I need some education!

[Amy Hoffman]

I am really proud of myself, this is my absolute first posting on any forum. I hope I am doing this right. So here goes.....

I just joined this forum to learn a little bit more about cooking. You see, I come from a family of fabulous cooks. I am the odd one out. I truly hate to cook. However, my eldest daughter loves to cook. I don't really know how to teach her and we live 1,000 miles away from our extended family. I burn water!!!!

Okay - so here is my plan:
1. Research forums that will help me with what to do to start out.
2. Create a blog/website to help myself teach her, encouraging family and friends to help out.
3. Locate private instructors, colleges, technical schools, etc. to learn from/attend.

Anyone of you willing to give me pointers would have my eternal thanks.

Amy

 

[cara]

Amy,

I'm sure you will manage it.. once you find out it's really easy... ;o))
and one day you will love it!

 

[Amy Hoffman]

Thanks so much for your encouragement! I actually truly love the interaction that my family has when we all cook together. It's just harder for me to actually like cooking.

 

[cara]

don't follow recipes too closely or you will get mad... try to understand why things happen and you can get really creative ;o)

 

[Amy Hoffman]

Too true! Unfortunately, I am that person that looks in the cupboard, not a cookbook, to figure out what is for dinner. There is always something there that I should cook, but I sometimes find myself asking "Popcorn is healthy right?"

My goal is to start from the basics with my daughter. But ultimately, I don't even know what that is myself. What are the basics?

 

[cara]

so where's the problem? I do the same.. look what I have and think what can be made of that ;o))

The basics... hmm... you have the right acessoiries?
Some pots, a pan, sharp and good knifes?

 

[Amy Hoffman]

Growing up in the family I have has made me the kitchen twink that I am today. I have all the accessories - pots, pans, appliances to die for, specialty equipment, you name it! My problem is that they are "sparklies" that I pick at every kitchen store I ever go to. However, using them is a totally different ball of hamburger meat. I am just not the kind of cook that could possibly utilize all this stuff. I think I have used my blender or mixer about seven times in the last ten years.

I want to truly dig into all of this "cooking stuff" with my daughter. I guess I am really wanting to know other resources out there that people use. I know I will find them if I just keep looking. Who knows, if its not, I may do it myself.

 

[cara]

use your own creativity...
and maybe get a good cookbook, where there is everything explained... I can't suggest you one, I don't know about the US ones... I don't think a german one would be a help to you ;o)
search the cookbook section for that...

 

[Amy Hoffman]

German is my favorite food! I lived in Germany when I was very little. It is my dream to go back sometime. How lucky am I to have logged onto this forum and have you respond to me. I love goulash, spatzel, and jager and paprika schnitzel. I even order mix packages from Maggi. I always have to search online for the English directions, but I do love them. I haven't been able to make a good goulash - ever, but that doesn't keep me from trying.

 

[kitchenelf]

I just want to know one thing - is a kitchen twink and a kitchen elf related in any way?

I take cookbooks to bed and read them. Often I start with a recipe and then change at will. Take a notepad and take ingredients from one recipe, add ingredients that seem suited to it from another recipe...see what happens. Or think one "idea" - Not Pasta Salad

1. The sauce can be peanut oil, Szechuan pepper, chinese five spice, garlic, ginger, hoisin, oyster sauce - add some cooked broccoli, carrots, mushrooms and add spring onions to the hot dish. The heat will cook them. You can add chunked chicken to make it a complete meal or simply serve it as a side dish. All this equals a Chinese Pasta Salad

2. The sauce can simply be extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, pepper. Add some fresh mozzarella (chunked), fresh grape tomatoes. Now you have an Italian Pasta Salad Again, you can add shrimp or chicken for a complete meal.

3. The sauce can be olive oil, lemon zest (or lime), garlic, a bit of fresh rosemary, add chicken or shrimp...just a light, summer pasta salad.

I don't always mention salt and pepper but I always mean to. I prefer kosher salt and fresh grated black pepper.

The options are endless!!

 

[Amy Hoffman]

If it sparkles, can be plugged in and belongs in a kitchen, I have it - hence Twink. Elf reminds me of someone (or thing) that magically makes and delivers something scrumptious without any effort on my part. The cookbooks in my kitchen have dust on them, but no elf has "delivered" anything to our table. I love my little Cooking Light magazines and Light and Tasty. I do mix up those recipes a bit - love the blueberry french toast bakes. Your simple suggestions sound wonderful. Could you pop on over this evening and leave something for dinner?

 

[kitchenelf]

If it sparkles, can be plugged in and belongs in a kitchen, I have it - hence Twink. Elf reminds me of someone (or thing) that magically makes and delivers something scrumptious without any effort on my part. The cookbooks in my kitchen have dust on them, but no elf has "delivered" anything to our table. I love my little Cooking Light magazines and Light and Tasty. I do mix up those recipes a bit - love the blueberry french toast bakes. Your simple suggestions sound wonderful. Could you pop on over this evening and leave something for dinner?

I'm not even cooking myself dinner!

 

[cara]

German is my favorite food! I lived in Germany when I was very little. It is my dream to go back sometime. How lucky am I to have logged onto this forum and have you respond to me. I love goulash, spatzel, and jager and paprika schnitzel. I even order mix packages from Maggi. I always have to search online for the English directions, but I do love them. I haven't been able to make a good goulash - ever, but that doesn't keep me from trying.

*lol* where have you been? In the south?

here is a Goulash and.. well.. I haven't found a Spaetzle recipe.. will do it tomorrow... ;o)

 

[Amy Hoffman]

You are a doll. Thank you very much for that goulash recipe. I will definitely try it out tomorrow. As for the spaetzle, I have a box of Maggi or I can run down to the local bakery and they have some.

 

[Amy Hoffman]

I'm not even cooking myself dinner!

Neither am I! Whoo hoo....take out!

 

[babetoo]

amy, go the the library or google for beginners cook book. the better home and gardens is pretty basic. in front shows what to do with pots and such and what basics you need to begin. try simple receipes first so you and daughter don't get discouraged if i think of anything else will send u pm.
babe

 

[Amy Hoffman]

You have no idea how many websites I have crawled through over the past week looking for an affective way to go about learning more about cooking. I will continue to do my research. Just keep me in mind if you have any more suggestions.