I can't really cook at all--any advice on how I can learn?

Question

My dad sometimes tries to teach me (he can cook really well), but he's not the best teacher so... I need outside help. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Watch the food network!!! You can learn lots !

Answer 2

The way i learned was watching cooking shows on TV. On weekends on PBS and the food channel they have show which have easy recipes. When you go shopping, stop by the meat department or the produce side and pick up the free recipes, and also in the newspaper they have recipes.

Here is an easy recipe and not expensive too!

Easy chicken and noodles

1 pkg of bowtie or penne noodles
1 lb chicken breast, diced and boneless
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 can cream chicken soup
sour cream, optional
salt/pepper

Cook noodles acording to the package.

While the noodles are cooking, in a skillet add 3 tsp of oil. On med/high heat sautee the diced onions and mushrooms for 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 5-10 minutes.

Add cream of mushroom soup into meat mixture, mix well.
Lower heat to med/low. Cover and let cook for 15 minutes, stirring occassionally. When meat is cooked, turn off heat. Add a few dollops of sour cream and mix. Cover and wait for noodles to be cooked.

Drain the noodles, and serve meat over a plate of noodles

Answer 3

To be honest, I never really was much of a cook either. I joined the Pampered Chef to earn some extra money as a side job, and discovered that cooking can really be easy and fun! You learn as you go, and the company is great at giving you tips and such to use personally and to share with your customers. If you really want to learn, I would suggest becoming a consultant like I have. It's very rewarding both financially and otherwise. The flexibility is great too!
For more info, visit www.pamperedchef.biz/ candiceskitchen

Good luck to you!

Answer 4

Can you get the food network on your TV? There are some great shows for the beginner as well as some step by step videos online at foodnet.com.

Also, check out some easy recipes online and just go for it. What is the worse that can happen? One learns best by just doing. Check your local park district, library and gourmet stores for classes.

Remember, if you goof up you may just discover a great new recipe. And if whatever you makes it awful - throw it out and forgot about it and try again. We all have horror stories of cooking misadventures.

And be patient with Dad....ask him to help you cook one thing at a time - maybe start with cookies. Yum!

Answer 5

Watch some of the shows on food network but watch the ones where the ingredients are simple and few. Like Rachael Ray 30 minute meals. She is annoying as all get out but she does have some good ideas. Or Paula's Home Cooking is another good one and Paula is great. Stay away from Semi Homemade with Sandra Lee.

Answer 6

You can get beginners cookbooks at the public library. The one's in the children's section have really easy recipes without too many ingredients.
Watch some of the cooking shows on TV too.
Ask a friend or neighbor to show you a certain recipe. Gradually you will become a cook.

Answer 7

Can you read? Get a good cook book and follow it to a T. When I got married, I couldn't cook much but I moved to a small town that didn't have any restaurants like pizza or chinese food which we loved. I decided that I had to learn to cook. I bought cook books and taught myself. Now everyone says that I am the best cook and baker they know. I even owned my own restaurant two years ago.

PS I still love cook books and cooking magazines and cooking shows.

Answer 8

cooking channel on tv. recipe books. read the labels off gravey mixs or buy seasoning packets and read there recipes. i love to cook--hate the cleaning. think of it like a science project read all the directions, get all the ingredients before hand. start with what takes the longest. cooking is kinda easy once u get it down. depends on if your after a whole dinner or just a snack. try this,,,

. turkey sheppards pie.. yumm. fry a pound of ground turkey with some alt and pepper, drain it. put it in a 9 x 14 baking dish pour a can of mushroom gravey over it. and mix. pour one can of peas and carrots over it. peel like 5 potatoes and boil till soft, then drain, mash and add a table spoon of butter and a 1/4 cup milk. put the mashed potatoes over the peas and carrots and smooth out the top. put in oven for 30 mins at 400 degrees. let cool and munch out. e mail me on this if ya want

Answer 9

Get a cook book a really simple one. Start with easy recipes and work your way up. The betty crocker cookbook is kind of easy. Also rachel rays 30 min or less is pretty easy and tasty. Don't give up you are bound to make some mistakes but it gets easy as time goes on.

Answer 10

The best way to learn is to experiment for yourself. You can buy cookbooks and watch shows for ideas, but experimenting with the food and ingredients, tasting it, learning the proper texture of dishes will give you all the knowledge you will ever need. You will make some lousy stuff at first but in time and with practice you can get really good.

Answer 11

Really if you can read you can cook. Get the recipe for your favorite dish, gather all of the ingredients and then start cooking. Read the entire recipe and follow instructions. It is really easy. If there are cooking terms you don't understand ask you dad. Enjoy!