Sigh....cooking

[ladyarwenrose 14]

Kinda off topic, but anyone else here not able to cook well? I tried cooking something last night because my boyfriend wasn't feeling that well. (btw...he does all the cooking normally). I started to burn the potatoes, but luckily still salvageable. I was so discuraged!!!! I want to be able to cook well enough to participate in the meals. but last night was yet another reminder that i'm a failure in the kitchen. no wonder i've gotten to where I am today. I was eating premade stuff that I could just warm up. Wonder If i'll ever be able to really cook?

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

anyone else here not able to cook well?

hey Lady

LOL

Sounds like you and I could compete in the worst cooking contest, hmmmm, don't know who would win

there are many, many expert cooks, bakers etc. on this board. - but I don't think the two us of are the only ones here who aren't great cooks./chefs

Seriously, I'm 58 - married to my DH 20 yrs, and never ever learned to cook - but thats ok for ME. Not saying i should be proud of the fact that i didn't learn to cook, it just isn't my cup of tea.

Like I said we can't be the only ones who can't or don't want to learn how to cook but............ take some cooking classes, that would help.

Ask your boyfriend to help. He might enjoy it, as will you too maybe. Sounds like you have a great guy who usually does the cooking - maybe he would like to help/teach you how to better yourself in the kitchen.

Get a cookbook out - they have info on recipes and info how to cook - giving step by step directions.

Hmmmm, maybe i should practice what i preach

Bottom line, don't be hard on yourself - you can improve, or start new skills.

BTW, as long as you do your best, you are never a failure

good luck

kathy

[Webchickadee 716]

Yes! You will! We all started out not knowing how to cook. Some of us were lucky and had family that could teach us....others taught themselves. And you can too!

First word of advice....when cooking on the stove, TURN THE HEAT DOWN! This is the first trick to not burning things! Especially on an electric stove, the temperatures are much harder to control. By the time you realize something's burning and you turn the heat down, it's too late. The heating element stays really hot for quite some time and food continues to burn.

Either remove the pan/pot from the stove for a minute or two to let the pan and the element cool, or better yet, cook at a lower temperature all the way through.

Buy a few beginner recipe books and make some very simple dishes. Don't even try to make a whole meal all at once at the beginning. There's too many ingredients, timing and things to pay attention to. Once you've got some simple things worked out, graduate to doing 2 dishes at the same time and before you know it, you'll be a pro!

Another tip is to plan out your meals for a few days in advance when you're first starting to learn to cook. Then make sure you have all the ingredients at home before you start to cook. Nothing more frustrating that getting half-way through a recipe then realizing you don't have a key ingredient! This will also help you to grocery shop more efficiently and probably save you some money and help you stay away from too many spontaneous (and often unhealthy) purchases.

Finally, when you do buy those beginner cookbooks, flip through them and look for explanations of common cooking terminology (for example, separating an egg does not mean making two piles! it means separating the yolk from the white!). You need to understand the terminology before you can follow the recipes! And if the cookbook has pictures of the steps along the way through the recipe, even better! Seeing beautiful pictures of finished dishes is great, but knowing how to get there is much more important!

Good luck and if you have more questions, just ask!

[ladyarwenrose 14]

thanks. I'm trying to get him to help me....if I can just get him off his video game....lol. but seriously he is a GREAT guy and i'm blessed to have him.

and yes, practice what you preach!

[4ALongerLife 329]

Why don't you take a cooking class? It'd be a great beginning to all of this.... and I HATE to cook, but do it sometimes. I am blessed with my husband who cooks. I just made the hungry girl buffalo chicken dip and it's easy. You just open some cans and mix it all up. It was a little spicy for me, but you just need easy recipes. Emilybites.com has great lasagna cupcakes (easy to make!) and eggface's site has easy ones too.

But alas, I know ... I hate cooking too, no one every taught me - I just follow the recipe. If I don't know how to separate the eggs, google it. Everyyyyything is on the net now! I'm trying to change - good luck wished to you!

btw, love your ticker ladyarwenrose!

[Souledout 31]

Web I literally lol at the 'making 2 piles' comment. That kinda help bring me outta my bad mood for a minute

[JenniJune 79]

I love to cook, and have found some great recipes in the Hungry Girl cookbooks. Also try doing a google search for "Bariatric Cooking" or "gastric sleeve recipes" : there is a wealth of info!

[LadyIvy 159]

Yes! You will! We all started out not knowing how to cook. Some of us were lucky and had family that could teach us....others taught themselves. And you can too!

First word of advice....when cooking on the stove, TURN THE HEAT DOWN! This is the first trick to not burning things! Especially on an electric stove, the temperatures are much harder to control. By the time you realize something's burning and you turn the heat down, it's too late. The heating element stays really hot for quite some time and food continues to burn.

Either remove the pan/pot from the stove for a minute or two to let the pan and the element cool, or better yet, cook at a lower temperature all the way through.

Buy a few beginner recipe books and make some very simple dishes. Don't even try to make a whole meal all at once at the beginning. There's too many ingredients, timing and things to pay attention to. Once you've got some simple things worked out, graduate to doing 2 dishes at the same time and before you know it, you'll be a pro!

Another tip is to plan out your meals for a few days in advance when you're first starting to learn to cook. Then make sure you have all the ingredients at home before you start to cook. Nothing more frustrating that getting half-way through a recipe then realizing you don't have a key ingredient! This will also help you to grocery shop more efficiently and probably save you some money and help you stay away from too many spontaneous (and often unhealthy) purchases.

Finally, when you do buy those beginner cookbooks, flip through them and look for explanations of common cooking terminology (for example, separating an egg does not mean making two piles! it means separating the yolk from the white!). You need to understand the terminology before you can follow the recipes! And if the cookbook has pictures of the steps along the way through the recipe, even better! Seeing beautiful pictures of finished dishes is great, but knowing how to get there is much more important!

Good luck and if you have more questions, just ask!

Great advice! My mother was a terrible cook, but I learned to be a great cook. I have looked at this surgery as a new opportunity to take other peoples delicious recipes and make them taste great and healthy too. As someone who taught herself, you have to realize that in order to get better at cooking, you just have to do it! There are a million mistakes to make, but with each one, you won't make it again. I also watch food network to get ideas. The other night they gave me the idea for MD shrimp cakes and blackbean quinoa for example. Start with simple things, like not overcooking basic meat recipes. Get a meat thermometer and trust that for a while until you get the hang of it. Start really basic and then start adding spices you are familiar with. The rest comes with time. This means you will wind up eating a lot of meals that are simply ok. After a while you will get a bunch of "this is pretty good" meals and it will get better and better as you figure it out.

[alliegb3 112]

*raises hand* yep- right here. But I get recipes from some older ladies in church and I will try them. They turn out really good most times. Just keep trying some easy recipes from mom, g-ma, and check out our recipe forum. Hopefully there will be something you'll like and I'm sure you'll make it just right

[clk 3,519]

Start easy! Get a beginner cookbook as suggested. I bought "How to Boil Water" for my absolutely unable to cook stepdaughter and she now cooks basic meals for her family.

Another easy way to learn is by using a brand cookbook, though this is far less healthy as they'll rely on prepackaged, processed ingredients that might not fit your new lifestyle.

If nobody taught you to cook, how can you call yourself a failure for not having immediate success in the kitchen? I'm self-taught baker and in the beginning I had SO many disasters and disappointments but as I continued to work at it I really did improve a lot. Now I'm good enough to sell my bread, Cookies and pastries to the local American community and I have to bake four days a week to keep up!

Keep trying and don't be a quitter. Allrecipes is a great resource for recipes, too - just browse for simple dishes you'd like to make and go with the easiest recipes. Read recipes through TWICE before starting, too.

You can do this!

~Cheri

[favoredone 590]

Buy a crockpot, a very good non-stick skillet and some kind of covered baker...

I can cook, but when I don't feel like doing much.. I throw some smoked turkey, Beans, seasoning and Water in my crockpot and forget it!!!

Same w/ the covered baker... meat, veggies, seasoning and leave it!!..

You can do it....

[JenniJune 79]

Buy a crockpot' date=' a very good non-stick skillet and some kind of covered baker....[/quote']

I love my crock pot and use it every week, if not more!

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

Wonder If i'll ever be able to really cook?

Hi Lady

I love my crockpot too. Very easy, simple recipes - luv to throw together.

As I write, i have 6 chicken breasts, light mushroom Soup & fresh mushrooms in my crockpot. Can't get much easier than that?

happy cooking

kathy