i dont know how to cook BUT want to learn, i'm 26 male. is one born a cook, or can you become good?

Question

cooking seems simple..but it's actually difficult. the only things i know how to make are sandwiches..quesadillas, and serve myself some TV dinners or something. my mom cooks and i live with parents so she gives us but still i would like to learn..parents are not patient, so mom would not be good teacher^^^

To one poster here: He he he .. i tried boxed mac n cheese 2 times recently and it failed so badly, it turned out watery and white, even though i put in the powder cheese. I'll try it some other day

Answer 1

I've always told my kids that "if you can read, you can cook". Now that doesn't mean to go out buy some high falutin cookbook. You need to start with the easy ones. Maybe one that has pictures to help you. There are just hundreds of them waiting.
If you like your mom's cooking, maybe you could talk her into writing down some of her recipes. When my kids left home, I gave them each a cookbook that I had personally written all of their favorite recipes in. They said it was the best gift they ever received, and now I don't have to be telling them how to cook something over the telephone.
Good luck! My dad was a terrific chef!

Answer 2

Cooking is really an art. I believe you can come become a good cook but great cooks are groomed from birth. IE learning how to make Grandma's home made cinnamon rolls or Home made chicken noodle soup. The best thing to do is get an easy to follow cook book- like Better Homes and Gardens and pick out a simple recipie like a casserole or a soup. Just follow the directions. Once you get better at it and more comfortable with the thought of cooking you might not even need recipies any more. Good luck! The best thing about cooking is that you enjoy what you are doing. Take a cooking class @ the community college.

Answer 3

When I was in graduate school, I discovered a little book that helped me immensely. It explained lots of things and I credit it with giving me the start in real cooking. I just found a copy of it on the net and I will include the site below. It is called The Impoverished Students' Book of Cookery, Drinkery and Housekeepery. It's inexpensive, to the point and even helps you pick out pots and pans.
More than anything else, the greatest problem people have in cooking is using too high of a heat. After that, it's just patience and practice. The book above has some great basic recipes along with sage advice which I still use today. More than anything else, it explains how to use spices and on what.
The details of things are what you need.
While it seems like child play to me to bake a potato, it isn't obvious to someone who hasn't done it. I have seen people try to microwave an egg in a shell so I know when directions aren't clear; it's those little things that you have to know that makes this book so valuable.
Last of all, don't be discouraged by failure. Professionals have them all the time. Just start over and figure out what you did wrong.

Answer 4

My Mom didn't teach me much, either. I learned by watching her. Start small. Look at the bookstore for a cooking 101 books, that teach how to prepare foods in order to cook them, how to measure, and what directional words mean.
Next step, try some box foods, like a brownie mix, a cake mix, some mac and cheese, hamburger helper.These teach you the basics Then pick a recipe, a simple one with few ingredients. My Moms meatloaf is the one I tried first. Next step is putting a whole meal together, timing the dishes to be done at the same time. Choose easy stuff, like frozen veggies. Then you get to go through the cookbook and find something you really want to learn to fix. Don't be intimidated by multiple step recipes, some of these are really quite easy. I found lasagna to be a cinch to make. Boil the noodles, make the sauce layer from hamburger and tomato sauce with spices, make the creamy cheese layer, it is ricotta cheese, some spices, and some parmesan, and have the mozzarella ready, and put them together, layer by layer.
Yes, most anyone can learn to cook, you do not have to be born to it. I learned, and now I am making my own real, baked cheesecake, and it is really easy, if you can make a cake from scratch, you can make cheesecake.
Look on sites like Philadelphia cream cheese, Ritz crackers, product brand recipes are often very easy. Try allrecipes.com for easy things, and do not forget Martha Stewart, she has tapes showing food prep, and watch her show, she cooks almost every show. And do not forget food network and PBS, they show you step by step how to do things.PBS Americ'a test kitchen even shows you what tools to use, and rates food products and
equipment as to quality, and they tell you which recipes stink, and tell you how to do it better.
Good luck!

Answer 5

Watch some of the tv shows on cooking..Great Chefs, Good Eats, Emril Lagasse, Rachel Ray. It's not rocket science. Get a good beginning cook book and learn the vernacular of cooking so you'll know what is expected if a receipe calls for yuo to . Next, start on some easy dishes, especially those found in the beginning cooking books. When you're comfortable cooking at home, take a course. Many community colleges offer adult education short courses where you might pick up a cooking class on something like soups. A great way to learn a few things and pick up some receipes plus you can taste them too !

Also a piece of advice...since you're living at home, remember Mom will always have some criticism because you will learn things that aren't "her way". Remember you're in her kitchen, so bite your lip, smile and nod, and forge ahead. And also learn to clean up after yourself as you cook. Nothing says you have to wait until you're finished to wash and put a way a pot or pan, measuring spoons, e.t.c... Keeps the kitchen tidy and it's more fun without a mess around you. ;-) My girls will usually call me and ask how to do something before they ask their mother. Good luck and keep at it.

Answer 6

I agree you should start off slow then work your way up. I learned from watching my mom & grandma.
Also watch the food network they have amazing dishes that are very easy. I know men dont like those kind of shows but they have awesome shows that are more for men then women. The really good stuff is usually pretty simple.
Sorry to here about the mac & cheese mayhem.
Try getting just regular pasta & velveeta cheese this way you can add the amount of cheese that you want, not what they give you. It will be to your taste. Also try adding things to it, like brown up some ground beef, season with seasoning salt (just a little) and add it to the mac & cheese with a can of corn and mix. My kids love that ****.

Answer 7

Cooking everyday meals is not difficult. It gets harder when you try something really tricky. So pick up a simple basic cookbook like the Betty Crocker cookbook. Later you can graduate to "The Joy of Cooking."

When I asked my stepmother to teach me to cook, her response was, "Get ot of my kitchen." I bought a cookbook when I left home and didn't even know what "seed and dice a green pepper" meant. If I learned to do it, anyone can!

Ask your mom to name a night when you can have the use of the kitchen. Choose a simple recipe like spaghetti or sloppy joes. Read the recipe, shop for the ingredients, set out the materials you will need. Just follow directions - all cookbooks are step-by-step. Be sure to clean up the mess so she will agree to let you do it again! Most people who know how to do something find it hard to resist giving advice to those who don't, so I'll bet she wil be tempted to help you once she sees what you're doing! Keep at it and eventually you will be able to "cook by ear," not even bothering to measure things like herbs and spices.

Answer 8

start with boxed mac n cheese, try spaghetti and sauce (add hamburger meat--cook meat first). Steak and chicken on the grill are easy. Pick out a recipe, make a grocery list, shop, and follow the recipe. Cooking empowers you to fix what YOU like. Once you get the hang of it you can cook for or with a friend. Good luck.

Answer 9

Try courses at your local community college. Or ask a friend who is a good cook to teach you. As someone stated, learn the basics first. A good cookbook can help, too. Good luck, and don't be afraid to try!

Answer 10

hi i once was where you were i wanted to learn how to cook ....rather i needed a degree to get the good jobs so i applied to some local schools ...i found a real good cooking progam at the local vo-tech college...it was 2 nights a week and then i did catering with them as a a internship ....im sure there are programs like this in your area ...schools or something ... besides im sure ya wouldnt mind getting outta the house some.....