanced. Be sure to sort by fork rating and read the comments.

http://about.pricegrabber.com/search_books2.php/book_id=10610968/search=Crockery%20Cookery

Mable Hoffman is rock solid for slow cookers (crock pots).

http://www.campbellkitchen.com/

Very simple, but easy and decent.

I actually have stopped buying cookbooks because I cannot even get through the ones I already have.

 

Cartman?

 

spup, make a switch in the the sage, sausage and pumpkin pasta and use hot italian sausage instead of sweet. It rocks!

 

I did! I think I actually used the medium and it was a perfect combo of the sweet and spicy with the cinnamon and nutmeg. I couldn't believe how good it really was!

 

If you want to make a good investment, buy yourself a good 8" - 10" chefs knife.

It'll cost you around $100 plus but it'll make all the difference in the world. And you'll have it for life.

It's easier to cut yourself on a dull knife than a sharp one.

And some cheapass knives can never be sharpened.

Also, when you cut up onions with a really sharp knife, there's no cryin'

 

My mom swears by this site:

www.epicurious.com

 

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/regProduct.asp?order_num=-1&WRN=-280989671&sku=12341334

Invitations™ 12-Quart Stainless Steel Multi-Cooker Set

I use this almost every time I cook.

To be able to steam a boatload of veggies while boiling pasta is priceless.

It also works nicely as a sturdy, solid stockpot.

 

Great site.
We use it regularly.
You can practically build your own cookbook from the recipes.

 

I just spent like an hour looking at epicurious.com and am loving the recipes.