What is a simple meal that I can actually make?

Question

For the past year or so, I have been having to babysit my brother and cook for him, almost everyday. (I'm 15, by the way..) I almost always make something in the microwave, and a few times I make pasta and sauce, or ham and cheese omellites.
My mom teases me about my cooking skills, because almost everything I cook burns, has to much water in it, needs sugar, needs salt, or all of the above. I can't even make a simple Jello, because I somehow put to much water in it. I have tried to make steak, but then I forgot about it, and it burned into a crisp.

So, what is an easy meal, for either lunch or dinner, that I can make with ease?
Oh, and it can't include mushrooms, olives, or anything spicy.


Thanks in advance!

I have also made pizza, and it turned out all black and hard.
I have tried to make the rice sides, that come in the packages, but for some reason it turns all dried.
I have tried to make the instant pudding, but when I took it out, it was just a liquid.

OH, and I also have a fear of frying things.

Long story, basically involved one of my fingers getting in the burning oil.

Answer 1

Well I give you lots of credit for even trying. I am surprised that your Mother makes fun of your attempts. I am sure there was a day when she was learning how to cook as well. She should be happy and pleased that you are there, taking care of your Brother and trying to cook. Wonder how many dishes she burned when she was your age trying to learn to cook.

You need to slow down and take it one step at a time being careful to follow the directions step by step. Watch the cooking temperature as well so that you do not burn it. It might take longer but a slower temperature will generally be better.

You might try cooking in a Slow Cooker or Crock Pot. You put everything in it then turn it on and it cooks by itself, needing no help from you, all day and makes a grat one dish dinner.

God bless you for even trying to help! That is how we all learned to cook, trial and error. Don't give up!

Maybe your school has a Home Economics course that you can take? There are also those wonderful cooking shows and you can tape them and watch them a few times, then try it yourself.

You are a future gourmet cook, hang in there! You got two ingredients that are required.....determination and desire!

Oh another thought, maybe ask your dear Mother to show you. That is generally how most girls learn to cook!

Answer 2

PLEASE READ THIS, IT'LL HELP
Okay, here's a gourmet meal that you can make for your family, and follows all the conditions that you put in your question.

Item #1 Soup

1. Take 2 cans of tomato soup
2. Put them in a large pot
3. Add the water as per the direction, but if you put a little more that will not harm anyone.
4. Take a cup of pasta and add it in the boiling soup.
5. When the pasta is boiled, add 2 slices of cheese and 1 tablespoon of butter/margarine (this'll make it have the restaurant flavour)
6. When you pour it in the bowl, put 2/3 mint/cilantro/basil leaves to decorate on top and in the middle.

Item #2

1. Take any sliced meat (pepperoni/ bologne, roast beef etc)
2. put on a slice of cheese and roll them together.
3. to hold the roll, put a toothpick through it and stick an olive in eack one.

Item 3

1. Take 2 chicken breast (boneless)
2. Cut them up in small pieces
3. Marinade in italian dressing, olive oil, tmato puree and mastard sauce for 30 mints
4. Bake in 350 F for about 30 mints.

Item 4,

Serve som eveggies that can be eaten raw in a platter with dips

Item 5 rice pudding

Boil 750 ml milk, Put 1 cup rice in the milk. Add about half a cup sugar, you are done when the rice is done.

Cheerios

Answer 3

Okay, this is about the easiest thing in the world to make
All you need is:
Tortilla shells
Cheese
2 cans of chili (nallys works great)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
(not the giant cans, the regular sized cans)

Heat the oven to 350. Mix chili and cream of mushroom soup together. Put a thin layer on the bottom of I believe 13X8 pan. Put a small amount of mix into tortilla shells (cheese if you want to aswell, or just cheese. It also helps if you heat the tortilla shells for about 15 secs in the microwave before you handle so they don't break). Roll them up and place them in the pan snuggly together. Put the remainder of the mix on the top of the tortillas. Cover the top with cheese. Then just bake for 30 mins. It's hard to go wrong. I hope this works for you (by the way, I'm 16, and have been making this since I was 12, so it shouldn't be too hard)

Answer 4

*Sausage and Potato Salad*

You need:
6 thin beef sausages
4 washed potatoes
1 red (spanish) onion
1/2 cup of sun dried tomatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tbsp of seeded mustard
100gm fetta cheese
chopped herbs for serving (if desired)

Turn on the oven to about 180'C (356'F). While it is heating dice up some potatoes and quarter the red onion (fairly small) and slice up some sun dried tomatoes. Mix the sour cream and mustard together in a bowl. Arrange the potatoes and the sausages in the bottom of an oiled baking dish.

When the oven is hot put the dish of potatoes and sausages in to bake for about 25 minutes, or until sausgaes are cooked and the potatoes are tender (but not burnt!).

Remove the dish from the oven (carefully!) and remove the sausages. Slice each sausage into 4 or so pieces (small enough to be single mouthfuls) and mix in a big bowl with the potatoes, onion, sun dried tomatoes, and sour cream/mustard dressing. Crumble the fetta over the top and mix it all well, and top with chopped herbs (if you like).

Eat and enjoy!

oh, yeah, and don't forget to turn off the oven afterwards ;-)

Answer 5

You need to slow down and read ALL the directions before you begin, and make sure you understand what it says. If you do this, and pay attention to what you're doing, you should have no problem.

Try this recipe:

Chicken and Rice Casserole

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup uncooked rice
1 can cream of chicken soup, or cream of mushroom
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
2 cups boiling water
2 1/2 pounds cut up chicken or chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

Wash and drain rice. Spread in 9 x 13 inch baking dish or 3 quart casserole. Mix soup, Italian dressing mix and water. Stir into rice. Lay chicken, skin side up, on top of rice mixture; season with salt and pepper.

Cover tightly with foil and cook for 1 hour at 350°. Uncover and cook for 20 minutes longer; until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Put casserole under broiler for a few seconds to brown chicken.
Serves 6 to 8.

Answer 6

Does your mom have a good cook book? Pick something simple - like a beef stew -- and make that. But when you are cooking something, you have to keep an eye on it. You can't go away and forget about it until you smell smoke!
It sounds as though you have trouble following directions, because most of the prepackaged foods are almost foolproof if you FOLLOW DIRECTIONS EXACTLY. If you put too much water in the jello, it won't set, so make sure you have a good set of measuring cups and measuring spoons.
Cooking is basically just science, and is in fact, called culinary science. So think of yourself as a scientist, who has to measure things accurately to get the chemical reaction she's looking for.

Bon appetite!

Answer 7

Wow! You cook for yourself and your brother at your young age! I am impressed:) Next sounds like you are limited by time or other duties. Try to relax, refer to the recipe as you cook after reading thoroughly once, use actual measuring cup and spoons and you are in business.

For starters, have your Mom buy a rice cooker (follow the fail proof recipes that come along with ), slow cooker (again follow the recipes) for your family. Its inexpensive around $10 on sale, for the small 5 cup rice cooker and $20 to 30 on sale for a slow cooker. Better be safe than sorry! This is how you learn to cook until you are really interested and have the time amongst zillion other things to do for school and extra curricular activities which should be your priority!

Answer 8

O'kay, you could brown some hamburgar and drain off the grease, then add a can of Manwhich. Stir to coat all meat while simmering.

Before starting the Manwhich, wash some potatoes and wrap in foil and place in oven for 1 hour at 350. You will then have baked potatos and Manwich and all you have to do is microwave some canned corn in a microwave safe bowl.

You'll have a simple but complete meal. Good Luck!!!

Answer 9

no problem! you just need some practice. my best advice would be to start out easy. get some Homestyle bakes, or supper bakes at your grocery store.(theyre in a box, and it comes with all the ingredients.). You should get yourself a cookbook,...i like racheal ray's 30 minute meal cookbooks. theyre dedicated to lots of cool meals that cook in 30 minutes or less! Also, get a good measuring cup...and make sure to use it!hehe. and a cheap wooden spoon...(they keep from scratching the non stick surface off of your cookware, which will make food stick and burn. oh, and about the rice being dry: with items like that, you should stir them every few minutes, and you can always add more water so that it doesnt dry and scortch. my best advice all in all: just read and follow the directions to a "t" and you wont go wrong.

Answer 10

Here is a recipe you and your brother will both like and it is pretty easy.

1 pound of ground beef
1 can of tomato soup
1 can of cheddar cheese soup
1 and 1/2 cup of water
2 cups of medium shell pasta

Brown hamburger in a 10 inch skillet and drain off fat.

Add soups, water and pasta to pan and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until pasta is the tenderness you like and serve. Good with garlic toast and a veggie of your choice.