Learning to cook

I've been reading up on the Atkins diet and reading about success
stories. It looks like something I would like to try. But I have a
problem and that is that I don't know how to cook. I pretty much eat
out every meal, and always have. I'd like to stop that but I don't even
know where to begin.

Is they any site that has really simple recipies and a list of basic
things to buy when getting your kitchen in order for the first time? A
book would be good too. How did everyone here learn to cook?

Thanks.

On 8 Apr 2004 18:45:56 GMT, Ignoramus1181
wrote:

In article , Mark
Mennsor wrote:
I've been reading up on the Atkins diet and reading about success
stories. It looks like something I would like to try. But I have a
problem and that is that I don't know how to cook. I pretty much eat
out every meal, and always have. I'd like to stop that but I don't even
know where to begin.

start with simple stuff, such as, buy eggs and boil them in a pot.

Or, buy good franks (best bought at a polish store) and boil them.

Take a chicken, put salt on it, and pu in an oven at 350 degrees for
20 minutes per pound of weight (so for a 4 lbs chicken, put it in for
80 minutes).

Nah, just buy a thermometer that has an electronic section that stays
outside the oven and a temperature-sensing section that goes into the
chicken (with a wire to connect the two sections). You set the
temperature and the alarm goes off when the chicken's done. No
calculations are necessary.

Also, I recommend brining the chicken. Search for "meat brining" and
ignore the added sugar but add the herbs.

Despite what some persons may want you to believe, cooking is very
easy and not time consuming.

Is they any site that has really simple recipies and a list of basic
things to buy when getting your kitchen in order for the first time? A
book would be good too. How did everyone here learn to cook?

My mom taught me how to cook.

i

I learned on my own.

--
Bob in CT
Remove ".x" to reply

(Mark Mennsor) writes:
Is they any site that has really simple recipies and a list of basic
things to buy when getting your kitchen in order for the first time? A
book would be good too. How did everyone here learn to cook?

I learned to cook from my parents. Consider this a good opportunity
to meet your neighbors ;-)

Ok, DJ's basic bachelor kitchen advice:

Buy the following:

1. Large cast iron frying pan, or a wok. The frying pan is more
useful. If you get a cast iron frying pan, season it according to
the instructions that come with it (if there are no instructions,
don't buy that brand - mine are cast into the base of the pan
itself).

2. Wooden spoon. Two might be a good idea. If you don't have a
spatula, get one of those too while you're at it, you'll use it
eventually.

3. A small bottle of canola oil.

4. A small bottle of soy sauce.

5. Salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic, or whatever other spices you
like.

6. Kitchen fire extinguisher, class A/B/C. Keep it away from the
stove, where you can get to it in case of fire.

Ok, so much for the basics, aside from the usual plates and
silverware.

Basic bachelor chow:

Buy a pound of meat, any kind, NOT ground (i.e. steak, chops, boneless
ribs, chicken breasts, etc). Buy a large green pepper and a large
sweet onion (er, 3-4" diameter each).

Cut all ingredients into bite-size pieces. Note: discard the seeds
inside the pepper, and the outermost layer of the onion, plus the
parts where the stems attach.

Heat pan or wok on medium-high heat. A few drops of water put in
should sizzle but not jump all over the place.

Now, quickly...

* Pour in a tablespoon or two of the oil.

* Pour in the cut up ingredients.

* Stir like mad! If you don't, the food will burn and/or catch on
fire. Do NOT ignore the food at this point.

Add soy sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.

Stir while cooking until it's cooked enough for your tastes. Don't
leave it unattended.

Pour onto plate and eat. Presto! Stir fry!

Next time, try other meats and/or veggies.

Oh, watch the Food Channel too. "Good Eats" is my favorite
learn-to-cook-right show.

On 08 Apr 2004 18:38:17 GMT, (Mark Mennsor)
wrote:

I've been reading up on the Atkins diet and reading about success
stories. It looks like something I would like to try. But I have a
problem and that is that I don't know how to cook. I pretty much eat
out every meal, and always have. I'd like to stop that but I don't even
know where to begin.

Is they any site that has really simple recipies and a list of basic
things to buy when getting your kitchen in order for the first time? A
book would be good too. How did everyone here learn to cook?

Thanks.
Get yourself a copy of "Joy of Cooking" by Irma S. Rombauer.

The book has been out forever so you could probably find one in a used
bookstore. Joy of Cooking has all of the basic "how to" information a
cook requires. My guess is that with this book you could reproduce
some decent lowcarb meals for yourself. HTH

Lee Rodgers
Lowcarb Retreat http://www.lowcarb.org
CHATroom http://www.lowcarb.org/parachat.html
Low-Carb Connoisseur puts the dash in low-carb
http://www.low-carb.com

On 08 Apr 2004 15:03:05 -0400, DJ Delorie wrote:


Oh, watch the Food Channel too. "Good Eats" is my favorite
learn-to-cook-right show.

Good Eats rocks! "Alton Brown" is a name my friend's three- and
five-year-olds can say! (Of course, they say, "I don't want to watch
Alton Brown!", but we make 'em anyway.) He teaches you WHY you do stuff
instead of most cooking shows, which teach you only HOW to do it.

--
Bob in CT
Remove ".x" to reply

Get yourself a copy of "Joy of Cooking" by Irma S. Rombauer.

The book has been out forever so you could probably find one in a used
bookstore. Joy of Cooking has all of the basic "how to" information a
cook requires. My guess is that with this book you could reproduce
some decent lowcarb meals for yourself. HTH

I learned how to cook on my own. Took some time to learn how to cook. I am good
now.

The betty crocker cookbook is another good one.

Bob in CT wrote:
On 08 Apr 2004 15:03:05 -0400, DJ Delorie wrote:


Oh, watch the Food Channel too. "Good Eats" is my favorite
learn-to-cook-right show.

Good Eats rocks! "Alton Brown" is a name my friend's three- and
five-year-olds can say! (Of course, they say, "I don't want to watch
Alton Brown!", but we make 'em anyway.) He teaches you WHY you do
stuff instead of most cooking shows, which teach you only HOW to do
it.

--
Bob in CT
Remove ".x" to reply

I love Alton Brown! There's always something to learn on his shows.

--
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In article , not-a-real-
says...
I've been reading up on the Atkins diet and reading about success
stories. It looks like something I would like to try. But I have a
problem and that is that I don't know how to cook. I pretty much eat
out every meal, and always have. I'd like to stop that but I don't even
know where to begin.

Hi Mark, welcome to the group!

Is they any site that has really simple recipies and a list of basic
things to buy when getting your kitchen in order for the first time? A
book would be good too. How did everyone here learn to cook?

I just grew up learning it from my mother and Home Ec in Jr. High, although I did
take a class once on how to make sushi :-) There probably ARE night classes on
learning to cook, or perhaps something through a community center. If you search
the net, there are probably LOTS of sites and even some on-line cooking courses.

I just wandered around and found this site. Starting off with eggs is a very
good idea if you like eggs, and they show LOTS of ways to cook them (I'll have to
read up on that MYSELF). Their home page has links to helpful stuff, too.

http://www.whatscookingamerica.net/eggs.htm

--
Saffire
205/161/125 - 5'2.5"
Atkins since 6/14/03
Progress photo: http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333

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On Thu, 08 Apr 2004 at 18:38 GMT, Mark Mennsor spoke:

I've been reading up on the Atkins diet and reading about success
stories. It looks like something I would like to try. But I have a
problem and that is that I don't know how to cook. I pretty much
eat out every meal, and always have. I'd like to stop that but I
don't even know where to begin.

1) throw steak on grill
2) throw lettuce in bowl

It's easy.


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