What is the best cook book to buy for total beginners?

Question

I'm going to uni in september and I can't make a single proper meal!!! HELP!

Whats the best cook book(s) to buy for total beginners. I want to learn how to make all the "classics"!

Also want the meals I make to be pretty healthy! (all that boozings gonna be unhealthy enough!)

Can anyone suggest any books/ any other ways of learning how to cook tasteeeee meals?

Thanks in advance!!!

Answer 1

betty crockers big red cookbook

Answer 2

There is a whole range of student cookbooks out there, and some of the stuff in them is really good. If there are certain meals you especially like at home, why not ask for those recipes, or better still get whoever does the cooking to show you, and then have a go yourself? Before I went to uni, I got my mum to show me stuff like bolognese sauce, curry, that sort of thing, and I'd learnt stuff like white sauce and flapjack at school.

The only one I don't recommend is the Australian Womens Weekly student cookbook - how on earth you'd stretch the budget to get the ingredients, let alone make the dishes in a student kitchen is a mystery to me!

Top tips:

If you have access to a freezer when you're at uni, don't just use it for pizza, burgers and chips. If you fancy spag bol at the beginning of term, make a bulk batch and then freeze 1 meal portions in plastic bags. It works out cheaper and you then have food to tide you over when money gets tight at the end of term. Tomato sauce and chilli con carne can be done in the same way. Take advantage of multibuy offers as well, and freeze part of your purchase the day you get it, eg chicken portions - split the packs into servings so you don't end up eating the same thing for a week.

Ask your parents to stock you up with pasta, rice and other storecupboard essentials (including cleaning products and toilet rolls if you need to provide your own!) at the beginning of term, or do this yourself. That way you have a base to work from and you don't have to worry about how to afford it later.

Answer 3

Betty Crocker's Cookbook for Boys and Girls
You can find it online, or at almost any bookstore.
It defines and explains cooking terms.
It has simple, yet delicious recipes, such as Easy Sloppy Joes, which is just a pound of ground beef or turkey, a can of tomato soup and a few packets of ketchup over hamburger buns. My son learned to make it on his own when he was about 8, so I think a college man can probably manage it.
There are other classics in there, such as pizza and macaroni and cheese, brownies etc.
You're gonna love it.

Answer 4

There are several books in a series for students - Grub on a Grant is one of them. Eat Well for less is another, trouble is I cannot remember the name of the author. Go to your local book shop and ask for the Grub one and the others should not be too far away.

Try Delia Smith's One is Fun. That is a good one.

Web sites are another good way - Allrecipes.com or Recipebazaar.com is another.

Try your local community centre or library for information on cookery clubs - this is a great way to learn new recipes and eat the results and meet people from many different walks of life.

good luck with uni and do not drink too much. Not worth it!!

Answer 5

The finest cook book I have (and there are many) is called
"The Silver spoon" it is Italy's best selling cookbook for over 50 years and only recently translated into English - it is my Bible, with over 2,000 recipes and extremely easy to follow. It will set you back £25.00 but worth every penny.
The Pizza recipes are great and dead easy.
There's thousands of books out there so Good Luck any way.

Answer 6

When I first got married, I got a lot of local Church and School compiled cookbooks. To be honest I thought *Yank* What am I gonna do with these??? But they've become my tried and true favorites! Mostly because it's all relatively familiar food with ingredients you can find in your local supermarkets. Nothing is more frustrating then getting a best seller and not being able to find the food they're using to cook with!!!

Answer 7

I learned at 19 from the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook (with the red and white plaid cover, tons of useful info and recipes), and the Betty Crocker cookbook. Same good info. There's stuff like substitutions, calories, serving sizes, dietary info, all kinds of extra tips and tricks.

I've been using them for over 15 years still. Even different versions. Very very helpful.

Answer 8

Better Homes and Garden's New Cook Book is FABULOUS!!! It gives you all the details you need to know in order to be successful in the kitchen. Not only are there classic recipes, but they also give just basic facts... like how long to cook a specific veggie. I have never failed when I used this book!!

Answer 9

There is a cook book out there printed for students, but if you can not find it Delia Smith is another good one, she does several cook books just have a read of them and see which one is best for you.

Answer 10

The Doubleday Cookbook.

Answer 11

If you have access to the internet, go to the Kraft foods site They have everything and many of the recipes are sooo simple and soooo good. Another site would be Mr. Food. Good luck in school and cooking.