Teach me to cook!!!

[Harmony83]

Well I have finally decided to 'attempt' to teach my self to cook, at the moment all I can master is meat and vege... I was wondering if anyone had any simplish, 'beginner' recipes for yummy things like, casseroles, stews, lasagna, shephards pie etc etc... Thanks heaps guys!

[Rockett]

Step 1 : Go to supermarket
Step 2 : locate Maggi,Continental recipe base mixes for casseroles,stews and shepherds pie etc
Step 3 : Follow the pack instructions for ingredients required
Step 4 : Go home,throw everything into a pot,set timer and then forget about it
Step 5 : Go back to bubhub

Hey,it works for me!

[Baby Girl]

Hey butterfly I was going to say the exact same thing!!

If you feel really adventurous you can add a couple of different vegies and maybe a bit of garlic. Maybe a bit of gravox for thickener or curry powder for a bit of extra tang!!

I am cooking lamb casserole at the moment - can you tell

[aardvark]

I'd recommend any of the Australian Women's Weekly Cookbooks, especially if you can get your hands on the old white hard cover one which was first published in the 1970's. Ebay is a good place to look for that one. I bought a copy for my teenage daughter so she has her own, and doesn't take off with mine.

Any publications by the CWA have great recipes, too.

[giggles]

Originally Posted by BuTTeRfLy

Step 1 : Go to supermarket
Step 2 : locate Maggi,Continental recipe base mixes for casseroles,stews and shepherds pie etc
Step 3 : Follow the pack instructions for ingredients required
Step 4 : Go home,throw everything into a pot,set timer and then forget about it
Step 5 : Go back to bubhub

Hey,it works for me!

I agree, the Honey Mustard Chicken and Tusan Meatballs in the Masterfoods range are THE BEST.....just add osme pantry essentials and job is done!

A slow cooker is another option. Bang it in the pot, set and forget. Kitchen should be smelling lovely by the time DH arrives home

[tyler's mum]

i get told im a pretty good cook .... here ones of my fav's potatoe bake,,,yum

you need.... potatoes x4big ones, died bacon [2 cups], small can of corn, i med onion, 4-5 mushrooms,, 250g crated cheese, karft seeded may

step one.... in a bowl, mix the diced bacon, corn, 2 cups of cheese, diced onion thinly, diced mushrooms,,,

then cut potatoes thin,, cover the base of a baking dish,,, then cover with half the mix,,, then cover with the mayo,,, then cover another layer of potatoes,,, then the rest of the mix, then the mayo,,, then cover the time with crated cheese,, cook for about 45mins,,, you can have in on its own or as a side dish its yummy with chicken....

hope you like it

[wattle]

Good on you for trying Harmony. (Wish my hubby would )

Try watching a few cooking shows, it's so much easier if you can watch people cooking first.

Jamie Oliver does pretty easy meals, Ian Hewie does easy ones too. Oh, and Fresh should start back soon with Jeff Jansz - that's a good one too. maybe just tape them if you're at work or out.

Sometimes fresh food is just as easy as a jar or can, it's just a matter of knowing how. It usually tastes better too.

[Baby Girl]

I always find the people on cooking shows use too many ingredients that I have to search 5 different shops for.

I am also the queen of left overs. I make a wicked stew from left over BBQ'd steak or any left over meat really.

It is really easy.

Cut up the meat, cut up some vegies - potato, sweet potato, carrot, beans, peas, corn etc. Chuck it all in a pot with any kind of stock and bring it to the boil then let simmer for about 30-40 minutes (until vegies and meat are tender), add a little bit of gravox (any flavour) and curry powder, salt and pepper to taste, let simmer for a little while more (about 5 - 10 minutes) and then eat!! Great with crusty bread or I toast big crusty bread rolls in the oven then hollow them out, keep the insides to dunk in the stew and put the stew in the hollow roll and eat it with the bread and then the crusty bit is great to eat at the end as it soaks up the soup and tastes great!!

[LilShenanigans]

I think the easiest meal I have ever made and love is basically either a breast of chicken or schnitzel, cooked.. layer of a tomato based sauce, cheese and grill...
Yup, Chicken parmigana (or however you spell it?).. side of precut chips you bake in the oven and viola...

Thats the only one I can think of, my family have taught me from day one to cook from scratch -I had to learn the basics of quick meals for after school and after moving out! lol

[cwsmum]

How bout fried rice? This is a really basic recipe my mum uses coz I have fussy siblings

Cook some rice, I usually use about 1cup of uncooked rice. If you think of it, the rice is best cooked the day before and left spread on a tray in the fridge til needed, but it doesn't matter if you cook it while you are cooking the rest.

Brown 1 onion and 500g beef mince. Sprinkle some Chinese Five Spice, (Masterfoods brand jar), and some soy sauce over the meat and stir thru.

Add some thin carrot sticks, the thinner they are the faster they will cook, and some peas, cover and cook gently til peas and carrot are almost cooked.

Add rice, a bit at a time is easier than all at once, and mix thru.

You might need to add more soy sauce, depending on who is eating it.

Told you it was basic, nothing exciting like egg or prawns, like the chinese shop. But my DS has eaten this since he was about 9mths old and loves it

I would also recomend the packets, I usually get them for the fancy sounding ones like butter chicken & honey mustard chicken, DS has always liked those too.

Good luck teaching yourself to cook