I want to learn how to cook things..?

Question

I can already make rice and everyone comments on how good it is and i can also make french fries and other things that you can fry and i can also bake cookies..i want to learn how to cook and bake other things i wanted to do cooking as one of my electives for 9th grade but i didnt get it cooking or anyhthing else related to it..so how else can i learn how to cook? I dont like looking things up on the internet because sometimes there not that specific and the cooking channel is to pro for me and im just a starter.

Answer 1

These are a few of my favorites!!

Crock Pot Enchiladas
Serves 6

1 lb Ground Beef, lean
1 (8.5 oz) White Onion, chopped
1 (4 oz can) Chopped Green Chilies
1 (14 oz can) Enchilada Sauce
1 (10-3/4 oz can) Golden Mushroom Soup
1 (10-3/4 oz can) Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 (10-3/4 oz can) Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 (10-3/4 oz can) Cream of Celery Soup

Instructions:
Brown hamburger and chopped onion and pour off grease.

Put all ingredients in crock pot. Mix and cook low 4-6 hours.
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Chicken Parmesan
Serves 6

1/3 Cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 Tsp Italian Seasoning, crushed
6 (4 oz) Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup White Onion, diced
1 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup 2% Milk
1 (1 oz packet) Ranch Flavored Salad Dressing Mix
6 Slices Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 (10 oz pkg.) Spinach, frozen, thawed, drained
1 Tbsp Pimiento, chopped

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF

In a small mixing bowl combine cheese, ranch salad dressing mix, and Italian seasoning. Roll chicken pieces in cheese mixture to coat lightly; set remaining cheese mixture aside. Arrange the pieces in an 8x8x2-inch baking dish. In a small saucepan cook onion in hot margarine until tender.

Stir in flour; add milk all at once. Cook and stir till bubbly; stir in drained spinach and pimiento. Place a slice of cheese and spoon the spinach mixture over the chicken; sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes or until tender.
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Chicken Pasta Alfredo
Serves 6

6 Qts Water
12 oz Fettuccine Pasta
2 Tbsp Peanut Oil
6 (4 oz) Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless
2 (10-3/4 oz can) Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 (20 oz bag) Frozen Broccoli Florets
3/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

Instructions:
Heat a large pot of water, over high heat. When water comes to a boil add the pasta and boil for 8-10 minutes. Drain; reserving 2 cups pasta water. Cut the chicken into strips (1/4''x1''); set aside.

In a large frying pan, over medium-high heat, add the oil and chicken pieces stirring frequently until golden brown.

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, add the chicken pieces, sauce, 1/4 cup reserved pasta water, stirring frequently. Add the remaining pasta water into the saucepan and bring just to a boil, then add the broccoli. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Divide the cooked pasta evenly between serving dishes and top with chicken and broccoli mixture.
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Spanish Meatloaf
Serves 6

1-1/2 lb Ground Beef, lean
1 (5.5 oz envelope) Wyler's ''Hearty Beef Stew'' Soup Starter
1 (8 oz bag) Mexican Style Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 (4 oz can) Diced Green Chili Peppers
1 (14-1/2 oz can) Diced Tomatoes, drained
1 Cup BBQ Sauce (recommended: Kraft Carb Well)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF

In a large bowl add the soup starter, diced green chili peppers, and the diced tomatoes; mix until the liquid is absorbed. Add the ground beef and BBQ sauce and mix thoroughly until well combined.

Place 1/2 of the mixture in a loaf pan, making a well in the meat, top evenly with the cheese and place the remainder of the meat mixture on top to seal.

Bake for 45 minutes; drain any residual fat if necessary.

Place the meatloaf on a warmed serving platter and serve immediately. Serve with mixed vegetables or a salad.
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Crab Quiche
Serves 6

1 (8 oz pkg.) Louis Kemp Crab Delights, flaked
3/4 Cup Mexican Style Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1/2 (8 oz pkg.) Cream Cheese, cut into 1/4'' cubes
1/4 Cup Green Onions, sliced
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Basil
1/2 Cup Heart Healthy Bisquick
1 Cup 1% Milk ''Skim''
1/2 Cup Eggbeaters
3 SecondsNonstick Cooking Spray

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF

Mix the crab delights, shredded cheese, cream cheese, onions, salt, and basil in a medium bowl.

Coat a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray and spread the crab mixture into the bottom.

Beat the remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour over the crab mixture and bake for about 40-45 minutes.

Serve immediately.
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Strawberry Shake
Serves 2

1 Cup Frozen Strawberries, thawed
2 Tbsp Honey
1 Cup Cold 2%Milk
1 Cup Plain Yogurt
2 Tbsp Sugar Substitute (recommended: Splenda)
2 Whole Strawberries, garnish

Instructions:
Puree the strawberries and honey in a blender or food processor. Add milk, sweetener and yogurt; blend until smooth.

Pour into glasses; garnish each with a whole strawberry

Answer 2

I almost always go on http://www.allrecipes.com/. If you know a few cooking terms then you'll understand the directions for the most part. If you don't know many cooking terms, just look it up. There is a section in the website that's for quick and easy meals.

A tip from me is to always look at the ratings and reviews. It really helps because sometimes there may be mistakes and typos in the recipe and sometimes a reviewer's tips and changes will help. I know you think that cookbooks and such aren't specific enough but if you know how to fry stuff, bake, and you look up some terms on the internet, cooking full dinners won't be that hard.

Try asking your mom or dad if they can teach you how to cook. If they don't cook and you eat out all the time, ask a friend who does know, there's bound to be someone around you who will be willing to teach you.

Answer 3

There are already so many wonderful answers listed here for you, I'm not going to go on and on about this. I do have one pointer for you, however: Baking (breads, muffins, brownies, cakes, etc) requires EXACT measurements. Don't guess when you're baking. Read and follow the directions pretty exactly. Cooking, however, is different. Stove-top foods are much less strict in ingredients, methods, etc. Learn the different tastes of ingredients (tomato paste vs tomato sauce, etc), spices, herbs, etc and, like an artist, create your own painting every time.

Don't be put off by the Food Network. Many of the cooks there are very accessible and easy to follow. Rachel Ray is good, Paula Deen and Tyler Florence are easy to follow.

Cooking is an art, a science, a joy. Don't be put off by minor failures. Life goes on. You'll learn as you go. We all did.

Congratulations on taking on this lifetime endeavor early in age.

Answer 4

The Fanny Farmer Cookbook is the most complete cooking text I have ever come across. I have been as high in the cooking ranks a sous chef in some four star restaurants, and my Fanny Farmer served me well. There are sections on kitchen tools, cooking methods, terminology.......every possible question is addressed and answered. None of it is terribly complex or difficult, and makes for interesting reading even if you're not cooking at that moment. If I were to teach a cooking course, this would be my number one text.

Answer 5

Get a very simple cook book like Better Homes and Gardens and follow the recipes carefully. Anyone can learn to cook. Just follow the directions. Also, you can learn alot by watching Rachel Rae do her 30 minute recipes on TV. They are quick and easy.

Answer 6

A few tips: Use ingredients that are as unprocessed as you can get them if you really wish to learn to cook well. If you're adding things such as canned soup to your dishes, your not cooking. You're heating things up withe someone else's recipes added for flavoring. Learn not to overcook anything. Meats and vegetables can be cooked, in most cases, in less than thirty minutes. Most vegetables don 't need to be peeled or scraped. I don't peel potatoes, ever, and haven't for more than thirty years. Since you know how to cook rice, try learning how to stir fry meats and vegetebles to add to the rice for your interpretation of a Chinese meal. Use the lowest possible fire for the dish you're preparing. Without a doubt, one of the cooking techniques least understood is the proper use of heat. The second least understood is cooking the food to just the right doneness. Almost everyone overcooks foods in this country. The best way to learn is by doing, so cook and cook and cook, and learn to watch what's going on in the pan as well as learning to listening to it. I can tell many times at what stage the food is just by the sound of the pot. pan or skillet and what's going on inside of it. Trust your instincts as they develop. A good cook sets out with a specific flavor or taste in his/her mind and works toward that until it is achieved. It's almost another sense which allows you to taste what you want before you even begin to create it. Lastly, get ahold of an old cookbook, one that really tells you how to cook. You may have to search through yard sales, thrift stores, and used-book stores to find one. The older the better. If it has references in it that you don't understand, then hang on to it and make it your project to find out their meaning.

Good luck.

Answer 7

Get yourself the Fannie Farmer Cooking School Cookbook. Check out used bookstores or the library and get the oldest edition you can find. At first you might laugh because its really old-fashioned, but it will teach you how to do everything from scratch and turn you into the best cook. Seriously.

Answer 8

Hey, well, I found a website for you with simple recipes with subcategories that include '5 ingredients or less,' 'Beginner Recipes,' etc. Here's one recipe that sounded pretty good from Beginner Recipes:

Spicy Falafels



6 patties 20 min 10 min prep
Change to: patties US Metric
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 small onion, finley chopped
1 crushed garlic clove
400 g chickpeas, washed and drained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried herbs
1 egg, beaten


Heat 1 tbsp oil and fry onion and garlic over a low heat until softened.
tip into a large bowl with chickpeas and spices and mash everything together (At home I use my magic bullet because im lazy). Add egg and squash into patty shapes with hands.
fry in the remaining oil for 3 mins each side.
best served hot.

Answer 9

what about starting with your mother? That's how I learn and anything else I learn from cookbooks or the tv cooking channel with rachel ray 30 minutes cooking. I hope I answered your question.

Answer 10

Go to your library and look in the cookbook section. There are hundreds of cookbooks and many are simple recipes that can be made in less than 30 minutes. I know you don't like the Internet but a great web site is www.allrecipes.com

Answer 11

You already know more than alot of people. Just keep expermenting its better to do that. Next time you feel like cooking open up a cook book.