How can I improve my cooking skills?

Question

I eat everything. I care about health too. I am not a gourmet. I can cook simple things but I am always busy with other things, so elaborate dishes don't make any sense to me. (Besides I feel happier with a tangerine than with a piece of cake). However, I would like to improve my cooking skills. Cooks out there, how did you learn what you know?

Answer 1

It's honestly just practice, trial & error. Believe it or not, my dad taught me! When I was in high school, my mother went to India & left me in charge. My dad lasted for 2 days on pasta & stir frys. So began my cooking lessons & I havent stopped since!

If you are pressed for time but would still prefer to cook at home rather than eat out, try some of Rachel Ray's 30 minute meals or Semi Homemade with Sandra Lee. Both have tv shows on the food network & lots of cookbooks.

They are great at shortcuts!

Answer 2

It's a long story, but basically my parents passed away when I was 19. I didn't know how to cook, either mom cooked or the college cafeteria cooked for me! I was living on canned chili and mac and cheese. A family member gave me a subscription to Bon Appetit for Christmas. I thought "I can't make this stuff!" But I finally tried and easy one and it was good! So I kept trying more...and more...and more. Then I bought the BH&G cookbook. Then more and more cookbooks and I discovered I loved cooking and was pretty good at it.

I ended up owning a restaurant for over 8 years. :)

Answer 3

Here are some excellent notes for skills in Indian cooking and some could be followed for any cooking

http://store.indianfoodsco.com/?Cat=3
under
Menus & Cooking Indian
Mind-Body-Soul Cooking

Answer 4

I suggest going old-school and picking up the best cook book ever made, "The Joy of Cooking". It was handed down to me from my Grandmother through my Mom (it's a 75 year old classic). Every woman in my family has used it. Look at the recipes as guides and build your own from there. Try modfiying an ingredient and you will end up with your personal favorites and specialites unique to your own tastes. It teaches you techinique, which is most important.

Answer 5

Buy some good recipe books..."Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook" is an excellent one to start and start with the easy recipes, paying attention to detail... Follow them strictly and later, you can start adding or subtracting ingredients as you progress.... When you look at the whole of cooking, it seems hard, but when you break it down into it's ingredients, measurements, cooking times, etc. it's not that hard...

Answer 6

Practice makes perfect.

I have also taken a lot of cooking classes, they are fun and you learn a lot. Your local community college or adult learning center should have several cooking classes to choose from.

Answer 7

I learned to make the recipes I loved from my aunt and grandmother. Then I would watch the tv chefs and I've read many cookbooks. I think starting with the basic Betty Crocker teaches a great deal about "how to" techniques.

Answer 8

Practice! Read a Recipe book and Make up your Mind that You definitley want to try it. Gather your ingredients and go to the supermarket and try it out. Try differnent things while your making it because this is how recipes become personalized. Have Fun while your doing it as well

Answer 9

I read cookbooks and pick up recipes for things I like. After that, you simply have to dot it. Also, make sure to pay attention to what you're doing when you cook.

Answer 10

watch food tv lol you can learn from there. take a class I used to teach cooking classes always fun. or just go into the kitchen and play with things find somethings you alredy love and change them up to make it your own. throw dinner parties. invite ppl over and use them as practice. have fun be creative and dont be scared to try new things and ingredants worst thing is you throw it away if it sucks.