Learning to cook!
Discussion
Hi,
I'm not sure if it's the right part of the forum to post, but I'm pretty sick of eating crap all the time that comes in boxes! I'm 27 and I thought it's probably the best time to try and learn actually how to make decent food!
The main problems I have is that I can never decide what to make and when I buy fresh stuff I end up throwing loads out because it goes off, etc! And also because I'm on my own I find it pretty hard to make stuff and not either have massive portions or end up throwing loads out because I've made too much!
Anyone got any tips? I don't want to be 30 and still eating microwave crap!
I can follow recipes and I can make easy stuff like bolognese, lasagnes, etc but I end up spending loads because I don't have a 'stock' of stuff, I usually end up shopping every day and making one meal.
I'm not sure if it's the right part of the forum to post, but I'm pretty sick of eating crap all the time that comes in boxes! I'm 27 and I thought it's probably the best time to try and learn actually how to make decent food!
The main problems I have is that I can never decide what to make and when I buy fresh stuff I end up throwing loads out because it goes off, etc! And also because I'm on my own I find it pretty hard to make stuff and not either have massive portions or end up throwing loads out because I've made too much!
Anyone got any tips? I don't want to be 30 and still eating microwave crap!
I can follow recipes and I can make easy stuff like bolognese, lasagnes, etc but I end up spending loads because I don't have a 'stock' of stuff, I usually end up shopping every day and making one meal.
Welcome,
to be honest, it doesn't sound like you need to learn how to cook. To me, it sounds like you need to plan your shopping/meals better. Always keep a stock of base ingredients...chopped tomatoes, garlic, pasta, rice and onions are a start as well as minced beef and chicken in the freezer. From there you can't really go wrong as if you cook twice as much, it sorts out your lunch for the following day.
Tesco's do those mini-bags of vegetables for £1. If it's vegetables you crave, just buy one of those bags of cauliflower, brocolli, carrot every other day and boil it...job done.
You're a sad git if you have 2 hours dedicated to cooking amazing meals just for yourself, but there are plenty of dishes out there that serve as lunches the next day! Chinese stir-fry dishes, curries, pasta/italian dishes, chilli, sweet/sour chicken rice, vegetable curries...regu, shepheards pie...
Good luck!
to be honest, it doesn't sound like you need to learn how to cook. To me, it sounds like you need to plan your shopping/meals better. Always keep a stock of base ingredients...chopped tomatoes, garlic, pasta, rice and onions are a start as well as minced beef and chicken in the freezer. From there you can't really go wrong as if you cook twice as much, it sorts out your lunch for the following day.
Tesco's do those mini-bags of vegetables for £1. If it's vegetables you crave, just buy one of those bags of cauliflower, brocolli, carrot every other day and boil it...job done.
You're a sad git if you have 2 hours dedicated to cooking amazing meals just for yourself, but there are plenty of dishes out there that serve as lunches the next day! Chinese stir-fry dishes, curries, pasta/italian dishes, chilli, sweet/sour chicken rice, vegetable curries...regu, shepheards pie...
Good luck!
Learn how to make a basic bolognese sauce - onions, mince, tomatoes, herbs. Then play around with the recipe. Chilli con carne, stews, curries, shepherds/cottage pie, lasagne can all be made from this basic technique. And once you can make all of those you will be confident enough to try other recipes. Cooking is actually quite hard to cock up, just have a bit of confidence and it will taste great.
I agree with the point about planning your shopping better - that said, I'm as bad as you for buying stuff and chucking it out when plans change.
Also try watching some cooking shows on TV - things like Saturday Kitchen, the fat mockney, Ramsey, River Cottage. It makes much more sense sometimes seeing stuff being done rather than reading it in a book.
Also try watching some cooking shows on TV - things like Saturday Kitchen, the fat mockney, Ramsey, River Cottage. It makes much more sense sometimes seeing stuff being done rather than reading it in a book.
I taught myself by buying things and working out how to cook them individually (e.g. one week I'd buy myself some salmon steaks). Then working out what I thought would go well with them (e.g. lemon). And making up a meal with something starchy (e.g. rice). So, salmon with lemon-flavoured rice. Nice.
Remember the aim isn't to win Masterchef - it's to cook yourself nice stuff.
Remember the aim isn't to win Masterchef - it's to cook yourself nice stuff.
Output Flange said:
I agree with the point about planning your shopping better - that said, I'm as bad as you for buying stuff and chucking it out when plans change.
Also try watching some cooking shows on TV - things like Saturday Kitchen, the fat mockney, Ramsey, River Cottage. It makes much more sense sometimes seeing stuff being done rather than reading it in a book.
100% agree with all above.Also try watching some cooking shows on TV - things like Saturday Kitchen, the fat mockney, Ramsey, River Cottage. It makes much more sense sometimes seeing stuff being done rather than reading it in a book.
On your own you really need to plan so as not to waste stuff or buy expensive individual portions (Or eat too much & get fat!). I used to try and make dishes with similar ingredients on consec days, delibertly cooking too much on day 1 for use in day 2's receipe. Using leftovers also makes you think alot more about what mixes well with what.
Yep sort out your shopping habits first. When we buy chicken for example it gets taken out of the packaging and put into the freezer in freezer bags in twos. Mince gets portioned into about 1/2lb portions (1/4lb for one) before freezing. In the morning before work take out a chicken breast to defrost for your evening meal.
There's no need to be visiting the shop every day really, that would drive me nuts!
Once you have it sorted you can be popping to the shop once a week or so for fresh fruit, veggies, bread and milk etc.
There's no need to be visiting the shop every day really, that would drive me nuts!
Once you have it sorted you can be popping to the shop once a week or so for fresh fruit, veggies, bread and milk etc.
Laplace said:
..put into the freezer .... out a chicken breast to defrost ..There's no need to be visiting the shop every day really, that would drive me nuts!
I found/find though that I rarely use stuff out of the freezer.Once a week was fine for my shopping, A packet of chicken or beef easily keeps for a day or two.
Stir Fried beef on a monday & the other steak from packet on Wednesday no faffin about with the freezer other than a handful or two of frozen veg for stir fry
AndyAudi said:
Laplace said:
..put into the freezer .... out a chicken breast to defrost ..There's no need to be visiting the shop every day really, that would drive me nuts!
I found/find though that I rarely use stuff out of the freezer.Once a week was fine for my shopping, A packet of chicken or beef easily keeps for a day or two.
Stir Fried beef on a monday & the other steak from packet on Wednesday no faffin about with the freezer other than a handful or two of frozen veg for stir fry
We only do a big shop once a month as we can't stand it therefore the freezer is great for us. Taking a breast out the freezer in the morning is less hassle than the 20 min round trip to the supermarket every other day.
have a look for Delia Smith's "how to cook" book. They are probably some on charity shops/cheap on amazon by now
It takes you through the basics of cooking. Do a few and you'll be amazed how much taste and flavour you can get from a few simple ingredients. Then buy some more stuff, and go from there. Its not hard (but it can be if you buy the masterchef cookbook, etc!!), its not expensive and it'll impress the girls more
(for proof on the latter, watch the Ipcress file with Michael Caine)
It takes you through the basics of cooking. Do a few and you'll be amazed how much taste and flavour you can get from a few simple ingredients. Then buy some more stuff, and go from there. Its not hard (but it can be if you buy the masterchef cookbook, etc!!), its not expensive and it'll impress the girls more
(for proof on the latter, watch the Ipcress file with Michael Caine)
williamp said:
have a look for Delia Smith's "how to cook" book. They are probably some on charity shops/cheap on amazon by now
It takes you through the basics of cooking. Do a few and you'll be amazed how much taste and flavour you can get from a few simple ingredients. Then buy some more stuff, and go from there. Its not hard (but it can be if you buy the masterchef cookbook, etc!!), its not expensive and it'll impress the girls more
(for proof on the latter, watch the Ipcress file with Michael Caine)
This. I happen to hate Delia, but my OH follows her instructions to the letter and it invariably works.It takes you through the basics of cooking. Do a few and you'll be amazed how much taste and flavour you can get from a few simple ingredients. Then buy some more stuff, and go from there. Its not hard (but it can be if you buy the masterchef cookbook, etc!!), its not expensive and it'll impress the girls more
(for proof on the latter, watch the Ipcress file with Michael Caine)
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