I'm not a good cook

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April_Marie85
April_Marie85 Posts: 118 Member
in Recipes
My biggest problem with food is that i'm NOT a good cook. So i go for the fast easy stuff. Meatloaf and Lasagna are even complicated meals to me. So when i am given recipes that require me to go out and buy new ingredients I am way to intimidated and never get them. I get afraid that im gonna waste things and it wont turn out right, and i have reason to be afraid of that because of how often it happens. And its hard for me to admit this because i've been taught how to cook before, growing up my mom taught me a lot. I even baked a thanksgiving dinner by myself at age 15, and now im almost 30 and cant get a simple recipe right. I just wanted to vent. Anyone else have this problem? Am I alone here? Anyone have advice? :|
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  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    http://www.buzzfeed.com/emofly/foods-everyone-should-learn-to-cook#.esJr3Z5X6

    I found this recently and even though I am a pretty decent cook, I learned a few things! These are all foolproof.
  • R2Detoo
    R2Detoo Posts: 31 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Well you can start out with this website: http://www.skinnytaste.com/

    it has calorie counts and she doesn't ask for outlandish ingredients that you only find at the top of the Himalayas or something, and you can reuse them. Plus you can start from the "easier" stuff if you don't feel confident.

    Or, if you feel completely out of place in the kitchen, you can start with: http://www.budgetbytes.com/

    She has step-by-step instructions and photos, (but no calorie count unfortunately :( ) and it makes life a bit easier if you have a photo to compare to. And if you want to decrease the calorie count, you can always buy the "low cal" versions of ingredients or just use less cheese/etc.
  • April_Marie85
    April_Marie85 Posts: 118 Member
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    Thank you! I appreciate this help!
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Count me in! I pin a lot of recipes but I rarely try them. I just keep my meals very simple during the week and eat clean and splurge when I go out. I am a fan of grilling my meats outside and using different seasonings but that's about it.

    @jgnatca, cool link! I must admit I have never bowled rice on a stove. I mean that's what my rice cooker is for. Lol.
  • Mizz_Mo
    Mizz_Mo Posts: 64 Member
    edited July 2015
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    April_Marie85 wrote: »
    My biggest problem with food is that i'm NOT a good cook. So i go for the fast easy stuff. Meatloaf and Lasagna are even complicated meals to me. So when i am given recipes that require me to go out and buy new ingredients I am way to intimidated and never get them. I get afraid that im gonna waste things and it wont turn out right, and i have reason to be afraid of that because of how often it happens. And its hard for me to admit this because i've been taught how to cook before, growing up my mom taught me a lot. I even baked a thanksgiving dinner by myself at age 15, and now im almost 30 and cant get a simple recipe right. I just wanted to vent. Anyone else have this problem? Am I alone here? Anyone have advice? :|

    My sister never learned to cook. Once tried to reheat a pizza - while it was still in the box! One of the things I turned her on to is PBS Create TV - lots of great cooking shows that show lots of basics! Kevin Dundon's Back To Basics is a really good one! It really helps to watch them first to get the gist and help you with timing.

    I also got her The Can't Cook Book: Recipes for the Absolutely Terrified! by Jessica Seinfeld and Thug Kitchen (which has a lot of blue language - so if you offend easily then skip that - but it gives lots of great info and the food is filling and yummy!). These helped her a lot and can be found on Smile.Amazon.com

    I just started adding friends today - so if you would like to add me go for it. I will post recipes that I find and have tried.
  • LynnSullivan1
    LynnSullivan1 Posts: 24 Member
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    Go check out your local library. See all the cookbooks there... pretty pictures... and find what inspires you to want to cook then follow their directions. Besides, they have free, cool videos and music too :)
  • Soggynode
    Soggynode Posts: 1,179 Member
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    I had to take over cooking for the family a few years ago with very little knowledge and experience. My first go-to resource was kraftrecipes.com. Lots of simple and easy to follow recipes and lots of helpful videos too. I still use many recipes from that site. Lately I've been making some very tasty and easy recipes off of thugkitchen.com. They explain how to prepare the recipes in a very simple manner and assume you are new to cooking or do not cook very often. (WARNING! thugkitchen has very graphic language so if you find potty words offensive you may want to avoid that recipe site)
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    I've been cooking a long time, am a good cook, like to try new things and sometimes things still don't turn out right on the first try. That doesn't mean it isn't edible or I never try to make that thing again. After years of failures, I can finally cook eggs right for example. It took several tries to get pita bread right. You get better at things with practice or find a better recipe/method.

    You could get a kid's cookbook or something like Better Homes & Gardens where the recipes are pretty basic and don't require odd ingredients. A lot of soup recipes are pretty easy to prepare generally and are fairly forgiving. Slow cooker recipes are pretty easy. ayearofslowcooking.com/2007/12/alphabetical-listing-of-recipes.html

    If you know what something is supposed to look and taste like that can make it easier. Cooking blogs are nice because they often give some pictures of the steps.


    What kinds of foods would you like to cook?
  • brandyosu
    brandyosu Posts: 257 Member
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    You can do it! When I was first dating my husband, I was the one that was always asked to "bring the bread/drinks" when we went to potluck-style gatherings. I burned microwave popcorn, I made a frozen pizza with the cardboard underneath it (more than once, I might add). Now, I cook on a regular basis and people even think my cooking is good. I started slowly, just taking on basic recipes and have moved my way up. It looks like people have posted some pretty good links for you...just look through and find things that only have a few ingredients. I'm still far (very, very far) from being a pro, but I'm also not afraid to tackle a recipe if the end results sound good.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
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    Me either. I don't really like cooking, so I don't. Maybe once in a while I'll make a pot of chili, but for the most part I just eat items I can put together quickly.
  • boxfish100
    boxfish100 Posts: 172 Member
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    I can second the www.skinnytaste.com website - the vast majority of the recipes are super easy and use regular ingredients, with ridiculously good results. That website alone is responsible for at least 80% of my weight loss this last year (I've gone from being borderline obese to a healthy weight. No matter what weight I am I will still use these recipes - they are GOOD and easy to fit into a busy schedule).
  • ActuarialChef
    ActuarialChef Posts: 1,413 Member
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    If you have some cash to throw around, services like Blue Apron and Hello Fresh are designed for people who are either too busy to cook or don't know where to start. They provide recipes, step by step instructions, and all of the ingredients. You follow the recipes and it's super easy!

    The downsize is that they are expensive. HOWEVER, you can get all of the recipes on both of their websites without signing up!!! So that's what I do - I use them for ideas and go shopping on my own.

    Another option is Mealime. They provide recipes only, but they are simple and easy to make, with normal ingredients. They are geared towards people who are really just starting out in the kitchen. When I tried them, they provided like 3 menus for free once you give them your email address. After that it's a few dollars a week for the menu plan and recipes. I would have totally continued with their service, except I think I'm slightly beyond the cooking level they cater to. My fiance and I were used to fancier-type foods and recipes. But they really are a good starting point!

    I also agree with the recommendations for budgetbytes.com and skinnytaste.com. Budgetbytes.com is definitely more focused on the saving money aspect, and uses lots of cheese and cheap, filling ingredients. Skinnytaste.com technically focuses on Weight Watchers-friendly recipes, but the result is good, hearty, low-cal, veggie-filled recipes. I don't think I've tried anything from either site that I haven't enjoyed.

    Good luck!
  • ActuarialChef
    ActuarialChef Posts: 1,413 Member
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    ActuarialChef wrote: »
    If you have some cash to throw around, services like Blue Apron and Hello Fresh are designed for people who are either too busy to cook or don't know where to start. They provide recipes, step by step instructions, and all of the ingredients. You follow the recipes and it's super easy!

    The downsize* is that they are expensive. HOWEVER, you can get all of the recipes on both of their websites without signing up!!! So that's what I do - I use them for ideas and go shopping on my own.

    Another option is Mealime. They provide recipes only, but they are simple and easy to make, with normal ingredients. They are geared towards people who are really just starting out in the kitchen. When I tried them, they provided like 3 menus for free once you give them your email address. After that it's a few dollars a week for the menu plan and recipes. I would have totally continued with their service, except I think I'm slightly beyond the cooking level they cater to. My fiance and I were used to fancier-type foods and recipes. But they really are a good starting point!

    I also agree with the recommendations for budgetbytes.com and skinnytaste.com. Budgetbytes.com is definitely more focused on the saving money aspect, and uses lots of cheese and cheap, filling ingredients. Skinnytaste.com technically focuses on Weight Watchers-friendly recipes, but the result is good, hearty, low-cal, veggie-filled recipes. I don't think I've tried anything from either site that I haven't enjoyed.

    Good luck!

    *Downside, not downsize. Sorry. Can't edit from my phone.
  • allbarrett
    allbarrett Posts: 159 Member
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    I enjoy cooking and don't have trouble following recipes, but I do occasionally take a cooking class just for fun. Community colleges and specialty programs exist that will offer a class (typically centered around a theme: cooking with garlic, beef 101, Mediterranean, are all classes I have taken) that goes through several recipes with discussion from a professional instructor/chef and opportunities to learn tips and tricks. I had a lot of fun and still remember a lot of the hints and ideas that came along with the recipes. I took several classes with my sister, as a "girls day out" thing, and one with my husband. We had a blast.

    Another thought is using a cooking texbook (again, community colleges that offer chef training will have these in the bookstore). A textbook for cooking doesn't just have recipes, it talks about the chemistry of cooking (why you can't just change or substitute some ingredients, what acceptable substitutes do exist, how to modify recipes, etc.) which might give you some insight into why you have trouble with recipes.

    As for keeping it simple, my first cookbook was The Bachelor's Guide to Avoiding Starvation, which I received when I moved out of my parents' home. Nothing fancy, but it was a good starting point for a teen who had never HAD to cook before and would now be living on their own. I haven't used this for years, but it ensured that I actually lived through university.
  • April_Marie85
    April_Marie85 Posts: 118 Member
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    Thank you ALL for the help, I'm taking everything into consideration. I went to the library and got a cookbook, I have saved those websites, and Im considering looking into taking a cooking class. I appreciate all the help from everyone! I am going to attempt to make something different for dinner tonight.
  • justrollme
    justrollme Posts: 802 Member
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    Definitely do the cooking class! I am not gifted with my Mom's amazing cooking finesse (she makes everything look quick and easy, I don't know how she does it!), but after taking a cooking class, I did learn a lot and now I do much better in the kitchen.

    You can sometimes find amazing classes from certain grocery stores, libraries, etc., even farms! I took one with my cute Mom-in-law—she gave it to me as a Christmas gift one year. It was at a farm! A lady and her husband (well into their 70s) lived their lives on a produce farm. He built the kitchen himself for her to hold classes. The kitchen wasn't huge, just a big island for 6-8 people to have a seat and do step-by-step what she showed us. It was SO fun!

    Hands-on, in person, with a group definitely makes it easier to learn. Plus, you get to see different things be used correctly, which will help you decide on different gadgets or machines in which you might want to invest.

    Good luck!
  • ActuarialChef
    ActuarialChef Posts: 1,413 Member
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    allbarrett wrote: »
    I enjoy cooking and don't have trouble following recipes, but I do occasionally take a cooking class just for fun. Community colleges and specialty programs exist that will offer a class (typically centered around a theme: cooking with garlic, beef 101, Mediterranean, are all classes I have taken) that goes through several recipes with discussion from a professional instructor/chef and opportunities to learn tips and tricks. I had a lot of fun and still remember a lot of the hints and ideas that came along with the recipes. I took several classes with my sister, as a "girls day out" thing, and one with my husband. We had a blast.

    Another thought is using a cooking texbook (again, community colleges that offer chef training will have these in the bookstore). A textbook for cooking doesn't just have recipes, it talks about the chemistry of cooking (why you can't just change or substitute some ingredients, what acceptable substitutes do exist, how to modify recipes, etc.) which might give you some insight into why you have trouble with recipes.

    As for keeping it simple, my first cookbook was The Bachelor's Guide to Avoiding Starvation, which I received when I moved out of my parents' home. Nothing fancy, but it was a good starting point for a teen who had never HAD to cook before and would now be living on their own. I haven't used this for years, but it ensured that I actually lived through university.

    Alton Brown's "Good Eats" cookbooks are like this. I love them! My fiance actually bought me the first one for Christmas last year haha.
  • madeleadele
    madeleadele Posts: 64 Member
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    Sorry - this is a pet peeve of mine when someone says they can't cook. Everyone can cook! I'm not sure what you're making when there's an opportunity to "ruin" it (and lasagna and meatloaf are not the most basic foods).
    I never use recipes because I'm a slow chef and it's faster if I decide on some ingredients and wing it, but here's some ideas for you that I love and are healthy!
    - chicken breasts with your choice of veggies. Add spices (I like garlic), cook in a pan on medium to low heat. Chicken!!
    - Rice with protein and veggies. You can by Trader Joe's frozen brown rice (which I use)
    - Pasta! Make it veggie-heavy to avoid carbo-loading.
    - Spaghetti Squash: cut in half, heat halves in oven, and use a fork to scrape out the inner substance (can be used as a substitute for pasta)
    - Meatballs: I love turkey meatballs! Get ground meat, add breadcrumbs (until it sticks together), pepper, salt, garlic, chopped onions and stick a pan of them in the oven and test periodically to see if they're raw

    Bottom line: stop being afraid of cooking or lazy enough to forget something is in the oven. Set timers, plan out your meals, experiment!

    Good luck:)
  • annaheyoolay
    annaheyoolay Posts: 100 Member
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    If you can read, you can cook. I have become a great cook, if I do say so myself;) because I know how to research.

    If you find a recipe with an ingredient you are unfamiliar with, look it up. Watch a video about how to cut and cook it. If a recipe calls for something to be diced/minced/cubed/grated and you don't know the difference, look it up.

    Don't try a whole weeks worth of new recipes, just one.

    You'll get there!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    I've never even cooked anything in the oven, so you are way ahead of me. I don't see the problem? Veggies and meat get thrown in a pan with seasoning and then shoveled into my face.

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