Cooking Resources

sparrowgrass · 09-05-2011, 07:35 AM

Piece of cake, right? We have a young man working at the courthouse who just got his first apartment. I know he can't read well, and I am looking for a cookbook for him. I know I can find a kid's cookbook, but he might be offended at one that was too childish.

Long ago, I worked with an adult literacy group, and I know there were some easy cookbooks with that material, but I don't know where to find single copies of a book like that.

Any ideas? (It doesn't have to be a book, per se. Single copies or printouts would work--we could put them together in a notebook.)

Saphellae · 09-05-2011, 09:12 AM

I don't have any cookbook ideas, but what about some recipes you think he may like? You could type them up on the computer and write them out really well, for example, instead of writing 1/3 of a cup, actually type it out - one third of a cup. I'm not sure what level of literacy he is at, but hope it helps.

Aunt Bea · 09-05-2011, 10:20 AM

Google 4 ingredient cookbook or recipes. They are about as easy as they come.

If you can provide a template and some ground rules I would type up a couple recipes and I am sure some of the others on DC would be willing to do the same.

sparrowgrass · 09-05-2011, 07:24 PM

That is sweet, Aunt Bea. I don't know exactly how literate he is--I may have to 'test' him a little.

Poor kid--I don't think he has ever had anything of his own, and he is always so tickled when we find him a thrift store pot or set of dishes--it is like Christmas morning. (I think we enjoy it more than he does!!)

sparrowgrass · 09-05-2011, 07:30 PM

Just ordered 4 ingredient cookbook from Abebooks.com. $3.75, which includes shipping!!

**Dawgluver** · 09-05-2011, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparrowgrass

Just ordered 4 ingredient cookbook from Abebooks.com. $3.75, which includes shipping!!

That is so sweet and caring of you, Sparrowgrass! I work with special needs kids, so wonderful when they can have an advocate as adults!

Selkie · 09-06-2011, 05:54 AM

You're doing something more wonderful than you might even realize, Sparrowgrass! You are helping to open up a whole, new world for another human being for which there is no other path. Fighting illiteracy is very, very noble! Bless you.

Claire · 09-06-2011, 06:03 AM

Betty Crocker or Better Homes and Gardens. Binder format, no more words than you need. Lays open on the counter.

If you're helping, each page can be removed, put in a "document protector". Now that I think of it, they could be used as lessons in a class.

sparrowgrass · 09-06-2011, 07:14 AM

I love this kid--20 years old, from a bad situation in St. Louis (guns, gangs). He has been living at a local boys home for 4 years, and he has aged out of that situation. He is working hard to make his way, and he has so many strikes against him. (Being black in a county that is 98% white is only one of them!!)

I have 2 sons of my own, and 4 or 5 of my sons' friends who call me their other Mom. I told Michael he was my first black son! He is teaching me black slang--I now know that if he says something I do is 'sick' it means he likes it.

Now if I could just get him to pull his britches up.

My sis works with special needs young adults--I didn't even think of asking her. Her kids are little more. . . special

than Michael, but she might have something.

**DaveSoMD** · 09-06-2011, 03:15 PM

This may sound silly, but be sure he has and knows how to use measuring cups and spoons. In you can find the cups where you look down in instead of on the side to see the measurement, that might be easier for him too.