Cooking, I Know, Dont We All Hate It

I enjoy cooking and wish I had more time to do it, but I don't, so very simple meals are my goal. Plus, my kids don't yet appreciate foods with more than half a dozen ingredients!
I agree with one of the other moms, the "How to Cook Everything" book by Mark Bittman is an excellent kitchen reference book and provides good instruction on how to handle lots of different types of foods. However, it is a really big book and I use it more as a reference. He has several other books that might be a good starting point for ideas for dinners for you. I would suggest "The Minimalist Cooks at Home". The recipes are simple, good directions, and give ideas for variations or ways to enhance them if you have the time and interest (maybe down the road!).

Personally, I love cooking so much that I went to culinary school. I graduated about two weeks before my first child was born! I have actually given some classes for moms and things like that. I guess my first suggestion for you would be a slow cooker/crock pot. You can make meals with minimal work and they will taste good. If you don't already have one, I'd invest in one and you might not even need to buy a cookbook. Usually the booklet will have some recipes. Start with those. They'll have simple things.

Start slowly until you get more comfortable in the kitchen.

I didn't start cooking until I was in my late 20's when I moved out of my childhood home and moved in with my husband. Two things I did were to buy a "5 ingredients or less" cookbook as well as a crockpot and crockpot cookbook. They both had simple recipes that weren't overwhelming and didn't take much time. Once I found recipes I liked and felt successful with some dishes I made I was motivated to try new things. I still don't enjoy cooking, but I don't mind it as much. I have recipes that I like, methods that I prefer, cooking routines in place. Best wishes to you.

I am the same as you. But you have me beat, I don't know how to fry a fish or make Spanish rice.

The first time I cooked a chicken breast, I put a raw chicken breast on high heat in a pan with nothing else. The skin was black in minutes and the inside was totally raw. I have started the kitchen on fire a few times...

I have a cook book from the ladies in my church that I follow b/c there are a lot of basic and easy 'tried and true' recipes from real women.. .not fancy test kitchens with ingredients I would only use for one meal. Now that I am learning, I can actually begin to make a few of my own recipes!!

Oh, here is one of my favorites I wrote here, I use this same mix to make chicken, fish and even pork chops:
http://littlelovables.blogspot.com/2010/03/herb-crusted-p...

a good salmon recipe:
http://littlelovables.blogspot.com/2010/03/herb-crusted-s...

My vegetable recipe is really good and easy. I use it on asparagus (each stalk cut into 1/4's with woody end thrown away),or squash with zucchini and mushrooms, or fresh green beans:

Add a little olive oil to a pot on med heat.
Add garlic and about 1/4 chopped onion.
Add your vegetable (cut up),
Add garlic powder and salt and pepper, add about 1 tb butter.
Mix all together and heat through until crisp -tender.
Even my kids eat this.

a really yummy tortellini:
http://littlelovables.blogspot.com/2010/02/nutty-pepper-c...

easy veggie pork chops:
http://littlelovables.blogspot.com/2010/04/vegetable-pork...

Super easy potatoes:
Cut potatoes in 1/2 inch chunks. Put in roasting pan and toss in olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, lots of garlic and basil. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Anyways, if you want an easy cookbook, I recommend the Betty Crocker one... it pretty much covers everything and is simple to follow. Also, allrecipes is good, b/c each recipe has reviews and reviewers will say what they did differently. Read the reviews, if a lot say the recipe called for too much sour cream and to up the amount of pepper, than do that.

http://allrecipes.com

this updated betty crocker one covers all the basics and has how to photos as well:
http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crocker-Cooking-Basics-Confid...

this is the classic updated cookbook with classic, easy to follow recipes:
http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crocker-Cookbook-Everything-T...

this better homes and gardens one is an updated classic, you can't go wrong here, it also has tons of step by step photos:
http://www.amazon.com/Better-Homes-Gardens-Cook-Plaid/dp/...

read the reviews of each book to see what is most what you need.

Hi ,
Its hard on me too because Im not good at cooking either. I hope your
answers help me as well. Good luck ..
But please Moms, you know who you are, do not ask her why she hates it? She knows why? She doesnt know how to cook, she asked for easy recipes and cook books. Just because you enjoy it, doesnt mean the rest of us do.
Sorry .. had to say that
Im on your side Krys !!

First, if you want to cook well, you must follow directions...at least until you have figured out some basics. I also suggest not doing a new recipe during the week when you're pressed for time, save the exploration for the weekend.

Why don't you try Cookinglight.com? There are LOTS of easy and good for you recipes on there...love them!

And...if your husband is complaining I suggest showing him the kitchen and asking him to do better.

Have fun!
-M

Crock pots are a really good tool if you don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Another great tool might be to try a cooking type class like those offered (for free, I believe) at Whole Foods Markets or the places where you go and prepare meals with them for how ever many days (i.e., Ice Box Kitchens).
If you want an easy, great chili recipe, try this one:
a jar of salsa;
several cans of beans, drained (try one each of kidney beans, black beans, white beans, chili beans (not chili));
diced tomatoes or tomato sauce (1 or 2 cans, for consistency - this will vary depending on how many cans of beans you use);
meat. (a package of cooked hamburger, cooked shredded beef or pork, or cubed cooked chicken, or even no meat);
one package of chili seasoning. Put it all in the crockpot on low and let it simmer for 2-10 hours. The longer it cooks, the better it is, but even a couple hours is great.

I don't think it's unusual to have to try a recipe a couple times to get it right. Have fun experimenting and learning; nobody knows without practicing. There are so many easy recipes on the internet...just google what you want to make and pick a recipe that sounds easy to follow. I'm sure your husband knew your skills in the kitchen when he married you so tell him to be patient or get in the kitchen and start rattling those pots and pans himself! A lot of men help with the cooking.

I actually love to cook. Not every night though. I am more of an old school cook... i think anyway. I love to make meatloaf, homemade spaghetti and meatballs, ziti, chili, pot roast, chicken parm....

I would love to share recipes if you are interested. Some of the dinners i make are pretty easy.

There are two resources I would suggest. The first is a book written by a young man who wanted to teach himself how to cook in college. It gives you all the basics plus and is titled "How to Cook Everything". The second is http://www.americastestkitchen.com/ which is one of the BEST online services I use! There is also a monthly magazine via America's Test Kitchen that you can subscribe to. Cooking can be fun and creative and doesn't have to be complicated. Use fresh stuff whenever possible and USE YOUR NOSE.....if it smells good, it will prob taste good too!!! I used to hate to cook and was BAD at it until I really embraced it - now I love to do it and am about to build my DREAM kitchen

Updated

There are two resources I would suggest. The first is a book written by a young man who wanted to teach himself how to cook in college. It gives you all the basics plus and is titled "How to Cook Everything". The second is http://www.americastestkitchen.com/ which is one of the BEST online services I use! There is also a monthly magazine via America's Test Kitchen that you can subscribe to. Cooking can be fun and creative and doesn't have to be complicated. Use fresh stuff whenever possible and USE YOUR NOSE.....if it smells good, it will prob taste good too!!! I used to hate to cook and was BAD at it until I really embraced it - now I love to do it and am about to build my DREAM kitchen

Gosh, I LOVE cooking..But I understand your pain. There is a book called "recipe hall of fame quick and easy cookbook" Quail ridge press ###-###-#### 1583.

What I did when I first learned how to cook was..Id go thru the recipe book and make something. Once I made it, depending on how good it was, I would rate it A-F. So next to a recipe Id write A, B, C, D, or F. That way, each time I wanted to make something delicious I already knew what to make. I would also write notes about the recipe...like add more water, or double this cuz it only feeds two, etc.

The thing about cooking that you have to remember is that everything is an opinion. There doesn't always have to be right or wrong answers. If you like to eat, write down the flavors YOU like...Garlic, salt, lemon and start experimenting on the food you make.

For instance, I love parmesan, lemon and salt. You can use that on almost any vegetable. Boil asparagas, add lemon salt and parmesan.
Boil green beans, add lemon salt and parmesan. Sautee broccoli? Add lemon salt and parmesan.

Sautee chicken in butter with lemon, (slice chicken in half to make thinner cutlets this makes easier to cook, faster, and moist), add salt and parmesan cheese...

etc etc.

If you can come up with 30 recipes (even 15) if will always feel like you are making something new.

Have fun! It's just cooking...!

Updated

Gosh, I LOVE cooking..But I understand your pain. There is a book called "recipe hall of fame quick and easy cookbook" Quail ridge press ###-###-#### 1583.

What I did when I first learned how to cook was..Id go thru the recipe book and make something. Once I made it, depending on how good it was, I would rate it A-F. So next to a recipe Id write A, B, C, D, or F. That way, each time I wanted to make something delicious I already knew what to make. I would also write notes about the recipe...like add more water, or double this cuz it only feeds two, etc.

The thing about cooking that you have to remember is that everything is an opinion. There doesn't always have to be right or wrong answers. If you like to eat, write down the flavors YOU like...Garlic, salt, lemon and start experimenting on the food you make.

For instance, I love parmesan, lemon and salt. You can use that on almost any vegetable. Boil asparagas, add lemon salt and parmesan.
Boil green beans, add lemon salt and parmesan. Sautee broccoli? Add lemon salt and parmesan.

Sautee chicken in butter with lemon, (slice chicken in half to make thinner cutlets this makes easier to cook, faster, and moist), add salt and parmesan cheese...

etc etc.

If you can come up with 30 recipes (even 15) if will always feel like you are making something new.

Have fun! It's just cooking...!

Keep your eyes out for Church Cook books. The recipes are usually good and nothing fancy... Just good comfort food. I hate lengthy recipes also..

One of my favorite recipes that is so good on a cold chilly night is
Brown ground beef . Saute onion along with meat and then add a can of Ranch Style Beans. I usually have mashed pototoes with it. Talk about Comfort Food :)'

I see you are in San Diego. If you happen to live by a Trader Joe's then you MUST buy this book .... http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-All-Things-Trader-Joes/dp/0...

This will make your life sooooo easy! Nearly everything at Trader Joe's is easy to throw together. This cookbook has a picture for every single recipe too! A huge bonus for a non-cooker :)

I love Cooks Illustrated cookbooks.

Try "The Best Simple Recipes" (http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Recipes-Editors-Americas-Kit...)

You may also want to pay for a membership to the website, so that you can search recipes and techniques: http://www.cooksillustrated.com/

Actually, I love cooking and started getting into it about 10 years ago. My mom is a horrible cook, so what I've learned, I've gleaned from trial and error and following recipes.

www.allrecipes.com is a great place to start and the recipes are rated by users according to how well they turned out. Also, recently discovered
www.weelicious.com for more children-oriented recipes and have made several great and easy recipes from that site as well.

Good luck!

I think you just need to get your confidence up!
Have you ever tried the Pillsbury site for some simple recipes?

They even have an 'easy meals" section....
http://www.pillsbury.com/Cooking-Occasions/Easy-Meals

You just can't mess up something that contains a crescent roll!

Go to foodnetwork.com. I print out any recepie that I want and stick it in an organized folder. The only cook book I bought was the better homes and garden's cook book. The first book that should enter every kitchen. Pastas are usually the easiest to start with. Good luck. :)

HI Krys,
Your post sounds like it could have come from me. I have the same issues with cooking. You have to go to www.pioneerwomancooks.com. Her recipes are great and she has photos of each step so you won't get lost and you can see how it's supposed to look as you go. The pictures help so much!! I have learned a lot and its not scary or overwhelming at all. Please check it out. I promise you that you will love it!!! Good luck. N.

Krys - I am sure you have a lot of great suggestions from these amazing mamas! I have two questions for you: 1) why don't you invite your MIL to come over on a Sunday & help you prepare several meals for the week? Then all you have to do is heat it up during the week. What a great learning experience & some bonding time with you MIL! 2) is your husband spending any time in the kitchen with you? My husband & I both cook, and cook together on the weekends. We have a totally insane schedule, and I feel like I have forgotten how to cook, but when we pull it all together on the weekends, we love it! One other comment - as time goes on, please be sure to include your children in the kitchen. Then can do all kinds of stuff and will love hanging out with you, dad, and gramma! Stop hating it, realize it is a challenge you can overcome, and be proud of yourself. PS I am pretty sure all of Martha Stewart's meals weren't delicious every time she made them! ha ha! Peace!

Updated

Krys - I am sure you have a lot of great suggestions from these amazing mamas! I have two questions for you: 1) why don't you invite your MIL to come over on a Sunday & help you prepare several meals for the week? Then all you have to do is heat it up during the week. What a great learning experience & some bonding time with you MIL! 2) is your husband spending any time in the kitchen with you? My husband & I both cook, and cook together on the weekends. We have a totally insane schedule, and I feel like I have forgotten how to cook, but when we pull it all together on the weekends, we love it! One other comment - as time goes on, please be sure to include your children in the kitchen. Then can do all kinds of stuff and will love hanging out with you, dad, and gramma! Stop hating it, realize it is a challenge you can overcome, and be proud of yourself. PS I am pretty sure all of Martha Stewart's meals weren't delicious every time she made them! ha ha! Peace!

Start with some Sandra Lee cookbooks. Her stuff is SUPER easy to follow. My 12 year old step daughter wanted to learn to cook a few years ago and we used her books because the instructions are very simple and clear. I am an excellent cook but learned it all by trial and error!! My Mother might just be the worst cook ever so needless to say I didn't get much from her. The secret to great cooking is fearlessness! Go for it and if it's awful then toss it out and make sandwiches. Put things that you think are yummy together and see what you get! The fewer ingredients the better and I never cook anything without a little butter. I guess that's better than my grandmother making everything in bacon grease!

You should look into Homemade Gourmet - I used to sell it forever ago, but still use it in my kitchen - lots of really yummy meal solutions that are VERY easy and fool proof. Some of their dishes even come with a detatchable grocery list to make shopping easier too. I highly recommend the soups and the skillet meals (and of course the desserts).
I used to hate cooking also, but using these products sort of jump started me in the kitchen and now I enjoy it.

Maybe a weird answer, but do you know any older ladies who need a little help around the house? The best cooking teacher is a granny. If your own is unavailable maybe there's someone in the neighborhood who is older and could use some help with something. They have carpal tunnel and the vacuum is too heavy, they can't afford the hairdresser and you give a good trim, the dog loves the dog park but it's a real pain to load everybody up, arthritis makes cooking harder, will cook for bingo cards... You cook a double batch of something tried and true, you get one batch, they get one batch. You get some cooking experience and the hubby gets some good food. :)

no, i love it, but if there are no meals you are passionate about you grew up in the right era, you can get anything premade these days

I think the fewer ingredients, the better. For this reason, I love Mark Bittman's cookbook, "How to Cook Everything" and I LOVE the magazine "Eating Well." They also have a website, eatingwell.com

Eating Well is quite healthy, with lots of produce. Most of their recipes take 20-30 minutes to make. You can visit their website and type in a keyword (tilapia fish, or brussels sprouts, for instance) to find a host of recipes.

You can also join flylady.org and sign up for the "Saving Dinner" service. I think it's very crock pot heavy :)

At 7:00 every night, my husband takes over watching my son so that I can cook, and we all sit down to eat at 7:30. It's such a fun ritual - they get daddy / son time, and I get to drink a glass of white wine and cook in peace :) It's a win-win-win!

Get yourself a crockpot. A recipe book is included. Buy yourself a bread machine and make your meals in the crockpot and by dinner, your home will smell fantastic with the homemade bread and the vegetable lasagna, beef stew, or spaghetti, etc! You will love it and your husband will too.

Cooking is easy! Just follow the directions. Personally, I love Martha Stewart and go to her website and enter in 'easy' into the search field. See what pops up.

Rachael Ray looks like she has some basic recipes too and always give hints/tips.

Don't be embarrassed either. Plus, the next time your hubby complains, remind him that some of the best chefs in the world happen to be men. :)

I am a horrible cook. (I somehow managed to make Tuna Helper soup...) Luckily, my SO is ok with that. lol. I use the campbell's soup site a lot... they have a lot of really easy meals that taste good, but don't take much skill. :P

I have always considered myself a poor cook, probably because my husband of 17 years is Chinese, and I can't cook like his mom, so I make "white woman food" as he says, which is apparently substandard to moms Chinese food. Anyway, In the past couple of years, I started to get rid of all processed foods and buy organic veggies, whole grains, organic meats, wild caught fish, etc. I have also been trying to jam as many fresh veggies as I can into things like red sauces, meatballs, soups and stews. I use an immersion blender for this - A WONDERFUL TOOL!!!! But as I feed people my food, I get rave reviews! Even my husband compliments my meals way more now. I think you really do need to have the best fresh ingredients to make really yummy foods. Try joining a CSA and get lots of fresh healthy ingredients, then when you don't know what to do with the eggplant they give you, ask the farmer or google some recipes and see what you can come up with. That is what I did, and people generally eat my food!

Find "Taste of Home" magazines or cookbooks. They have really simple, clear instructions and ingredient lists, and the food is GREAT and hard to mess up!

The Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook (red cover) is the only one you need, in my opinion. It sorts recipes into "easy," "fast," "low-fat," etc. and everything I've ever made from it is something my family enjoys. It's nothing too exotic--mostly American, Tex-Mex, Asian fusion--but it's yummy and allows you to use healthy ingredients. Good luck!

I like how to cook everything by mark bittman. easy peasy. plus, i can make anything. usually i have no idea what do w/ with what ever veggie-and he's chock full of ideas.

You might want to kraftfoods.com a try...its full of great ideas for quick, yet simple and delicous meals! Good luck!!

Hi Krys!

I don't hate it - but I know some people do! I started enjoying it more after I watched some cooking shows. I don't usually make the things that they do, but I learned a lot by watching them measure properly, and by seeing ideas of what things taste good together. Gradually, I started expanding my menus. If you know the basics, chances are, you can follow a recipe. I saw that you said you have trouble following the directions...is it because they are unclear? Some cookbooks assume knowledge, and that is difficult. ESPECIALLY when I was first learning I measured EVERYTHING. Now, I know about how much I need, but I still measure a lot.

Saving Dinner by Leanne Ely is a good resource for main dishes. She does them seasonally, 8 weeks of menus per season. I've found some yummy things in there.

I agree with the many posters who recommended the slow cooker. I like the 365 days of slow cooking website because she tells you if her family liked it or not - that's valuable to me!!

Another thing that really saved my cooking was purchasing a meat thermometer. I was FOREVER overcooking chicken because I wanted to make sure it was done. Now, I stick in the insta-read and look for it to hit around 165 F (for breast meat).

I have a computer file that is full of some of our favorite easy yummy recipes. If you'd like it, just message me and I'm happy to email it to you.

Don't feel like you have to totally re-invent the wheel every week. I try to do a couple different meats each week, and maybe 1 or 2 pastas. If you can do spaghetti, can you add meatballs to mix it up? Or get a jarred alfredo sauce and add veggies. Chicken - pick a few different marinades, and vary your sides (baked potato, mashed potato, rice). Ground Beef - tacos, taco salad, burritos, spaghetti sauce, hamburgers, meatloaf.

By the way - kudos to you for fajitas - I NEVER do those from scratch! Don't be afraid to have a couple flops. Keep a frozen pizza in the oven just in case, but I think everyone has to make recipes a couple of times before they really start to come together. :)

Let me know if you want that file...Keep trying!!

If a recipe is done right...following the steps is as easy as One, two, three!!! I consider myself an avid cook, some recipes are HARD to follow.....
Let me know, I can give you an easy Tortilla Soup recipe that will knock your socks off!!!!
Good Luck!!!
...and remember, you will only get better with time and practice....also, dont forget...always take critizism lightly...it will only make you better!!!

I only knew how to boil a hot dog when we got married 49 years ago! I started out with the Betty Crocker Cook Book for Two. Don't be embarrassed. Few people get married knowing how to cook. There are lots of web sites that you can go to by just using the words: easy cooking or something like that. At the supermarket checkouts, they have some neat little cookbooks for easy cooking. I w/suggest you sign up for a cooking class where you can learn to have fun. There are also many prepared foods that you can use. Rice mixes, hamburger helper, etc. The key is to make a simple salad to go along with these meals and they appear to be home cooked. Cooking takes time and attention. I learned to love to cook, but if I am busy, it is difficult to devote my attention to it. btw, there are companies out there run by chefs who will come to your house and plan your meals to your likes and dislikes. They do the shopping and then prepare one or two weeks worth of meals and you warm them up as needed. It costs a little extra but it may be worth it. I have a favorite recipe right now for Potato soup which is very easy. 2 cups chicken broth, 2 cups evaporated milk, 2 cups instant mashed potatoes, 8 slices cooked, chopped bacon, and green onions, diced tomatoes and cheddar cheese for garnish. Buy some bakery rolls and you have a meal! Just warm broth and milk and when they are near boiling, put in potato flakes and bacon. It takes about 20 minutes to prepare and is delicious. (you could also add some chicken cubes which you can buy cooked and packaged ready to use). My husband loves it!

my favorite website and easy to follow is www.allrecipes.com
try it out.

Have you tried looking on youtube for how to cook videos? I'm sure there are a bunch.

I'll agree an easy way to cook is with a slow cooker.

One of my favorite books is "Make it Fast, Cook it Slow" which is easy and yummy. She has a website, so you don't even need to buy the book: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

I've tried quiet a few different slow cookers and I like this The West Bend hands down. It's about $30. http://tinyurl.com/36ugck2 Other crockpots seem to have less flavor or even taste burnt.

Of course, ask on mamapedia for instructions on a recipe when you don't know a step. There are a lot of mamas her that love to cook. And who knows, maybe one day you will too!

Allrecipies.com+slow cookers=AMAZING meals. What I like to do with roasts (and well most foods) is follow my nose. If things smell good together, they generally taste good (not always, but I have followed this and have had great success).
I like printing recipies off (easy or hard, your choice) so that i can write down what I do different to it. Like add extra salt or less milk. There are tons of 5 ingredient or less recipe books out there. Have you tried those??

This may not help, but I'll ask anyways! Do you REALLY want to learn how to cook? My answer has been "no" - We have a small family of 3, me, my husband and 3 year old.

My husband married me knowing I didn't know how, nor didn't want to learn how to cook - so no problem on that front. We just have simple, healthy meals, exactly like you said you know how to cook. In the meantime, there is an author on the cooking channel who teaches how to make "almost homemade". Sounds easy & good! Maybe that's a good place to start?

Good luck!

The best book to teach you how to cook is The Joy of Cooking. It assumes you know nothing, so it explains everything.

I'm sorry to hear you hate cooking, as it is a source of great joy in my life (my husband also loves to cook and does it professionally). Remember that anytime you are new to something, it takes time and trial and error. Not every quiche I make turns out well. Sometimes I dump a can of tuna into soup b/c I thought it was chicken. It took me many many times baking my grandmother's recipe for baking powder biscuits to get them right.

My husband and I cook together a lot, would your husband be interested in walking that path with you? Start simple. Soups are fairly easy. Save baking for later, you really do have to follow directions exactly. Casseroles, baked pasta... Cooking shows are GOOD because you can see how it's done, instead of just reading about it, maybe you have to watch one episode a few times. We learned to cook many types of Asian dishes by watching videos online, reading how it was done didn't make it "stick" like seeing someone do it.

Can you take a cooking class somewhere? Is there a Whole Foods co-op near you that offers them up? Give yourself time, try not to hate it, look at it as an adventure. Stick with simple, fresh foods, try not to rely on processed food too much. Good luck.