Help! I have NO idea how to cook!

[Krystal]

Well, I am without a doubt a horrible cook. I can cook easy things, but I want to learn how to cook things that are actually nutritious..especially for my fiance who had open heart surgery when he was younger and needs to start eating healthy- He is 29 now, but all he will eat is junk, hamburgers, and the HUGE thing of Jiff Peanut Butter( every week!). I cannot get him to try anything NEW!

It is hard to try new recipes without someone refusing to eat, lol.. My daughter only likes spaghetti, Chef Boyardee.
I recently joined this site to learn how to grocery shop and save money. For the last few years, I would usually spend $100 a week on groceries, but then we would really never use them. I just cleaned out my cupboards and threw away 5 large garbage of expired stuff... it is money down the drain!
We would always go out to dinner, spend money on lunch... I finally said " THis is ridiculous!" There is no reason I cannot make meals at home.

So, I am trying. The hardest part for me is that I do not know what goes with what, how to cook what meats, and when I find a recipe I NEVER have anything I need, mainly because I never bought the stuff before.
Any meals I usually made were Chicken ala King over bisquits, tacos, hamburger helper, spaghetti( from a Jar)-My Fiance HATES this because he is Italian and thinks it needs to be homeade, lol... Any attempt that I have tried to make a real meal, such as steak or chicken, has turned out horrible. I always overcook things, mainly because I am affraid that they are never done and I am even scared to eat my own cooking, lol.

I guess I am looking for great recipes that kids will gladly eat... Easy recipes or tips to get meals on the table faster. Any healthy recipes, but flavorful. I read about cooking meat and then freezing? I never knew this was an option.
Also, any tips for making meals in advance and then freezing portions. I will often only eat once a day, because I can never make anything I like. Sandwhiches get old after awhile. I have been trying to eat small things, like cottage cheese with Mrs. Dash, love it, and we have a lot of fruits and vegetables.

Thanks In Advance!

[CherryPicker]

As far as recipes go....have you tried foodnetwork.com? They have tons of recipes that you can print right at home. It is very beginner friendly. Each recipe is rated based on ease-complexity, and gives a time frame as to how long it should take to prepare, etc. I would highly recommend this to beginner cooks, and you can also discover new recipes by entering a single ingredient.

In the beginning, I would suggest printing a few recipes that you would like to try. Then go over the recipes and create your shopping lists (don't forget your coupons of course!! ). That way, when you are ready to prepare them, you have all of your ingredients on hand. HTH.

[AlInAz]

Krystal,
You should also just focus on 3-5 simple recipes. Once you are comfortable with them, add a few more. Don't try to do too many different things or you'll make yourself crazy. The crockpot lady has some incredibly easy recipes (no cooking skills required) if you have access to a crockpot. (crockpot365.blogspot.com) I recently made her Rotisserie style Chicken (in a crockpot! I know!). It was so moist and so flavorful. I shredded the leftovers for chicken tacos/nachos. YUM!

Also, you really should buy yourself a meat thermometer so you can check to see if meat is really done or just looks like it.

Something else you might want to try is a kids cookbook. Check the library. Kids cookbooks are nice because they usually spell out exactly what you will need in terms of equipment and supplies. You could easily make up your grocery list from there.

HTH. It will get easier as you get more comfortable.
Allison

[Jenng]

I love these cookbooks. Everything is made with store bought already put together ingredients. So easy and simple. Nothing fancy and everything I've made with them tastes so good. Unlike other cookbooks, it's real food for real busy families. Not all receipes are healthy, but many are. I especially like the Semi-Homemade 20 minute meals and her crockpot book.

Also check out the crockpot blog that was mentioned. Crockpots are the best. If you can pour ingredients into the pot, you can make a fabulous meal.

One more thing. Check out previous posts on the recipe forum. Lots of wonderful ideas.

[Kissymissy]

As for overcooking meat, I would invest in a meat thermometer, you can get a basic one relatively cheap.
I started buying Pampered Chef stuff little by little over the years (it was a bit pricey) and I highly recommend owning at least one piece of stoneware to bake in.

I follow cook book guidelines on meat and internal temperatures and once the thermometer hits the right temperature, I may cook it an extra 10-15 mins and pull it out. Using the stoneware my chicken is always juicy and never dry. It's very versatile and their website has lots of links to easy recipes too.

I'll PM you my spaghetti sauce recipe that our family uses. I only use it for special occassions though, otherwise I'm still a jar girl.

[tdrshopping]

I have issues cooking eggs and simple things - must check in the cookbook to not mess up.

However, I am comfortable with hunting down a recipe online for a dish that sounds interesting. Recent one is the Asparagus with garlic sauce at PF Changs. If there is something one of us craves, there is more than likely a recipe out there to make the dish. Sometimes rather than creating a far-out dish, find a copycat recipe to make a dish that your family enjoys.

I've found working from recommended ingredients to substitute healthy alternatives much easier than preparing something unfamiliar because it is healthy.

As for heart-healthy recipes, Dean Ornish's books have some pretty tasty recipe ideas and substitutes.

[mnm'z]

Krystal, I had pm'd you before reading everybody's responses, and I missed the open heart surgery part. Taste of Home also has a publication for healthy foods, forget what it's called, but it would be right there with the other mag.

[JDOGGETTE99]

I agree Sandra Lee has very good and easy recipes to make. I DVR her show on the food network. I don't like to cook things with alot of ingredients and her recipes are very simple!

[twinsplus14me]

There are tons of simple recipes on recipezaar.com. You should check it out!

[MrsA]

I love the recipes on the kraft website and I have them send me their food and family magazine and there's tons of great recipes in it. I just got the spring one in the mail and already i'm making three recipes out of it in the next week. They're rarely very complicated. the one i'm making tonight is chicken cooked with garlic in chicken brother, caesar dressing and parmesan, all cooked in one pan in 20 minutes.
i also like looking at yahoo food, you can search for recipes based on ingredient(s) or cuisine or price i think too. and there are reviews on there from people who have made it themselves and usually a picture too.

also for spaghetti sauce from a jar...i NEVER use just the sauce as is. I always add seasonings (basil, garlic, whatever you like) and a little sugar (cuts the acidity for my reflux) and i sautee diced green and red bell peppers and onion, and for your little one you could steam some carrots or other veggies that mush well and puree them and throw in the sauce and you can't even tell it's there but it adds a lot of nutrition to it.


kissymissy...would you mind pm'ing me your spaghetti sauce recipe too? I would love to surprise my hubby and make my own sauce sometime.