Answers to Everyday Questions : Any easy recipes for someone just starting to cook?

Any easy recipes for someone just starting to cook?

10 Responses to “Any easy recipes for someone just starting to cook?”

1. Pili said :
   October 31st, 2010 at 5:33 am

   BAKED MAC & CHEESE

   This makes enough for 4-6 people, so you might want to cut it half.

   1/2 pound elbow macaroni
   3 tablespoons butter
   3 tablespoons flour
   1 tablespoon powdered mustard (optional)
   3 cups milk , evaporated
   1/2 cup diced yellow onion
   1/2 teaspoon paprika
   1 large egg, beaten
   12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded (I just get a bag at the grocery)
   1 teaspoon salt
   dash cayenne pepper
   black pepper to taste

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

   In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente–it’s going in the oven next and you don’t want your noodles mushy.
   While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it’s free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer over low heat for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
   Add in the beaten egg slowly—this stuff is hot and you don’t want to have a lump of scrambled egg in the middle.
   Stir in 3/4 of the cheese gradually by handfulls; allow each handful to melt completely before adding the next handful. This should help to keep the sauce from breaking.
   Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne.
   Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
   Bake for 30 minutes.

   I have another one for you:

   Chicken Penne and Asparagus Salad

   1/2 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into wide strips
   2 teaspoons seasoning (I use Old Bay)
   1/4 pound (about 1 1/2 cups) penne pasta
   1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds
   2 medium tomatoes, chopped
   1 cup fresh basil
   1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
   2 minced garlic cloves
   1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
   1/4 teaspoon of salt

   * sprinkle chicken with seasoning and cook over medium high heat

   * cook pasta according to package instructions. When done, remove from boiling water with slotted spoon (leave boiling water in pot) and rinse pasta under cool water. Put pasta in a big bowl.

   *put asparagus in boiling water and cook until crisp-tender (about 3 minutes). Rinse under cold water to stop cooking and add to pasta.

   *add everything else to bowl, toss well to coat.

   *tada!

   OR:

   Cilantro-Lime Chicken w/Avocado Salsa

   Ingredients:

   CHICKEN:
   o2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
   o2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
   o1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
   o4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
   o1/4 teaspoon salt
   oCooking spray

   
SALSA:
   o1 cup chopped plum tomato (about 2)
   o2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
   o2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
   o1/4 teaspoon salt
   o1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
   o1 avocado, peeled and finely chopped

   How to make:

   1. To prepare chicken, combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; toss and let stand 3 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done.
   2. To prepare salsa, combine tomato and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a medium bowl. Add avocado; stir gently to combine. Serve salsa over chicken.
2. Michaelfan58 said :
   October 31st, 2010 at 6:25 am

   When I first started cooking I went to the library and found some cookbooks that were titled something like Five Ingredient Recipes, and Six Ingredient Recipes. I mean it was really a life saver because when I first moved away from home I had to learn to manage my money. So, my advice to you would be to do these two things; Search google for “Five Ingredient Recipes” and go check out the Four, Five, and Six ingredient recipe books that I am sure your library has. It will be quite helpful.

   And check out this page over at About.com:Busy Cooks——>>>http://busycooks.about.com/od/fiveingredientrecipes/Five_Ingredient_Recipes.htm

   Be sure to scroll past the sponsored links to the About.com links to different types of meals. There is a LOT of them.
3. D R said :
   October 31st, 2010 at 6:36 am

   Something really simple you might try to do is look on the back of Campbell soup can(s), they have really simple, basic and tasty recipes. Once you try one or two of them, if you like them you can add different items to it that you like.
4. Bud Davis said :
   October 31st, 2010 at 7:33 am

   Lasagna
   Jar sauce brown chop meat your choice add sauce cheese crisscross noodles bake at 400 about 45-50 min let stand better next day
   Chicken wings
   Coat with olive oil salt pepper garlic powder onion powder, mix with hands bake at 425. 1 hour turning after 30 min recipe partly from Franks hot sauce not too hot though but you also could use BBQ sauce
   Dice zucchini Eggplant onion put a little olive oil mix with salt pepper garlic powder roast in oven at 400 for 25- 30 min turning after 15 min take out put in sauce on stove top simmer on low 30 40 min put over pasta or pizza or on the side as veggie dish
   You also can put in lasagna or cook some zetti put zetti in deep baking dish add cheese cook at 400 30 min
   Also go to foodtv.com
5. Anne said :
   October 31st, 2010 at 8:11 am

   Linguini and Clam Sauce is a good dinner to make. Here is my recipe: http://www.eat-well-save-money-recipes.com/white-clam-sauce-recipe.html

   My recipes are built with step by step instructions and corresponding pictures, to help the novice cook.

   Hope you like it,
   Anne
6. Kathy said :
   October 31st, 2010 at 8:18 am

   Try making chili. Guys love chili and it is easy and can be cheap. You can also freeze any leftovers for a future meal. This site has several easy recipes to try.
   http://www.chili-everyway.com/easy-chili-recipe.html

   The nice thing about chili is you can make it that day or the day before if you need to save time.

   Pick up a box of jiffy cornbread mix and you will really impress your guy.

   Enjoy and have fun
7. Judy said :
   October 31st, 2010 at 8:47 am

   Tomato and Bacon Pasta
   • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
   •16 ounces spaghetti pasta
   •1 pound thick-cut bacon or pancetta, chopped
   •3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
   •1 cup red onion, diced
   •1 teaspoon red chili flakes
   •3 tablespoons garlic, minced
   •2 cups Roma tomatoes, diced
   •1/4 cup red wine
   •4 tablespoons basil
   •1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
   •Salt and freshly ground black pepper
   Directions
   In a large stock pot, boil 3 quarts of water, when boiling add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente.
   In a large saute pan over medium heat, add bacon and saute until bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate and remove 3/4 of the bacon fat from the pan. Add extra-virgin olive oil, onions, and red chili flakes. Cook until onions are translucent, add garlic, cook for 2 minutes then add tomatoes. Saute for 5 minutes, then deglaze with wine.
   Drain pasta and add to the tomato mixture pan. Add basil and bacon. Toss with Parmesan, and add salt and pepper, to taste.
8. Grandma said :
   October 31st, 2010 at 9:34 am

   Chili or spaghetti
   crumble up a pound of ground beef/chuck in the skillet along with an onion (chopped) and cook until done on med. heat…

   for Chili add a can of Chili beans and a can of Mex. tomatoes. Make a pan of cornbread to go with it!

   for spaghetti add a can of Italian tomatoes and maybe a small jar of spaghetti sauce to get all the seasonings. You can also add mushrooms, garlic to taste if you have them but the sauce and tomatoes have this. Serve with cooked pasta ( briing water to a boil and add the pasta for about 8 minutes)

   simple, cheap and will probably give you both lunch the next day!
9. Kate said :
   October 31st, 2010 at 9:35 am

   I love lentils- they are super cheap, easy to make, and very filling. A bag that will last you a few weeks costs no more than 2 dollars! You can do a lot with them- I like making lentil tacos (replacing meat w/lentils, boiling them and then adding the taco seasoning to them). Get a box of shells, some bagged lettuce, a tomato and some sour cream and a small tin of black olives and you’ve got a meal for around ten bucks.

   You can easily make lentil soup with a few cans of vegetable stock, celery, carrots, Cayanne pepper, salt, and a zucchini. Just boil the lentils separately and boil the stock and veggies/spices together. After the lentils are soft (about 40 minutes) drain them and throw them into the veggies. Total cost about 12-15 dollars. And you will have left overs for lunch the next day.

   Besides lentils, I like to make “Greek style rice and a bag of soy chicken (i am vegetarian)” but you can use one or two regular boneless skinless chicken breasts. Just boil up some jasmine rice (white rice is fine too), throw in a chopped roma tomato, a handful of baby spinach, half a red onion, the juice from two lemons, and a tablespoon of olive oil.Cut the chicken into strips (unless its the soy stuff, it will already be cut into strips) and dip it in milk, then old bread crumbs with whatever seasoning you wish, and pan fry with cooking spray or olive oil. If you’ve already got the olive oil and go with the soy bagged chicken strips, the total cost is no more than 15 bucks. Good luck!
10. Any easy recipes for someone just starting to cook? | Cheap Quick Recipes said :
    October 31st, 2010 at 6:33 am

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