I can only help with cooking not phobias
I HATE my crock pot for anything other than beans. There is NOTHING on the planet better than a roast and carrots that has been seared and then cooked in the oven.
I dunno. Maybe I'm weird but crockpots are HIGHLY overrated in my humble opinion.And I have an Instapot that has been used exactly once -- because ... BOOM! But my electric canner gets used all the time.
Don't ask me -- I'm the weirdo that doesn't like my crockpot. LolIf Grumpy had his way we'd eat out ALL. THE. TIME. We wouldnt even HAVE a kitchen. And I'm not gonna lie, when I'm washing dishes and cleaning up the kitchen it is tempting. BUT ... I have recently figured out I have a nightshade allergy. Do you have ANY idea HOW many products in the grocery store and in restaurants use potato starch to thicken soups, gravies, etc. and to help make coatings crispier??
Yeah ... I didn't either. So you and I are in the same boat, my friend. I am cooking at home ALL the time now, whether I feel like it or not.
I think Crockpots suck too, usually. Atleast when they’re used the way most people use them - dump a ranch packet and some raw meat in, turn it on and walk away for 8 hours. I don’t recall having ever eaten a mindlessly prepared meal that I really enjoyed.I HATE my crock pot for anything other than beans. There is NOTHING on the planet better than a roast and carrots that has been seared and then cooked in the oven.
And I have an Instapot that has been used exactly once -- because ... BOOM! But my electric canner gets used all the time.
If Grumpy had his way we'd eat out ALL. THE. TIME. We wouldnt even HAVE a kitchen. And I'm not gonna lie, when I'm washing dishes and cleaning up the kitchen it is tempting. BUT ... I have recently figured out I have a nightshade allergy. Do you have ANY idea HOW many products in the grocery store and in restaurants use potato starch to thicken soups, gravies, etc. and to help make coatings crispier??
And food allergies suck crap.
Interesting thread. I eat out once or twice a month (Yes have MSG allergies) and enjoy cooking for my self and have practiced where I can rival most restaurants for 1/4 to at least 1/3 the costs or more for most everything on the menu. Yep, have eaten a few of my mistakes that were not quite like I had planned, but gave me ideas of what or how to do different next time. I do have a couple freezers because I can't cook a small batch of anything, so there are always leftovers to freeze in old cottage cheese or sour cream containers or quart zip bags.
As others have stated, those basic cook books will get you started. If you have a grill, I recommend Welcome to SMF! for all you might want to know that can be grilled outside, including as strange as a head of BBQ cabbage if you desire. Great site and you can get into the chemistry of the hows and whys of how meat cooks if you want to search for that.
So what if you make a few mistakes, just give it a try again. Ever eaten out and not quite prefer how they cooked it? You can cook it your way next time. Start out with simple things and progress to more complex things. I heat flour tortillas in a skillet, sprinkle on some scrambled eggs, precooked sausage crumbles, little sour cream and grated cheese. Roll them up and put in a freezer bag. They make a nice quick breakfast goodie for example. Left over half gallon of milk, fry a pound of sausage in a pot. As it gets about done throw in an eighth to a quarter cup of flour depending on how much grease I have and keep stirring, As it gets nice and gravy brown like you want, pour in the milk and slowly heat till it starts bubbling. Wala, Sausage gravy to pour over some canned biskets you baked in the oven while stirring the gravy. Both will freeze well for leftovers that work for me. A chicken with cream of mushroom soup or roast with potatoes and carrots in a crock pot on the weekend when you are home to "Watch over it" is easy also. They can be cooked in a pan in the oven just as easily also. Even the aluminum throw away pans. Work your way into it and enjoy the challenge of learning and doing it yourself, and saving a hell of a lot of $ along the way. Good luck to you and keep us posted on how it goes.
As others have stated, those basic cook books will get you started. If you have a grill, I recommend Welcome to SMF! for all you might want to know that can be grilled outside, including as strange as a head of BBQ cabbage if you desire. Great site and you can get into the chemistry of the hows and whys of how meat cooks if you want to search for that.
So what if you make a few mistakes, just give it a try again. Ever eaten out and not quite prefer how they cooked it? You can cook it your way next time. Start out with simple things and progress to more complex things. I heat flour tortillas in a skillet, sprinkle on some scrambled eggs, precooked sausage crumbles, little sour cream and grated cheese. Roll them up and put in a freezer bag. They make a nice quick breakfast goodie for example. Left over half gallon of milk, fry a pound of sausage in a pot. As it gets about done throw in an eighth to a quarter cup of flour depending on how much grease I have and keep stirring, As it gets nice and gravy brown like you want, pour in the milk and slowly heat till it starts bubbling. Wala, Sausage gravy to pour over some canned biskets you baked in the oven while stirring the gravy. Both will freeze well for leftovers that work for me. A chicken with cream of mushroom soup or roast with potatoes and carrots in a crock pot on the weekend when you are home to "Watch over it" is easy also. They can be cooked in a pan in the oven just as easily also. Even the aluminum throw away pans. Work your way into it and enjoy the challenge of learning and doing it yourself, and saving a hell of a lot of $ along the way. Good luck to you and keep us posted on how it goes.
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I love my Airfryer!!!! Fish, Chicken, Steak.... bacon too!!!!
You can find the old episodes of Alton Brown's Good Eats and Sam the Cooking Guy on Youtube and they'll help as they're pretty basic.
Personally, when I wanted to learn how to cook I went to culinary school and worked in high end hotels, clubs, and restaurants.
Personally, when I wanted to learn how to cook I went to culinary school and worked in high end hotels, clubs, and restaurants.
Learning the science behind it can definitely help, but more importantly, is learning techniques. My mother in law can't cook without a recipe in front of her and will not deviate because it's not what the recipe says.
Roux is a thickening agent, not a sauce. It is used to thicken some sauces. Cream gravy would be a derivitive of bechamel, which is a mother sauce and has roux in it. Roux is equal parts (by weight) of flour and fat.
I default to the points made by the chef. Thank you for the clarification.
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