Do you suffer from fear of cooking? If so, you're not alone. Before we get started, I should clarify this article is not referring to Mageirocophobia; the medical term used to describe a phobia of which people are literally frightened to cook.
The fear of cooking I refer to is when you are afraid you will mess up the meal and end up tossing it in the trash. Or, you are afraid to experiment and try something new. Many people have been conditioned to eat prepared meals from frozen packages and cardboard boxes. That's no fun. You are missing the joy of cooking if you are eating premade meals or dining out all the time.
Believe it or not, cooking is an exceptionally rewarding experience. Orchestrating a perfectly cooked meal that looks and tastes great is one of life's greatest pleasures. Cooking doesn't have to be hard and you certainly shouldn't have to agonize over it.
Today, I'd like to share some tips to help put you at ease in the kitchen. First and foremost, if you can read, you can create a tasty, nutritious meal. Recipes are the key to success. They are your friend, not your enemy. However, recipes can contain abbreviations you might not be familiar with. If you've never used a recipe to cook a meal, I encourage you to read, "How to Read a Recipe: Step-by-Step Guide to Meal Preparation".
When cooking, you need cookware and utensils. A gazillion cooking gadgets exist, but you can get by with a basic set of cookware and utensil set. You will also need a set of cutlery and one or more cutting boards. A basic set of prep knives should include a chef knife, serrated utility knife and paring knife.
Start by cooking simple dishes that don't require numerous ingredients or multiple steps. If you do not have a family favorite recipe, use the Internet to locate recipes for the types of foods you like. My personal favorite cooking website is the Food Network because they offer a wide variety of easy-to-prepare meals; many of which can be completed in less than an hour.
Once you choose the meal, it is time to create a shopping list. Make certain to determine how many servings each recipe provides. If you find a recipe that serves four, but you only need to serve two, simply divide ingredients by half. Or, prepare the entire meal and save leftovers for later.
If you have a fear of cooking, chances are your pantry is bare as a newborn baby's butt. Make a list of ingredients required to make the meal and head to the grocery store. Check store ads and coupon websites for manufacturer coupons. In today's economy every little bit helps, so take advantage of the numerous coupon offers. For 30 minutes of your time, you could save quite a few bucks.
When possible shop for fruits and vegetables at local Farmer's Markets. The produce is generally fresher because it has been allowed to naturally ripen and isn't picked during infancy like most grocery store produce.
When using fresh produce, be certain to thoroughly wash and dry. Produce is grown in soil that can contain contaminants. People pick through it at the store. You stick it in your grocery cart which had who-knows-what inside. Many opportunities exist for contamination to occur. You don't want to ruin your home cooked meal by infusing it with a dose of food poisoning. Take time to properly clean produce and everything will be fine.
If you are preparing meat with your meal, always use a separate cutting board and knife for meat and produce. If you only own one knife and cutting board, thoroughly wash items with soap and hot water after each use. Cross-contamination occurs when people use the same cutting board and knife without properly sanitizing utensils.
Preparation and timing are key elements in cooking. If you are preparing a meal that includes meat and side dishes, read the recipe to determine the cooking time of each. Remember to add extra time to preheat the oven, bring water to a boil, or heat cooking oil to the appropriate temperature.
One of my favorite meals is broiled chicken served with macaroni and cheese and green beans. Therefore, I will use this as an example for timing recipes.
The first thing to do is turn on the broiler so it can preheat. Wash and pat dry chicken breasts and add dry rub or seasonings to both sides. It takes 2 to 3 minutes to wash, dry and season the meat. A 6-ounce chicken breast requires 6 to 7 minutes of cooking time per side under the broiler. It should rest for 3 to 4 minutes to seal in juices. Total cooking and resting time is 15 to 18 minutes. Overall, it takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.
I make macaroni and cheese using boxed pasta and Ragu cheddar cheese sauce. This is a very versatile product that you will find many uses for. Cooking time for pasta varies by the type of pasta used. Small shells take less time than corkscrew or penne. On average, pasta requires 7 to 12 minutes.
Depending on the type of stove and altitude, it can take between 4 and 8 minutes for water to boil. You'll need a few more minutes to drain the pasta, add the cheese sauce and bring it up to temperature. Overall, mac and cheese requires between 12 and 20 minutes. The great thing about this dish is it can be kept warm if other foods take longer to cook than expected. Simply lower the heat to simmer and keep a lid on the pot.
If you are cooking fresh green beans, you will need time to wash and snap them. We like to steam our beans, which requires about 20 minutes. Fresh green beans can be tossed with melted butter or olive oil and cooked on the grill. This method takes 5 to 8 minutes.
Canned green beans are already cooked, so cooking time is about 5 to 10 minutes. I don't care for frozen green beans and never cook with them, so I cannot advise the cooking time but believe it is around 15 minutes.
As you can see, you would want to start the chicken first because it requires the most amount of time. Start boiling water for the pasta after placing chicken in the oven. Then work on the green beans.
You will need to engage in multi-tasking. Flip the chicken half-way through the cooking time. Stir the pasta. Tend to the beans. Remove chicken and allow it to sit while you drain the pasta and add cheese sauce. Heat the beans.
Some people find it helpful to write out the times of each step of the recipe. Most stoves and microwaves have a timer, so take full advantage of this tool. Personally, I couldn't live without my kitchen timer. It has saved many meals!
There's nothing better than a home cooked meal. Food brings people together and offers opportunity for conversation and bonding experiences. Cooking at home is much cheaper than dining out at restaurants and healthier than eating at fast food joints.
Break through your fear of cooking by finding simple recipes and taking baby steps. The more often you create meals at home, the better you will become. Who knows, this time next year we might see you on "The Next Food Network Star"!
There are no comments yet