Beginners Cooking Advice

Here is a list of some cooking supplies that I highly recommend. The links I've attached to the list below is only for reference purposes. You will need to pick out what you like and whatever matches your needs and preferences. Some of these items are nice, but costly, while others there are better brands available. Again they are just for examples.

·         This Quick and Healthy Recipe book and her other volumes.

·         Standard pot set (Something like this set)

o   Skillet pan with a lid

o   Sauce pan (Recommend at least 2 of different sizes, but as you cook you can get more as you need them)

 

o   Tall pot for pastas, stews, and large quantities of food

·         9 x 13 Baking dish Glass

·         8x8 Baking dish Glass

·         Colander / Strainer

·         Mixing bowls - at least 2 different sizes (Adjust as necessary and get what you need)

·         Microwave bowls - few different sizes

·         Wooden spoons - at least 4

·         Wire Whisk

·         Turner x 2 and different styles

·         Cutting Board (At least a Medium)

·         Set of Kitchen knives

·         Can opener (I like one of each kind, so I can strain the juice or keep the caps for storage for another day (Outside open, Inside Open), but get what you works for you)

·         Cookie Sheet

·         Crock pot

·         Everything else you pick up is optional to help you out in the kitchen.

o   Spoon rest

o   Storage place/container for your spoons/pots/pans, etc

o   Other cookbooks

o   Food Storage containers

o   Anything else you feel like that can help you out. ( I like the idea less is better, I don’t like clutter)

 

 

Ok, so first I want to point out that cookbooks are a very important part to cooking when you’re starting out. When my husband and I were just 17 years old and just trying to make it, we frequently would just eat the freeze and heat meals, even the pre packed meals in a box and a whole lot of cereal. Not the best of diet, but when you’re starting out, it worked. Years later, when we were 23 ish~ years old and we just had our kids, we put on a ton of weight. We quickly realized that our habits were not the best and with the economy falling apart, our budget was limited. So we began our research of how to improve. I found this book (Quick and Healthy Recipes V. 1) online and decided to give it a try. It had a grocery shopping list, and a menu already made up for us! We just turned the page to the recipe and cooked each night! Saved us so much time on trying to figure out where to begin with this cooking stuff. Some recipes we didn’t like, and many we did. It showed us what was out there. What we were missing out on in a sense. So I now recommend this book to anyone who was stuck in that same rut we were when we were kids. I have volume 2 now and when we are bored with those recipes, I’ll pick up volume 3.

That cookbook is not the only one of that kind out there, and I encourage you to seek other recipes and ideas! This way you do not get bored. I just like her teaching techniques so I could build new habits for cooking. This will help you develop good habits yourself too.

When you plan your meals, look at all the recipes and scrounge through your cupboards.  You might have those ingredients already. (I randomly pick out the recipes I want to try from the books, in case there were some my family didn’t like). Then compile your grocery list. Plan the day before, in case your menu has something that needs to be thawed out or may be a crock pot recipe.

When it’s time to put on the “apron” (figuratively speaking, unless you really want to wear an apron) pull out your cookbook and all the ingredients listed in the recipe(s). Pull out the pots and pans and baking dishes required by the recipe. Heat the oven or the burner or both.

Now follow your recipe cooking directions and not just your recipe ingredient list. My father-in-law tends to just put all the ingredients in one pot and calls it good. (And he wonders why he doesn’t cook well). Most good recipes, if they are written write, will tell you what to do with your ingredients. Some things you add at the end, where no heat is required, while others you have to cook separate before you mix it together.

Now I realize all of this seems like a lot, but once you begin the whole cooking ordeal and practice a few times, it will become easier and easier. Now you have an idea of where to begin, get in the kitchen and make yourself, or someone honest about your cooking something amazing! When you feel ready to really test your cooking, Making something for a child, they are usually very picky and honest if it’s good or not J .  Happy Cooking and good luck!