Americans Can't Cook.

[Janey]

... So the cookbook companies are adjusting their recipe instructions. I thought this article (http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=cook19&date=20060319&query=cookbooks) was pretty interesting.

Bring back Home Ec! :p

[lawyerlee]

Some of us were discussing this on LJ the other day! :) I just think it is so sad because I really enjoy learning about new techniques and different ingredients and things. I think it is fine to cook just to put food on the table. That totally makes sense to me. But I do think it's a shame if the field stops putting innovative stuff out there because there isn't a market for it anymore. Growing up, my brother and I always cooked with my mom. It was so much fun, and we all learned together. I have really good memories of those times and of times when I cooked with my grandma. My brother and I both love to cook as adults. He even took some culinary courses a few years ago in college before he settled on accounting. I think it is really important to cook with kids so they will learn to love good, healthy food and develop a passion for and comfort with the kitchen. :)

[Quartercentury]

OT, but that article says "one-third cup of uncooked rice yields 1 cup of cooked rice." I have never made rice like that. I use 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup of uncooked rice to get 1 cup of cooked rice...

[Sophia]

There was the person who didn't have any eggs for baking and asked if a peach would do instead. One man railed about the fire that resulted when he followed instructions to grease the bottom of the pan — and slathered the pan's outside.

:eek: :eek: :eek:

[ignutzz]

I like the joy of cooking solution of a detailed glossary. If you're learning something new, you have to learn the jargon of the subject! I don't understand, how can you NOT know what simmer or saute means????

[lawyerlee]

I like the joy of cooking solution of a detailed glossary. If you're learning something new, you have to learn the jargon of the subject! I don't understand, how can you NOT know what simmer or saute means????
I don't either. Especially with all the information we have at our disposal on the Internet! Look it up, man.

[looch]

I cook for pleasure, in addition to the fact that I love to collect kitchen gadgets. Some people just cook to eat, while others can't be bothered to cook at all. I have friends in all categories, and they love it when they can come over and cook with me.
I am just astounded by all of the prepared foods out there. Why cook if you can buy it? For me personally, i am trying to live a healthy lifestyle, so convenience foods are at a minimum for us. I did cave and buy some smart ones frozen dinners for lunch and my stomach has been upset for a week! I have learned my lesson!

[jenjunum]

That makes me sad. One of my chores growing up was to cook one of our family dinners each week. My siblings and I always cooked and baked. I don't even really remember learning I just remember always doing it. My kids will know how to cook. I feel like my knowldge has grown a lot watching the Food Network and reading cookbooks and cooking magazines. But my MIL would probably need these simple recipes. I doubt she has any idea what blanch means, or cream, or fold. Her son doesn't know how to cook either. Her mother does though and never taught her children- I think that's sad. I love cooking and I hope my kids grow up to love it too.

[Clattercote]

Sort of on a related note, I was watching Oprah at the gym yesterday, and one of the "debt diet" couples ate out for every single meal, BL and D. They were spending $29,000 per year on going out - but no one in the house seemed to know how to cook. They were eating off of plastic plates and other plastic utensils and spending more on those per year than on just buying the permanent stuff, and they'd each go to four different take away places and come back and eat in four different rooms. The debt diet coach bought them all these new kitchen pots and pans and things, and spent some timing teaching how to cook.

I remember several friends of mine who don't even know how to "boil water"...

I have always loved cooking - more so than my parents - they taught me bits, I suppose, but I'd come home after school and bake or cook away. And now in my kitchen, I've got all kinds of nifty gadgets, including a pasta machine and a blow torch. I'd feel sad, too, if innovation stopped being put out there.

[Photobug]

It's sad, but a lot of kids don't even know what fresh food looks like. As part of my job, we do hearth cooking with school kids and it's sad how many times I've heard "What's that?" when I hand them a potato or carrot. Really. They think potatoes come in a box and carrots are supposed to be small and already peeled. Never mind when we ask them to stuff a chicken. You want me to put my hand WHERE?!?!?! LOL I've even had adults doing a hearth cooking program who don't know how to hold a knife properly (i.e. blade side down. Yes, this happens a lot.) I always wondered who would spend all that money on pre-made meals in the grocery store when they're so easy to do yourself. Now I know.

[Janey]

Sort of on a related note, I was watching Oprah at the gym yesterday, and one of the "debt diet" couples ate out for every single meal, BL and D. They were spending $29,000 per year on going out - but no one in the house seemed to know how to cook.
I watched that too! (though I was laying my lazy butt on the couch :o ) I couldn't believe they went to 4 separate drive-throughs, and brought that food home and ate it in 4 separate rooms. Yikes. I am finding the Debt Diet series totally fascinating.

When I read that article... I thought it was a big commentary on our times. Two careers, busy people, no time to cook. Dinner comes out of a box, through a window, or from the deli counter at the grocery store. Not that it can't be done, but it certainly seems like there isn't a big priority on it. And we wonder why our waistlines are expanding... The one "debt diet" gal said that just by packing her own lunch - making that one change in her diet - she lost 6 pounds. I'd believe it, absolutely.

[keska]

Personally, I don't enjoy cooking. It's messy and it takes up time I feel I'd rather be spending doing something else. When I do cook, I often get frustrated with cookbooks that include lots of ingredients that many people don't use often. It can cost a ton just to cook one meal. I'm glad that some cookbooks are geared toward one-dish meals or limited ingredients. I also have one cookbook that teaches you to make two more complicated meals on the weekends and then has other, simpler recipes with those same ingredients that you can use later in the week. That seems to be working for me a little better, but I still don't really enjoy cooking. I do enjoy the sense of accomplishment of making a meal but that's about it.

[ManteoChik]

Coming from a very southern family, everything at our house was homemade and I don't ever remember a dinner that my mom didn't cook (except for the usual pizza or dinner at a restaurant).

I had one friend who didn't know that biscuts were homemade - she thought *everyone* bought their biscuts at the grocery store in a can. It also baffled her that people made things like chicken pie, beef stew, brunswick stew, ect.... And used to love coming to my house to eat because she had actually never had homemade mashed potatos until then (always from a box of instant).

[Pine Tree]

I'm from Canada and recently moved to the United States, and I can't believe the difference in the Food Network programs. The US food network has so many 'food history' shows, or food competitions, kitchen makeovers etc... Not a lot of really good cooking/recipes shows (although there are some like Molto Mario which is also shown in Canada). And many of them are things like 'semi-homemade' or '30 minute meals', which aren't really about cooking skills. Food Network in Canada has some of those same shows (30 minute meals), but has a tonne of shows that feature gourmet cooking, Asian cooking, French cooking, Fusion cooking etc... I really miss those a lot. I was really surprised to see how different the shows were here, but it really fits with the things everyone has said in this thread.

[ignutzz]

Personally, I don't enjoy cooking. It's messy and it takes up time I feel I'd rather be spending doing something else. When I do cook, I often get frustrated with cookbooks that include lots of ingredients that many people don't use often. It can cost a ton just to cook one meal.

Depending on how you're cooking, it should actually be a lot cheaper and easier to make your own meals. DH does all of our cooking because I suck at it (but I bake really well), but he also works 70-80 hours a week, which means meals are simple and quick but good.

Typically, we plan the menu a week ahead and do our grocery shopping accordingly and we often have similar dishes from week to week. If you can learn to make good staples like a fabulous red sauce, various versions of chicken cutlets (breaded, curried, herbed etc), a salt/pepper rubbed steak, pizza (with pre-prepared crust) etc., and then add your favorite sides, you'll have great simple meals in about 1/2 hour. And they're not all that messy.

We also keep lots of fresh veggies in the house so we regularly have sweet potato (not yams, actual sweet potatos) smashies, reg smashies, asparagus, corn, fresh salsa, string beans etc. Everything is usually cooked in slightly larger quantities than we can eat in one night so we have lunch and/or dinner for later in the week, which means one less meal needing preparation. :)

I know how you feel about not liking to cook, so good luck with it all! :)

[SingleWhiteFemale]

I highly recommend getting a free subscription to Kraft Food and Family (http://kraftfoods.com/promo/ffmag/ffmag_offer_signup_landing.aspx?m=/profile/profile_log_in_start&promo_id=2913&task=FFMag&s=profile&redirect=/kf/FoodandFamily/foodandfamily.html&appswitch=a&rmain=a) magazine. So many easy recipes. Many with only 4-5 common ingredients, and take maybe 1/2 hour to make. I hate long recipes and buying a huge can of something I'll only need a pinch of and never use again, but their recipes are so much more real-life friendly.

[Adaya]

I highly recommend getting a free subscription to Kraft Food and Family (http://kraftfoods.com/promo/ffmag/ffmag_offer_signup_landing.aspx?m=/profile/profile_log_in_start&promo_id=2913&task=FFMag&s=profile&redirect=/kf/FoodandFamily/foodandfamily.html&appswitch=a&rmain=a) magazine. So many easy recipes. Many with only 4-5 common ingredients, and take maybe 1/2 hour to make. I hate long recipes and buying a huge can of something I'll only need a pinch of and never use again, but their recipes are so much more real-life friendly.

I love that magazine. I just got the new issue the other day. It's my favorite so far. The pasta recipes are wonderful and they have some cakes in there that I can't wait to try.

I definitely recommend getting that free subscription.

[thedoorchick]

I think about this a lot, and it kind of depresses me. Cooking just isn't what it used to be, for a number of reasons. People working more hours, more convenience foods being available, etc.

I used to wonder what would become of family holidays where Mom and Grandma cooking dinner was part of the tradition. Now that I see how many people get takeout/catering on holidays, I think that's what will become of them. So few people want/choose to cook anymore.

Don't even get me started on the semi-homemade chick; I think she is ridiculous. There's nothing wrong with using a cake mix or the like. We've all done it. But to have a whole cooking show (and cookbooks!) about it?

[MidwesternGal]

I didn't read the article, but I do have to agree with what keska said about the cost. I can buy our "regular" grocery shopping list and spend about oh, $150 for 2-3 weeks worth of food. When I get a recipie I want to try, I end up going to the grocery store for foods in that recipie and that one single recipie will cost me around $15-20. And, I do have lots of books at my disposal. . . Rachel Ray, Better Homes and Garden, a diet cookbook, and Taste of Home mag subscription, as well as looking up recipies online for new ideas. Not to mention we usually have beef, burgers, chicken, some turkey, pork, and spices and sauces and I usually buy mixed veggie bags. . . so it's not like our grocery list doesn't have "ingredients". . . . but yet, we never have the right ones. . . I just don't see how spending $20 on one meal is more cost effective??

For me, if I have to make a special trip and spend $20 on groceries for 1 meal, I'd rather save the time and money and just go out.

[SingleWhiteFemale]

I love that magazine. I just got the new issue the other day. It's my favorite so far. The pasta recipes are wonderful and they have some cakes in there that I can't wait to try. Oh my! That fudge cake is on the list this week... and the cream puffs look super good too!

Here are a couple recipes from the magazine I've personally made and that are really good, and only have pretty common, inexpensive and few ingredients:

Bacon & Tomato Presto Pasta (http://kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=bacon%20tomato&u3=**7*50&wf=9&recipe_id=65935)
Pronto Saucy Pasta Skillet (I've made only the sirloin one) (http://kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=pronto%20pasta%20skillet&u3=**2*2&wf=9&recipe_id=63171)
Greek-Style Lemon Roast Chicken (http://kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=greek-style%20lemon%20roast%20chicken&u3=**1*1&wf=9&recipe_id=63162)
Homemade Chicken Nuggets (http://kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=homemade%20chicken%20nuggets&u3=**1*1&wf=9&recipe_id=52664)
Slow Cooker Hickory BBQ Pork Sandwiches (http://kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=hickory%20pork&u3=**1*2&wf=9&recipe_id=66045)
Citrus Grillers (http://kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=byingredient&u2=716*489*0*0**shrimp*grapefruits***&u3=**1*1&wf=9&recipe_id=64871)
Chive & Onion Mashed Potatoes (http://kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=chive%20onion%20potatoes&u3=**1*2&wf=9&recipe_id=75588)

[Katy]

Not to mention we usually have beef, burgers, chicken, some turkey, pork, and spices and sauces and I usually buy mixed veggie bags. . . so it's not like our grocery list doesn't have "ingredients". . . . but yet, we never have the right ones. . . I just don't see how spending $20 on one meal is more cost effective??

For me, if I have to make a special trip and spend $20 on groceries for 1 meal, I'd rather save the time and money and just go out.I can relate to this, as we eat out about 3+ meals a week, but I have to disagree. You might be spending $20 for one meal, but aren't you feeding two people? That same meal x2 at a restaurant will cost at least $35 I'd think (then add in your drinks and any other apps or desserts you guys might want and then your tip on top of that).

For example, I spent $50 for the ingredients of our Valentine's Day dinner (cheese and crackers, filet mignon, salad, veggies, scallops, rissotto, store bought dessert and a bottle of Prosecco). That same meal x2 in a restaurant, ON Valentine's Day would have cost a minimum of $50 per person (for the meal, not counting the champagne and the dessert) and most restaurants here were charging $75 - $100 per plate.

So cooking out, including buying a bottle of sweet vermouth (that I'll more than likely NEVER use again) still came out WAY less expensive than eating out.

[houseblend]

I also have one cookbook that teaches you to make two more complicated meals on the weekends and then has other, simpler recipes with those same ingredients that you can use later in the week.

keska - That sounds like an interesting book! Do you mind sharing the title?

I actually hated cooking up until a few years ago. Growing up, my mother was not the best cook (she keeps no spices in the kitchen, I later learned) and it was obvious she didn't enjoy it. I grew up thinking that most homemade food did not taste good and never once did she teach me how to prepare any foods. In college I taught myself the basic mac&cheese and a few other simple dishes. Back then I probably didn't know the difference between simmering and sauteing, simply because I was never exposed to it even in the slightest. Very few of my friends knew how to cook or enjoyed cooking, so I had no where to turn to learn even if I wanted to. In addition, I was ignorant about nutrition, so I didn't put much thought into what I was eating and didn't care to learn to cook.

For me, the turning point was caring about what I put into my mouth. Having a kitchen with room to move (unlike past apartments) certainly helped as well. I took a few classes, watched the Food Network religiously and now actually enjoy cooking for the most part. I think my experience is probably not all that unusual, though, so I can see where more and more are not being exposed to cooking terms. When I am tired or really hungry, my first instinct is to go to the drive thru, but I now stop myself, knowing now that such instant gratification will make me feel worse hours later.

I think to get back to the basics of cooking, we need to place more emphasis on nutrition and educate kids that good cooking does not require a degree. In a culture of busy schedules, we also need to emphasize that you don't have to spend an hour in the kitchen for a good, healthy meal, either.

[Adaya]

Wow, I don't see anything wrong with semi-homeade. I love to cook and make just about everything from scratch, but there are some recipes that are just easier to make with a little "help" from time to time.

Some people just can't cook and many people are short on time, and I think Sandra Lee and other people like her and semi-homeade has really helped a lot of people. Plus recipes like that are quick and very user-friendly. We live in a different day and time than even my mom, and cooking is just not what it used to be. So I say, good for folks who use a few shortcuts. Better than eating out everyday for every meal like that family on Oprah's debt diet. What a mess that was!!

[thedoorchick]

When I get a recipie I want to try, I end up going to the grocery store for foods in that recipie and that one single recipie will cost me around $15-20.

It is not too uncommon for this to happen to me, but in addition to Katy's point about the groceries still costing less than a meal out, I find that many of these "special" ingredients go farther than just one meal.

For example, I bought a bottle of almond oil to use in a green bean recipe. It only takes a couple of teaspoons, so even though the oil wasn't exactly cheap, it will go a long way and the amount I used in the recipe that day wasn't nearly the cost of the whole bottle. And now I have one more thing added to my pantry that I can use again.

I do try to build our meals around ingredients, particularly meats, that are inexpensive, as well as plan meals around what items are on sale. I find that we spend a lot less when I put in a few minutes of planning on the weekends for the upcoming week. Otherwise, we end up eating out more or else buying more prepared-type things that are more expensive. We both work FT, so planning time is limited, but it sure makes our lives easier all week long when I spend an hour planning and shopping on Saturday.

As for Sandra Lee, as I said, there is nothing wrong with a shortcut now and then (even I, who love to bake from scratch, have been known to use a brownie mix on occasion when it suits my purpose). But I can't grasp why this chick is famous for using mixes and prepared things. She is a perfect example of how anyone can get on TV these days. There's nothing special about it. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing fabulous about it either. It just is what it is.

But of course, like most anything, reasonable minds can differ.

[greenbunny]

I think there's a fine line where cooking can go from reasonably priced and reasonably short to over-the-top. I've seen this because DH and I come from opposite ends of the spectrum--his dad's idea of mac and cheese is a day-long process of 12 special cheeses from the ethnic food store. My mom always made the blue box stuff and I loved it. (It's a great family story how DH came over for dinner one night and started eating the scalloped potato slices out of the box, thinking they were potato chips :rolleyes: ) DH thinks my mom's mac and cheese is gross, I think his dad's is ridiculous and way too rich.

Now that we share a household, we're coming to a happy medium. If we're cooking something time consuming, like casseroles or breaded meats, we make extra and freeze for another meal. We pre-mix homemade sauces and dressings and store them in Tupperware in the fridge.

But ITA that just opening a recipe book and picking something tends to be spendy. It's one thing to keep a variety of spices on hand, but a lot of my cookbooks call for obscure vegetables or other fresh foods--and that sort of thing you just can't stockpile.

keska, I'd also love the name of that recipe book if you're willing to share. It sounds like a great idea.

[Jenean]

I wish I had grown up cooking. I know my mom did cook, but all I really remember are extremely simple recipes - baked chicken with veggies, spaghetti with sauce from a jar, etc. It's only been pretty recently (in the last few years) that I've gotten comfortable enough with my abilities to experiment and really consider myself a cook. Now that I have my own house with a big kitchen, I LOVE to cook!

I keep a file of good basic recipes that I can whip out and make up in a flash. These make up the bulk of our weekday diet, just because after 12 hours out of the house, the last thing I usually feel like doing is coming home to spend an hour making a meal. Most things that I make during the week require 5 ingredients or less, take less than 30 minutes to make, and can feed two of us at least twice (I always make extra so that we have leftovers for lunches or another dinner).

I also try to experiment with at least one new recipe a week. This week I tried a lemon poppy seed cake for a small dinner party we had on Saturday. Next weekend I'm going to make cupcakes for DH's birthday party (I primarily love to bake). If I find a new recipe that I like, I add it to my favorites file. When I find a new recipe that requires a specific ingredient that I don't have and normally wouldn't buy, I try to find other recipes that require it so that I can get full use of it. This week I bought fresh rosemary for a chicken soup, and am planning to use the rest to flavor mashed potatoes or something else before it goes bad.

This (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=1588163989&itm=1) is one of my favorite cookbooks, with lots of great recipes, plus instructions and information (including conversion charts for measurements and ingredient substitution lists). This (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=0761130357&itm=1) is the newest baking book that I'm about to add to my collection. Sometimes I hate having to make a whole dozen muffins or 3 dozen cookies, so this is perfect for the times when I just feel like making a snack or two.

I can't wait to teach my future kids how to cook. I hope they'll grow up enjoying it.

[gayle]

This was painfully sad to me. But also pretty humorous.

Reminded me of the time my SD looked in our very full refrigerator and stated "there's no food in here, just ingredients"

Sheesh, bring back home ec is right!

[wendalah]

I honestly think some people have the cooking gene and some don't. You'd think I do--my mother is a fantastic cook. But I don't. I can cook some things and am trying to get better--but I am just not a natural. And while sometimes it's kinda fun to get in the kitchen and try out a recipe, I just don't overall find it that enjoyable.

I agree that it can be more expensive to cook than eat out, if you aren't an experienced meal planner. For instance, I purchase ricotta cheese and capers for a recipe. I'm only cooking for myself and my husband, and I need only half a cup of ricotta and two tablespoons of capers. What do I do with the rest of the ricotta cheese and capers?

Or, say, I'm cooking a pasta sauce that requires a tablespoon of slivered almonds. What do I do with the rest of the freakin' four-dollar bag of slivered almonds?

Or, I'm making a dijon dressing that requires a little bit of apple cider. Try to get apple cider in anything but the massive jug size...and I don't want to drink the apple cider (don't like it straight up) and I REALLY don't want to have dijon dressing 80 times in the next two weeks before the cider gets bad.

Two burritos from Poquito Mas cost less than ten bucks :).

That said, I'm trying to get better at cooking because more and more often, we are feeling it's a chore to go out and eat. As my husband said one week, "Here we go, out to forage our food yet again..." (It was a rough workweek.)

[gayle]

Wendalah, you could freeze the cider in ice cube trays, and just thaw out a cube or two when you want some for a recipe.

[wendalah]

Wendalah, you could freeze the cider in ice cube trays, and just thaw out a cube or two when you want some for a recipe.

I TOLD you I don't have the cooking gene! ;)

[ignutzz]

MidwesternGal The idea I was trying to illustrate is: If you've (generic) shopped for the week and then find a recipe you want to try, with ingredients you didn't purchase, yes, it's going to cost you more. But, if you chose the meals you wanted to make for the week before going shopping, it breaks out even at the very least.

ETA:
What do I do with the rest of the ricotta cheese and capers?
Make pasta the next night and add some ricotta. Or, make a white pizza (with pre-mixed dough), or you can make a really good calzone with the same dough. (I'm not one for capers so I can't help you there.)

Or, say, I'm cooking a pasta sauce that requires a tablespoon of slivered almonds. What do I do with the rest of the freakin' four-dollar bag of slivered almonds?
Nuts last forever. :) Snack on them, make a cake and sprinkle them on top, mix them into a cookie batter, add them to your cereal, sprinkle them on ice cream...

Or, I'm making a dijon dressing that requires a little bit of apple cider. Try to get apple cider in anything but the massive jug size...and I don't want to drink the apple cider (don't like it straight up) and I REALLY don't want to have dijon dressing 80 times in the next two weeks before the cider gets bad.

Winter's almost over, but you could do a hot mulled cider to give it some punch. Or do a hot rum drink. :D

[Hello Kitty]

Interesting article, but it is so true. I'm so grateful that I learned to cook the way I did. My dad wasn't big on recipes, but more on knowing what goes together and the whys and hows. I really hope to teach my kids this way because DH can follow a recipe, but unless he's got one with the ingredients laid out, he has a hard time getting dinner out of it.

As far as Semi-Homemade & Kraft Foods, etc... I feel kind of torn. On one hand, yes it's doing people quite a disservice to turn prepackaged stuff into food. A lot of it is terribly unhealthy (and they don't exactly give you healthy alternatives in print) But on the other hand, if it makes 'cooking' accessible to people who don't know how to cook, then doesn't it help a little bit? I mean, if someone is getting takeout 7 days/week, then they get more comfortable in the kitchen and learn a little more and eventually can cook on their own - isn't that better than the takeout?

I like Kraft Foods sometimes; I like Epicurious sometimes, it just depends on my mood & timeframe, I suppose.

[amorey]

Interesting article. I’ll have to go back and re-read my vintage cookbooks to see if they seem different.

I enjoy cooking and try to make most things from scratch. I guess my cooking does have a more gourmet bent. I work full time and cook daily and I don’t find it to be really time consuming or expensive. I have a lot of spices on hand. Lots of fresh foods aren’t too expensive- potatoes, garlic, onions, leaf lettuce, cilantro, tomatoes, etc. I also know how to simplify and substitute to make recipes easier for weeknights. I make meatloaf, chili, stir fry, fajitas, Tai peanut chicken, pot roast, spaghetti and stuff like that during the week. I have a salt sensitivity, so I steer clear of semi-homemade foods.

[Photobug]

When I get "stuck" with ingredients that I don't usually use because I bought them for a specific recipe, I go to www.allrecipes.com (http://www.allrecipes.com) and use the ingredient search feature. You enter the ingredients you have and they search out any recipies that contain that ingredient. I LOVE this feature! Plus there are reviews from real people, with suggestions and modifications sometimes. I just typed in "almond paste" as it's something that I never use and it came up with 42 seperate recipies. How cool is that? Sorry if I'm gushing, but I just discovered this feature and now I don't know how I lived without it. LOL

[cactus]

You can do an ingredients search at realsimple.com, epicurious.com, and cookinglight.com also. My husband is a way better cook than I am, but I find that no matter what I have in the fridge I can plug it into one of those online cooking sites and come up with something quick and workable. I think the internet has made me way more competent and creative in the kitchen.

ETA: Ditto on the Valentine's Day bit! My husband made us baby lamb chops (we had 6 each...I am a huge pig and a huge fan of lamb chops), roasted potatoes, a salad with beets and apples, cheddar cheese biscuits, and a cheesecake all for less than one of us would have spent having a prix fixe meal at the restaurant on our corner. It was actually a very simple meal, but very delicious.

[looch]

ignutzz, you beat me to it on the ricotta...gosh, I have ricotta and pasta at least once a week, i love it so much. You could also make a fritatta with it, beat some eggs, add a dollop or two of the ricotta and some mozzarella if you have it, fry in a pan and finish in the oven...not my most favorite since I don't like eggs, but it is the only way my non-egg eating brother will eat them.

Sandra Lee is on food network right now, and my take on her ideas is to take the help where you need it. When you think about it, Rachael Ray does similar things. On the cakes, I don't bake from scratch any more. I have a killer carrot cake that starts with a box of yellow cake mix. Sure, I don't follow the recipe on the box, but when I bring that cake to work, the guys can't help themselves! Maybe it's the cup of bourbon that's in there, I don't know!

To Katy's point, we had Valentine's Day at home. We had lobster tails and filet mignon. We got the lobster tails for $10 total, because they were the last 2 left and the filet cost us about $15 total. I have a stocked pantry, which is a total lifesaver, and it allowed us to have a great bottle of champagne!

[Jessica]

My mom is a home ec teacher, so this article made me kinda sad. I loved home ec in high school. We only made really simple things, but we were able to learn all of the important techniques. I also busted out my Minnestrone soup recipe lots of times in college since it was so easy. My mom has actually put together a little recipe packet she gave to my sisters and I (and now our friends) that I like to call "Cooking by Numbers." It's about 40 recipes and all of them use a combination of the same group of ingredients. There are like 25 ingredients in total--mostly common stuff. But they're all things you might have around. So you can think, "I have salsa, white rice, and ground beef.. I can make this meal." I love it and I always tell her she should market it.

You can also google ingredients you have and it will come up with recipes for those items.

[Pine Tree]

I wasn't bashing Sandra Lee or Rachael Ray at all. People love those shows. My point was that Food Network Canada has many more gourmet cooking/ International cooking shows compared to Food Network US. I think it's too bad because I learned so much about TECHNIQUES of cooking and ingredients which are harder to learn from cookbooks. In the article posted in the beginning they were talking about how Americans don't know those techniques anymore, which really made a lot of sense to me given how different the channels are in the two countries. Different tastes? Different shopping habits? Different culture? Who knows.

I was shocked at how cheap food in the US is compared to Canada. And there's so much more variety when it comes to frozen food and prepackaged meals. It's amazing. But you really don't have to know how to cook anymore, and can still eat well at home.

[camberne]

I'm guilty. I can't cook much worth a damn. I can bake though. I can make virtually any dessert you could ever want. But, meatloaf (which I love) defies me. If it doesn't come out of a box or a can, I'm generally in trouble. We have a great cooking school around here where I'd love to take classes and make it so I wasn't so intimidated by cooking. Maybe in my next life when I have time...

[Amuse Bouche]

I think what people miss out on is not just learning how to cook, but learning how to plan meals. It takes some discipline, but I force myself to sit down and plan out what we're having for dinner for the next week every weekend. I look through my cookbooks then, and buy the ingredients I need. I generally find recipes that have pretty standard ingredients (though I do cook a lot, so my "standard" might not be everyone else's - I think thai fish sauce is a key ingredient) and I reuse a lot of ingredients. I also make the same things every week or every other week, and save experimenting for weekends. So I had to buy a bottle of cajun seasoning for Ole Miss Bride's Red Beans and Rice, but I make it at least once a month so I will use it up.

I think that article is catering to the Fandras -- fans of that Semi-Homemade woman. I HATE her -- I really despise everything she stands for, because she makes cooking seem too hard to do for ordinary people without using a slew of prepackaged (and usually expensive) ingredients. And a lot of times her "recipes" are more complex than the original. Like her recipe for margaritas which has beer and limeade and soda and all sorts of stuff. A classic margarita has four ingredients -- tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice and salt. It's really not harder to make than Sandra's recipe.

The thing is, cooking is not necessarily that hard, but it can be very intimidating, and things like Sandra Lee just heighten that mystique instead of trying to dissipate it. I can say "I made salmon with beurre blanc last night for dinner" and a lot of people would ooh and ahh. But let me get you the recipe.

Chop up some onions or shallots pretty finely so you have a few tablespoons of chopped onions. Put in a saucepot with 3 T of white wine (and you can put leftovers you don't drink in an ice cube tray or buy a bottle of white vermouth which lasts indefinitely in the fridge) and 3 T white wine vinegar in the pot with the onions, and boil until it's about half the volume it is. Meanwhile, cook a salmon filet in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. When the sauce has reduced, take it off the heat and stir in about half a stick of cold butter, sliced, until the butter is melted. Pour over the salmon.
It's super easy and the whole thing takes about 15 minutes, but it sounds super intimidating.

Rachel Ray, who I find somewhat annoying, at least teaches people they can cook real food.

[Rose]

Sandra Lee is on food network right now, and my take on her ideas is to take the help where you need it

The thing I don't get about Sandra Lee is if she wants to be quick in the kitchen then why does she more than make up for it with money & time on her tablescapes?

I love to cook and have a lot of fond memories of being in the kitchen with my Mom and once or twice my Dad (he is only good for eggs & biscuits).

[Katy]

The thing I don't get about Sandra Lee is if she wants to be quick in the kitchen then why does she more than make up for it with money & time on her tablescapes? Because she's one of those ladies who lunch and blessed with some serious moola (or so I've heard)

[lawyerlee]

The thing I don't get about Sandra Lee is if she wants to be quick in the kitchen then why does she more than make up for it with money & time on her tablescapes?
Totally. I really don't care for her at all. And I have a hard time believing she ever eats all that super unhealthy food she's always cooking. ;) I see her as being way more into entertaining people than feeding them, and that's just not what I'm into. I think a fabulous meal is enough in itself. People enjoy themselves when they have fantastic food. They don't need all that other stuff.

The thing I like about Rachel Ray is that she's creative, but in a very accessible kind of way. She helps cooks build confidence, if they need it, and provides the rest of us with quick ideas for flavorful, impressive food that is often also pretty healthy. And she totally contemplates that when you have more time, you might do things the more traditional way. She's just into providing a practical alternative for busy people. :)

[lawyerlee]

I don't know if anyone else saw this, but tonight's Good Eats was all about rice. I always thought that 2 parts liquid to 1 part rice was *the* magic formula for cooking rice, as we discussed on the first page or so of this thread. Evidently, it's not so simple! Alton said that the more rice you are cooking, the less water you need to prepare the perfect batch. Just thought that was interesting. :)

[looch]

Hmm, wow, people don't like Sandra Lee. She's got a good idea, and if she can make money at it, more power to her. I believe, and I heard this at work, that her grandmother was Sara Lee.

[SingleWhiteFemale]

The thing I don't get about Sandra Lee is if she wants to be quick in the kitchen then why does she more than make up for it with money & time on her tablescapes?So hopefully you go out and spend your cash on her other products! From her Semihomemade.com website:In 1992, after attending the University of Wisconsin , Sandra created and patented one of the highest-selling home decorating lines ever invented. This incredible success led Sandra to expand her vision into the gardening category, where she created many popular and foolproof products for Target and Wal-Mart stores. For QVC Shopping Network-USA, Sandra developed many best-selling craft, floral and scrapbooking products, and anchored the launch of the craft and home decorating categories for QVC-United Kingdom and QVC-Germany. Her product lines have garnered many industry awards including Wallcoverings, Windows & Interior Fashion’s “Achiever of the Year,” and Profitable Craft Merchandising’s “Home Decorating Product of the Year.” Sandra’s do-it-yourself video series has sold more than a million copies and her various products have been featured in Redbook, Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Country Living Gardener, Family Circle and Woman’s World.I believe, and I heard this at work, that her grandmother was Sara Lee.She is in some way related to Sara Lee. I heard she was her aunt?

[lawyerlee]

Ding, ding, ding, SingleWhiteFemale! Her approach makes perfect sense in terms of marketing her products. :D

And obviously a lot of people like what Sandra Lee puts out if she's been able to make money by selling her stuff. But I don't get how that translates to mean that everyone should like her. I don't care who her grandmother is, she just doesn't speak my language. Nothing wrong with that!

[looch]

I don't think that everyone has to like Sandra Lee, I hope my post didn't come across as such. In fact, I don't care for her all that much, especially after one dessert trifle that she made with pudding cups but I digress...She is trying to sell the whole package, that meal prep doesn't just end with the time in the kitchen. Mealtime is an event, and should be treated as such. I was raised using tablecloths for dinner, and will continue doing that, but hey, if that doesn't work for people, that doesn't work for people!

[j*east]

In fact, I don't care for her all that much, especially after one dessert trifle that she made with pudding cups

I'm not sure I could pick Sandra Lee out of a line up, but this sounds heinous! Blech. :)

[Ohana]

I'm not a huge fan of Sandra Lee, either, but I do believe she serves a purpose. Home ec for me was making pizzas with canned biscuits, jarred sauce, and shredded cheese out of a bag. A lot like Sandra's methods of cooking? Yep, and for a lot of people my age, that's likely all they had the chance to learn. My mom is a great cook and taught my siblings and I a fair number of simple recipes and cooking methods. All of us now enjoy cooking, and like her, would rather take a few minutes planning ahead for meals and saving the $$.

As for the futzy recipes that call for a small amount of a special ingredient, I've had a lot of luck buying herbs, spices and nuts in the bulk food section so that I'm not stuck with an entire package of an ingredient I don't normally use.

[katmg]

I'm laughing so hard reading about Sandra Lee. DH HATES her show. He gets all mad and yells at the T.V. that she's not actually cooking. :p (For me it's worth it to watch the show just to watch him get all spastic about it. ;) ) Anyway...I agree with Amuse that what she is doing is making cooking harder for people - not easier.

[Secret_Squirrel]

... buying a bottle of sweet vermouth (that I'll more than likely NEVER use again)...

Katy, you can come over to my house. I've got some leftover Skye vodka from Christmas. We'll make Marinis!

ETA: Ugh. I just realized those are with dry vermouth. You're right, you probably won't use it again!

[Amuse Bouche]

Hey Katy -- if you need to unload some sweet vermouth, let me know. I LURVE Manhattans -- especially in the winter.

[Annette]

I hate cooking too. By the time I get home from work (6ish) the last thing on our minds is cooking dinner. Add that to having a picky DH who does not eat veggies, or seafood and it makes things worse oh and he needs to watch his cholesterol too.

[Katy]

Hey Katy -- if you need to unload some sweet vermouth, let me know. I LURVE Manhattans -- especially in the winter.If I can make it to book club, I'll bring it with me :cool:

[gnatters]

If you need another suggestion about your leftover sweet vermuth, I use it in my sangria instead of brandy. I have a recipie I got from "the other site" which mocks the sangria from Olive Garden (so I hear).


~Natalie

[Katy]

mmm...I *lurve* sangria! I could definately consider that. Thanks gnatters!

[Kate&Joey]

The thing I like about Rachel Ray is that she's creative, but in a very accessible kind of way. She helps cooks build confidence, if they need it, and provides the rest of us with quick ideas for flavorful, impressive food that is often also pretty healthy. And she totally contemplates that when you have more time, you might do things the more traditional way. She's just into providing a practical alternative for busy people. :)

I totally agree. Cooking takes practice and takes time to learn how to do well. Most people in this day and age do not have the time or interest in learning how to learn. My mom was not a great cook and used a lot of pre-packaged foods. About six years ago, I became interested in cooking when Nigella Lawson was on the Style network. That morphed into watching Rachael Ray. This lead to an addiction to the Food Network. :D

The more you cook, the more you learn about foods that go together and menu planning and keeping a stocked pantry. Also, I totally agree that the Internet is a godsend for cooking. You can search for recipes by ingredients to use up what you have so it won't go to waste.

Not to beat a dead horse, but I immediately thought of even more ideas for wendalah's dilemma. Ricotta: pancakes, cheesecake, stuffed shells, or mix with vanilla and powdered sugar or honey and top fresh fruit, then add those almonds and you have a fabu dessert or breakfast. Capers: chicken picata, pasta puttanesca, or mix with canned tuna, olive oil, and lemon juice for a tasty lunch. Almonds: pretty much anything...top oatmeal, ice cream, salads, etc.

I think when you don't know how to cook, you start with recipes that can be too complicated. I bought a Food & Wine cookbook probably 10 years ago. Used it for maybe 3 recipes...way too complicated and too expensive to make anything. However, once you get a cookbook like Rachael Ray's, you are truly learning "methods" vs. "recipes." Then you can think outside the box and learn to cook rather than just follow a recipe. That makes it much more enjoyable! After about five years of regular cooking, I can look in the fridge and pantry and make a meal out of pretty much anything. Also, you learn which ingredients are "necessary" and which ones are "fluff." I rarely buy random herbs or garnishes because it isn't worth spending the money on a dinner for DH and me unless it's a special occasion.

[Katy]

However, once you get a cookbook like Rachael Ray's, you are truly learning "methods" vs. "recipes." Then you can think outside the box and learn to cook rather than just follow a recipe. That makes it much more enjoyable! After about five years of regular cooking, I can look in the fridge and pantry and make a meal out of pretty much anything. Also, you learn which ingredients are "necessary" and which ones are "fluff." I rarely buy random herbs or garnishes because it isn't worth spending the money on a dinner for DH and me unless it's a special occasion.This is SO me. The first couple of times I made something RR, I first watched her make it and then downloaded the recipe. Now, I've learned to follow the basic recipe and to make it up as I go along. I rarely follow her recipes exactly, and I'll often make something I saw her make on a show (such as buffalo chicken, which I'll make as a salad) without any recipe what so ever.