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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Recipes, Please! and a confession...




I have a confession: I buy cookbooks and stare at them feeling completely overwhelmed at the fact I do not know how to make any of it. Then, I put the cookbook on the shelf and repeat again in a month or so. NO JOKE! Sick and plain silly isn't it? Case in point, last night. Barnes and Noble had a 40% off coupon so I went and bought the Pioneer Woman's Cookbook. I stared and read it for like an hour; then, I felt defeated. I don't know how to cut up chicken parts nor do I know how to make broth. Ugh!

So, how about you help a girl out! What easy, simple recipes did you make when you started cooking even if it's when you a teenager or little girl in your mother's kitchen? I don't care if it's your family recipe, one off of a box, or out of a cookbook. I want to learn to cook but I need to start simple. Real simple. As in, I don't know how to cut up vegetables simple, or at least include some pics. Please Please Please email me what you got. southernbellejm@gmail.com

All recipes welcome:)

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10 comments:

katie lake said...

I can send you some easy peasy basics that M loves. A good way to start is with 6 or less ingredient recipes.

Jenny @ Practically Perfect... said...

Heya - I make PW's chicken spaghetti, but I don't cook a whole chicken. I just shop up 2 chicken breasts and buy store-bought broth. Makes it so much easier!

Southern Belle Mama said...

I have a few recipes on my blog (under: Cookin'...Southern Style) mostly cakes, but if you do nothing else make the Chocolate Sheet Cake on page 218 in Pioneer Woman's cookbook. It will inspire you to bake forever!! So yummy!

fmcgmccllc said...

It would help if I knew what you love or hate. I can send you a few really easy that can be adapted, easier than it sounds.

Lauren@ Not Your Average Southern Belle said...

PW is pretty overwhelming - she uses a TON of ingredients/steps. Matt's fav things I make, believe it or not, are easy recipes I've found on boxes when I first learned how to cook. Campbell's Soup cheesy chicken casserole, Lipton onion soup meatloaf, and Bisquick pot pie. With cutting veggies etc, I learned by watching somebody. If y'all ever want to come over we could cook dinner together - we're fellow Arlington residents now! :)

BriBrooke said...

Check out the recipes on Pinterest, many have few ingredients and are super easy to make.

Leslie said...

Yeah, I do that too. I sit down and read the cookbook, maybe even bookmark a few pages, and then never make anything. What I did, is I thought about what my mom makes that I like and asked her for a few recipes. My mom doesn't really like cooking, so a lot of her recipes involved shortcuts. After that, I found the cookbooks less intimidating!

Caroline said...

Check out my cooking blog: http://cookbookjungle.blogspot.com. I only do easy!

Jennifer said...

I never make my own broth or cut up a chicken because it is nasty to me. I am not saying I wouldn't do it...but I really get grossed out dealing with meat. I just buy Swanson broth or stock (same thing just stock is richer in flavor) or even just keep boullion in the pantry to mix in water if I am in a pinch for some broth. I also just buy chicken breast at the store. Just about anything that calls for a whole chicken can just use breast. Also, for roasts, pork loins, or whatever try them in the crockpot. I don't have any experience with them but the crockpot is just about fool proof. I have a cookbook called "Fix It and Forget It" and it has a lot of recipes that are easy! You just dump stuff in the crockpot and let it go. As for chopping veggies...go on youtube to see if you really have a hard time trying to mince up stuff...but honestly the best thing for that is a food processor. I have a little $60 one I got for my wedding and it saves me so much time cooking. And if you don't really know what you are doing with cutting up stuff, it doesn't matter what it looks like once it's cooked. Call it rustic!

Andie said...

most of my first recipes I started with were super simple - like turkey tettrazini, lasagna, chicken noodle soup, campbells's chicken mushroom pasta, spaghetti, etc.

I always take help from the store when I can- jarred sauce, boxed stock, dry pasta, etc.

I've found for great side dishes- almost all veggies can be roasted in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes while you make the rest of your meal and usually roasted veggies taste WAY better than boiled/steamed/sauteed. Less calories too!

Just get your fresh veggies- green beans, brussels sprouts, tomatoes, potatoes (they take longer), asparagus, squash, etc. and spray them with a little cooking spray and a touch of olive oil, salt, pepper and bake! Yum!

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