Single mom who needs to learn easy quick meals

[desperatecook]

Hey everyone...desperatecook here, I'm a single mom who needs help badly! I grew up in a home where almost all the meals came from a box/can . I don't have confidence in the kitchen when it comes to making food thanks to certain people making me feel like whatever I made wasn't good enough. Needless to say I gave up cooking and made them take over in the kitchen. I feel like I'm starting over in life from scratch and need alot of guidance and simple help...lol please don't overwhelm me. I'm also doing this because I have an 18yr old daughter that I'm trying to teach basic meals. Any help/guidance is appreciated. I will take emails in my inbox if you prefer to help that way.
thanks for all your help,
desperatecook aka Blee

 

[Rocklobster]

Hey, Blee! Welcome to the board! Check the recipes section, and if you have any questions about anything, don't be afraid to ask.

 

[DaveSoMD]

Welcome to DC!

 

[Mama]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Luvabigdog]

Hi. I don't know how to cook either but I'm trying. So far I've made 3 meals in my life and thankfully all 3 of them turned out ok. I wish there was some kind of "beginners secret handshake" and real words of wisdom I could share with you. If you have confidence, you're 1/2 way there.....and the other 1/2 is downhill. My wife is an awesome cook. I can make scrabled eggs. My first crock pot roast turned out well. So did my pasta. Words of wisdom;? You can't really screw up pasta. One step at a time and deep breath. Your kid(s) worship the ground you walk on. They're going to love anything you serve them.

 

[Josie1945]

Welcome to DC. Ask away you will find lots of help here. We need to know what you want to cook. Maybe you could find a recipe and we will walk you thru it.

Josie

 

[Mimizkitchen]

Welcome,,, and as others have said,,, ask away...

 

[Kathleen]

Welcome to DC! What kinds of food do you enjoy?

One of my easiest, fastest recipes is a white clam sauce with pasta.

1 can of minced clams, un-drained
1 can of chopped clams, un-drained
3 cloves of garlic, minced
olive oil - maybe a 1/4 of a cup
Chopped fresh parsley (optional, but yummy)
Parmesan cheese as desired
Fresh black pepper (& salt if you like)

1/2 box of Pasta. (I like thin spaghetti.)

Put the water on to boil for the pasta. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain pasta.

Lightly saute the garlic on a low heat until just tender. Add cans of clams. Stir until hot and bubbly. Add pepper to taste. (If you like salt, add a pinch of it too.) Combine with the pasta until the pasta is well coated in the sauce. Plate and top with a bit of chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese.

The only thing you need is salad to round out the meal. I can have this on the table in less than 15 minutes. Though all ingredients come from the pantry, it's really yummy.

 

[spork]

I think every 18-yr old should learn how to cook instant ramen noodles. Not exactly kosher, but a good place to start. Welcome to DC, Blee.

 

[chopper]

I think every 18-yr old should learn how to cook instant ramen noodles. Not exactly kosher, but a good place to start. Welcome to DC, Blee.

Many kids in college have made quite the meals with ramen noodles. I have a son that lived on those, and little juan burritos. He added things to the ramen soup to make several different "meals."

Welcome, I know you will like it here. Here is an easy dinner to start with.

Forgotten Chicken (A Texas Hill Country Cookbook)

1 cup uncooked rice (I have used up to two cups)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1-1/2 cups water
1 large fryer or enough pieces for six servings
salt and pepper
1/2 package dry onion soup mix

Preheat oven to 350F. Place rice on bottom of shallow, greased baking pan. Combine cream soup and water. Pour some of the soup mixture over rice and let stand a few minutes. Place chicken pieces on top of rice. Salt and pepper chicken and add the rest of the soup mixture over chicken. Top with dry onion soup mix. Cover with foil, place in oven and forget about it for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Serves 6.

It is a hard one to mess up, and makes a great meal. I have thought of adding frozen peas to it, but I know that my husband wouldn't eat it that way. Instead, I make peas and mix them into the food on my plate. I have also made this meal with leftover chicken cut up in bite size pieces.

 

[Mimizkitchen]

Welcome to DC! What kinds of food do you enjoy?

One of my easiest, fastest recipes is a white clam sauce with pasta.

1 can of minced clams, un-drained
1 can of chopped clams, un-drained
3 cloves of garlic, minced
olive oil - maybe a 1/4 of a cup
Chopped fresh parsley (optional, but yummy)
Parmesan cheese as desired
Fresh black pepper (& salt if you like)

1/2 box of Pasta. (I like thin spaghetti.)

Put the water on to boil for the pasta. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain pasta.

Lightly saute the garlic on a low heat until just tender. Add cans of clams. Stir until hot and bubbly. Add pepper to taste. (If you like salt, add a pinch of it too.) Combine with the pasta until the pasta is well coated in the sauce. Plate and top with a bit of chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese.

The only thing you need is salad to round out the meal. I can have this on the table in less than 15 minutes. Though all ingredients come from the pantry, it's really yummy.

I make mine the same way except I add some red pepper flakes for a little kick... Great minds think alike...

 

[Luvabigdog]

Ramen Noodles brings back fond memories when I traveled with the football team. My wife would pack them in my bag so I could have a snack in the hotel room the night before a game. Throw in a small can of white meat chicken and it's an excellent late night snack.

I have an excellent salad recipe that I will post tomorrow that uses Ramen Noodles. It's actually quite good.

 

[AnnieDrews]

Hello and welcome! I'll be glad to share one of the simplest, but yummy dishes that my sons just love.

Brown one pound of ground beef or turkey in a skillet along with 1/2 envelope of taco seasoning.

Drain fat if there is any.

While the meat is browning, cook one cup of rice in 2 1/4 cups water and the other 1/2 envelope of taco seasoning.

Drain and rinse one can of beans (pinto, kidney, black, etc.).

After meat is browned, stir in rice and beans.


I like to serve a bowl of canned peaches on the side. You could even roll it in tortillas. It is a very filling and simple meal. One of my go-tos for a good, quick meal.

 

[joesfolk]

Following the recipe, whichever it is is the easiest way to become a good cook. May I suggest that if you are a real novice and can swallow some pride (not all of us can) you might got to the bookstore and get a children's cookbook. It will start with the very basics. You can try the recipes when no one is around and before you know it you will be well on your way to being a dynamite cook. There are also cookbooks for people who are going off to college that might be helpful and of course we will answer any questions that you may have. you are in for an adventure. Welcome.

 

[NoraC]

Welcome! With a girl child to teach and on a single mom's income, I would start with chef's salad and omelets (separate meals). The salad is endlessly variable according to your taste, so you can't mess it up. Get out a large plate or platter and put about 4 cups of lettuce on it - 2 hearts of romaine, cut across the head about an inch wide should be about right. Wash the lettuce and dry it, either by spinning it in a salad spinner or by rolling it up in a cotton towel. You want to top it with interesting veggies and proteins, maybe adding some fruits and "crunchy stuff". You can't go wrong if you think in that sequence. Here's one option: dice about 1/4 cup (half a small) onion and cover with vinegar in a bowl. Set aside to pickle and get milder in flavor. Saute a boneless, skinless chicken breast in olive oil until done, set aside to cool. Cut up half a cucumber into wedges and then slice into 1/2 inch chunks; slice some celery into 1/4 slices, maybe 1/3C. Build your salad by making concentric rings of your veggies, topped with the chicken breast which you thinly slice and fan out over the veggies. Top with pecans sauteed in butter and chili powder or with croutons. Sprinkle a white cheese of your choice over the whole thing. Serve with the salad dressing of your choice. Pepprocini or olives are nice garnishes as are grape tomatoes. Very middle of the road; add or subtract stuff as you wish.

Omelets get a lot of "gourmet" hype, but can be a very easy, elegant dish. You need a good skillet, whose personality you understand, to get a great omelet, but your pratice runs will be fine, even before they are beautiful. For a 9 inch skillet, crack 3 eggs in a bowl and whisk together with 2 tablespoons of liquid - from water to heavy cream, depending on what you have and what texture you end up liking after experimenting. Pick out your filling, about a 1/3 cup measure of something yummy, from shredded cheddar (classic) to jalapenos and cooked sausage o leftover hash, your choice. Grease your hot skillet with about 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil at high heat. Pour in your egg mixture and turn the heat down to low. As the egg begins to set, lightly lift up the edges to let the raw egg run underneath the cooked part. Tilt and lift and fiddle until most of the egg is semi solid. Low, slow heat and patience are your friend when starting to cook eggs. When all the egg is cooked to a semisolid point, spread your filling over the whole omelet and fold the omelet in half, like a fried pie, by tilting the pan and working your spatula under the egg. A fail at "pretty" is not a disaster. Cook another minute or two to let the filling meld with the egg, then serve with french bread and butter.

Both of these are top drawer, economical dishes that will let you build kitchen confidence. Questions? Ask away!

 

[AnnieDrews]

Another good, easy meal is to get a jar or two of good pre-made pasta sauce. Throw that in a crock pot with about 1/2 bag of frozen beef or italian style meat balls. Add a can of diced tomatoes and a healthy dose of ground italian seasoning. Let it cook all day. When time for supper, just make a pot of spaghetti noodles and serve over those.

Leftover sauce/meatballs can be frozen.

A good way to use up any leftovers from above....put a layer of spaghetti or noodles in a casserole dish. Spoon sauce over top and layer with shredded mozzarella (or your fav cheese). Bake for 20-30 min. until heated through and cheese is melted.

Serve either with a tossed salad or green vegetable and some bread.

 

[PattY1]

This is my version of Chicken and Rice. It is low in fat and sodium and cooks up quickly. Serve with a salad or side vegetable. Serves 2-4 people, depending on appetite.

Smell like Thanks Giving

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 casserole dish with a tight fitting lid (I guess foil would work, I have never tried it)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts trimmed of all fat (if you can find Purdue "use like chicken breasts" turkey pieces all the better, but they have to be as thick as chicken breasts, not to over cook)

1 cup regular rice

1 can low sodium fat free chicken broth + enough water to = 2 cups

1 each heaping tablespoon dried onion and celery flakes

3/4 teaspoon sage

Mix rice and spice in bottom of casserole dish. Bring broth and water to a boil, mix in the rice. Place chicken on top, cover and bake for 25-30 minutes.

 

[babetoo]

howdy, welcome to d.c. i made a chili size for my dinner tonight. part comes for a can but is great anyway. take hamburger patties, cook in skillet. heat up one can turkey chili with beans. put tops and bottoms on patties after you turn them over . when done put on plate, cover with hot chili. sprinkle shredded cheese on top. i add small chopped onion on that. serve with chips or fries or a salad. very filling. i love it.

 

[taxlady]

I had to Google chili size. I thought it was a typo

 

[medtran49]

I love this meal, quick, easy, fairly cheap, and just a couple of pans. Add a salad or a steamed green vege to complete meal. I've got another baked chicken recipe that's super easy but I have to get the book out cause I don't remember the time/temp to bake off top of head.

Easy Hamburger Stroganoff
1 lb. ground beef, get the lean type so you don't have to drain fat off
1 small onion, chopped small
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced (optional)
1 small package mushrooms (button or crimini), sliced, optional and you can use less or more if you want - mushrooms will stretch the meat, especially if you use the criminis
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Chicken broth or you can use beef broth (I don't like the commercial beef broth personally, weird taste to me)
1/4 to 1/2 cup white wine (optional, we use if we have, otherwise don't)
Worchestershire sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 small package egg noodles

Start water for noodles. Once you are simmering the meat sauce, add salt (use a good bit, you want the water to be a little salty) and your noodles. Cook for minimum time recommended on package, cool and taste 1 noodle to make sure they are done, then drain remainder.

Brown ground beef in skillet over medium-high heat. When a little pink still remains, add onions, saute until onions are almost translucent, add in garlic and mushrooms and saute for a couples of minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add in cream of mushroom soup, substituting chicken broth for the amount of water called for on the can and the wine if you are using. Add in 3-4 shakes of the Worchestershire sauce. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You may need to add more liquid from time to time, you don't want it runny but not pasty either, you want a thick spaghetti sauce consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt, pepper, worchestershire sauce). It should be just very, very slightly over-seasoned. Add in the sour cream, stir well, and allow to simmer for just a few minutes. You don't want too much heat or time once you add the sour cream cause it can curdle (will taste okay, just look funky). Serve over noodles.