Cooking for a dummy

oualum26

I'm a kitchen idiot. I mess up scrambled eggs and overlook spaghetti. However, apparently I've been told I need to quit eating takeout. I need literally the easiest recipes known to man. Please help. Literally, post something your five year old could make.

ubermensch13

Crock Pot Turkey Chili:

1 lb of ground turkey meat
2 cans of diced tomatoes
2 cans of red kidney beans
1 packet of chili seasoning
1 green pepper or onion chopped(optional)

Brown the turkey meat in a pan(if it isn't perfectly brown it is on, it will cook when you make the chili).

Throw everything in a crock pot, stir in chili seasoning, mix. Set to low for 8 hours, walk away! Serve with light sour creme!

oualum26

When I have 8 hours to wait on dinner that sounds good!

JesterMFP

The point of slow cooking is that you don't stand around waiting for it - you set it up first thing in the morning, go to work or whatever, and then it's done when you're ready to eat.

Maybe just start with practising what you already know? Scrambled eggs and spaghetti are pretty easy really, you just cook them til they're done - is it more a problem of getting distracted, or are you not sure when they're done?

Probably the easiest thing I can think of that I do is a baked potato - again, cook it til it's done, but there is some room for error. The, just serve it with grated cheese, sweetcorn, salad, hummus, etc. The possibilities are endless. If you can do that, then you can bake the potato, scoop out the insides, mix with added ingredients of your choice (spring onion (scallions), chopped bacon, creme fraiche, whatever...) sprinkle with cheese and finish off under the grill (broiler).

If you like fish, you could get a fillet of say salmon, and wrap it up in a little parcel of foil or parchment. If you like, you can add a little butter or oil, some seasoning, couple of cloves of garlic, maybe a bit of lemon juice, or some herbs. Bake the parcel for around 20-25 minutes (maybe about 350F) , and you can tell it's done if the flesh looks cooked, and it's a bit flaky.

What kinds of food do you like? That might help with suggestions...

dorianaldyn

Get the book How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. That is an excellent cookbook that breaks down basic things for you. For example, the first time I used a recipe that called for leeks, I went to that cookbook and it broke down how to prep a leek. There are tons of recipes for every occasion too. If you have a tablet, there is an app you can get instead of the cookbook. It's a pricier app, but totally worth it.

tlacox1

Bump for the salmon idea.

MagnaSky

Slow cooker may just be what you need, most recipes only require measuring skills. I make a lot of chicken recipes in my slow cooker. The best part it by the time you get home and are really hungry, the food is ready for you and you will have plenty leftovers for other meals. My favorite chicken recipes
3 chicken breasts + 16 oz salsa or barbecue sauce or Catalina dressing
Just place chicken in the cooker, poor sauce or dressing over it and cook for 6 hours on low.

oualum26

I think the slow cooker would make it very idiot proof for me, however my normal day is, get up around 10 a.m., get to the gym between 11-11:30 Do my thing, run any errands I need to do, then go to work until 2 a.m. everyday. That's not condusive for the slow cooker.

MagnaSky

I still think you could make the slow cooker work for you. Ether throw everything in it before going to bed, and let it cook while you sleep or start it when you get up and cook on high for 4 hours.

augiesmom

I use an automatic light timer for my crockpot and it work beautifully for my varied schedule.

TR0berts

I still think you could make the slow cooker work for you. Ether throw everything in it before going to bed, and let it cook while you sleep or start it when you get up and cook on high for 4 hours.

Yep - if you're working until (or getting home at) 2AM, gut getting up at 10AM, then let the stuff cook while you're sleeping. You'll only have to reheat the food when you want it. As a bonus, if you get a big enough slow cooker, you'll have several meals ready to reheat.

SouthernArt77

I suggest getting a copy of The Joy of Cooking. It explains how to cook even the simplest thing. Learn the basics, and then you can cook anything!

ashlielinn

Crock Pot Turkey Chili:

1 lb of ground turkey meat
2 cans of diced tomatoes
2 cans of red kidney beans
1 packet of chili seasoning
1 green pepper or onion chopped(optional)

Brown the turkey meat in a pan(if it isn't perfectly brown it is on, it will cook when you make the chili).

Throw everything in a crock pot, stir in chili seasoning, mix. Set to low for 8 hours, walk away! Serve with light sour creme!

You can make this on the stove, too. Just brown the turkey and add all the ingredients in a pot and cook on medium heat until warm. Takes about 15 mins

_DaniD_

That's a horrible way to speak about your SO!

PRMinx

Just a tip:

If you are messing up scrambled eggs, you are going too fast, too furious. If you are overcooking spaghetti, you are getting distracted. For the eggs, just slow it down. Pam the pan, keep it on low/med heat, whisk your eggs with a little milk and then pour them into the warming pan. Stir slowly every so often until the eggs start to set. For the spaghetti, I taste a strand after 5 minutes, 8 minutes, 10 minutes....and so on until done.

Cooking is all about patience.

Slow cookers are a lifesaver.

needles85365

I think the slow cooker would make it very idiot proof for me, however my normal day is, get up around 10 a.m., get to the gym between 11-11:30 Do my thing, run any errands I need to do, then go to work until 2 a.m. everyday. That's not condusive for the slow cooker.

Slow cooker is really easy, but keep making excuses for not trying it. Put it on leave it for x hours and put it in the fridge. most of the recipes taste good as leftovers.