VERY novice recipes wanted

[Old farrier]

Here is a doddle of a pasta recipe

 

Fusilli with bacon and pesto sauce

 

Ingredients

 

​2 rashers of streaky bacon

​4 mushrooms

Olive oil

​Pack of dry fusilli pasta (this is the corkscrew shaped pasta - you could use macaroni instead)

​A small pot of greek yoghurt (you could use plain yoghurt instead, but it is less creamy)

​A jar of green pesto sauce.

​A pack of ready-grated cheddar cheese and/or grated Parmesan cheese.

​2 cloves of garlic

 

​Method

 

​Put a saucepan of water on the stove to boil. When is boiling, back the heat off slightly so that you get a "rolling boil".

 

​Meanwhile slice the bacon into 1/4 inch squares or strips.

​Slice the mushrooms thinly

Peel , crush and slice the garlic.

 

​When the water is boiling, toss a good handful of the pasta into it and adjust the heat to maintain a rolling boil.

 

​Take a small frying pan, put in a tablespoon of olive oil and fry the bacon over a medium heat until the bacon is crispy, adding the mushrooms and garlic just as the bacon begins to crisp. Fry the mix for another two minutes, adding more oil if necessary because the mushrooms soak up a lot.

 

​Put about 3 heaped tablespoons of the yoghurt into a mixing bowl with 3 dessert spoons of the pesto and a good handful of the grated Cheddar cheese.

​Mix well.

 

​Meanwhile the pasta should be about cooked. Test it by fishing a piece out with a fork and bite it - it should be soft, but with a slight resistance to the bite ("al dente"). If it is too hard, let it boil a little longer. If it is very squishy, you have overcooked it, but only purists would give a stuff.

 

​Drain the water out of the pan and add the yoghurt/cheese/pesto mixture and stir to combine. Add the crispy bacon/mushroom/garlic mixture and stir to combine.

 

​Serve immediately with a little grated parmesan and fresh parsley if you have it.

 

​If you have vegetarian guests, this can be varied by substituting sliced courgettes for the bacon.

 

This is another 20 minute recipe

Thanks for your reply

This is great many thanks and I can follow your instructions

No chance of any veggie types coming to mine

 

Many thanks

Of

[amateur]

My pleasure, let us know how you get on.

 

My mother taught all her 3 boys as well as her daughter to cook so that they would not be as useless as my father at cooking

[Old farrier]

My pleasure, let us know how you get on.

 

My mother taught all her 3 boys as well as her daughter to cook so that they would not be as useless as my father at cooking

My mother is over 80 and still won't let her sons into the kitchen 😊

[kyska]

Other half passed away a bit suddenly

 

Got tons of books thanks just don't understand a lot of stuff in them

 

And so now I find I have to learn main problem is I know what it should look like and taste like

Haven't a clue how to get it to that point

I see, sorry about your loss.

 

I worked in nutrition at a large uni, do you simply have no idea of cooking, timing and preparation? And what do you like to eat?

 

If you're as lost in the kitchen as I gather most of the recipes will be too complicated!

[Old farrier]

I see, sorry about your loss.

 

I worked in nutrition at a large uni, do you simply have no idea of cooking, timing and preparation? And what do you like to eat?

 

If you're as lost in the kitchen as I gather most of the recipes will be too complicated!

Thanks for your reply

I haven't got a clue can't even recognise half the ingredients no idea on timeing or preparation

However I am giving it my best shot

Kitchen full of stuff haven't got a clue what to use it for

 

Like to eat proper food meat veg fish game

Anything identifiable

 

Many thanks

Of

[grrclark]

OF, sorry to learn of your loss.

 

Cooking can be as easy or as complicated as you like, but like anything if you start from a position of knowing nothing then everything seems complicated at first.

 

Ideally there will be another PW contributor in your neck of the woods that can give you a bit of coaching in person, if not then search on YouTube for recipes and how to cook.

 

Regrettably about 500 miles and a chunk of the English channel makes it a bit impractical for me to offer my services, but hopefully someone closer by could help out.

 

Someone with a bit of savvy could go through your freezer with you and label up the obvious stuff.

 

Can I suggest you pop over the road to the pub, have a blether with the proprietor and see if the pub chef will give you a bit of 1 on 1 tuition in your own kitchen.

 

Best of luck

[Old farrier]

 

OF, sorry to learn of your loss.

 

Cooking can be as easy or as complicated as you like, but like anything if you start from a position of knowing nothing then everything seems complicated at first.

 

Ideally there will be another PW contributor in your neck of the woods that can give you a bit of coaching in person, if not then search on YouTube for recipes and how to cook.

 

Regrettably about 500 miles and a chunk of the English channel makes it a bit impractical for me to offer my services, but hopefully someone closer by could help out.

 

Someone with a bit of savvy could go through your freezer with you and label up the obvious stuff.

 

Can I suggest you pop over the road to the pub, have a blether with the proprietor and see if the pub chef will give you a bit of 1 on 1 tuition in your own kitchen.

 

Best of luck[/quot.

Thanks for your reply and I'm sure I get to grips with it just need to find the right starting point

 

Very seasonal here so maybe at the end of the summer maybe the chef will be available to do some coaching

Many thanks

Of

[silver pigeon69]

If your cooking for yourself, i wouldn't bother going to the effort to cook a roast dinner, with trimmings. Go to the local pub for it.

 

Meat and two veg

 

Buy Lamb chop/pork chop/ steak or any other meat that is sliced like a chop and can be fried/grilled.(NOT Braised!! This must be stewed as such)

Buy potatoes, FROZEN peas/sweetcorn etc. (Frozen is good, lasts ages and you can just take what you need and put remainder back in freezer)

 

Peel (unless new potatoes, then wash well and leave whole) chop into 1/4's and boil in water(in saucepan) for 20 minutes. (you can buy frozen Roast potatoes/chips/wedges etc that just need to be put in oven for 20mins)

 

Season the chop/etc with a sprinkle/ pinch of salt/peper (and if you want garlic or rosemary if lamb) (you can get dried herbs/garlic in a pot that you just sprinkle on top/ no cutting etc). Place on grill tray and grill under a preheated grill(left on for 5mins before use) on highest setting for approx 10mins each side, keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn. If you like lamb etc well done, it will take a little longer. Check it by slicing it at the thickest point.

 

Boil a saucepan of water, add frozen peas/sweetcorn etc, when boiling again turn heat down to half. Cook for 10-15mins. Taste to check if done, if too hard cook longer.

 

EDIT: when boiling anything, make sure you have enough water, do not let it boil dry, you can always add water if needed, but try and add boiling water from kettle, otherwise the veg will take longer to cook.

 

All the above takes about 20 mins, if you do it in the order above it should be about ready at the same time.

 

Gravy? Buy Bisto/oxo granules, boil kettle. Normally 4 heaped teaspoons and 1/2 pint water. Add granules, stir well, it will thicken as you stir. Not thick enough add more granules. too thick, more water. (1/2 pint is a lot of gravy for 1 person, so you can do 1/4 pint + 2 teaspoons granules. (instructions on packet)

 

Most frozen food has instructions on the back telling you what temp and for how long.

 

It really is as easy as i have listed it. Good luck!

Edited July 18, 2017 by silver pigeon69

[Old farrier]

If your cooking for yourself, i wouldn't bother going to the effort to cook a roast dinner, with trimmings. Go to the local pub for it.

 

Meat and two veg

 

Buy Lamb chop/pork chop/ steak or any other meat that is sliced like a chop and can be fried/grilled.(NOT Braised!! This must be stewed as such)

Buy potatoes, FROZEN peas/sweetcorn etc. (Frozen is good, lasts ages and you can just take what you need and put remainder back in freezer)

 

Peel (unless new potatoes, then wash well and leave whole) chop into 1/4's and boil in water(in saucepan) for 20 minutes. (you can buy frozen Roast potatoes/chips/wedges etc that just need to be put in oven for 20mins)

 

Season the chop/etc with a sprinkle/ pinch of salt/peper (and if you want garlic or rosemary if lamb) (you can get dried herbs/garlic in a pot that you just sprinkle on top/ no cutting etc). Place on grill tray and grill under a preheated grill(left on for 5mins before use) on highest setting for approx 10mins each side, keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn. If you like lamb etc well done, it will take a little longer. Check it by slicing it at the thickest point.

 

Boil a saucepan of water, add frozen peas/sweetcorn etc, when boiling again turn heat down to half. Cook for 10-15mins. Taste to check if done, if too hard cook longer.

 

EDIT: when boiling anything, make sure you have enough water, do not let it boil dry, you can always add water if needed, but try and add boiling water from kettle, otherwise the veg will take longer to cook.

 

All the above takes about 20 mins, if you do it in the order above it should be about ready at the same time.

 

Gravy? Buy Bisto/oxo granules, boil kettle. Normally 4 heaped teaspoons and 1/2 pint water. Add granules, stir well, it will thicken as you stir. Not thick enough add more granules. too thick, more water. (1/2 pint is a lot of gravy for 1 person, so you can do 1/4 pint + 2 teaspoons granules. (instructions on packet)

 

Most frozen food has instructions on the back telling you what temp and for how long.

 

It really is as easy as i have listed it. Good luck!

Thanks for your reply

I give it a good try

The gravy recipe is great thanks 😊😊

It's going to take a while I'm sure

Many thanks

Of

free web hosting images

Edited July 18, 2017 by Old farrier

[ditchman]

my old man liked a big spanish onion ...boiled to death and then put under the grill with a big slab of cheese on it until it went crispy on top.....................no accounting for taste...

[silver pigeon69]

Thanks for your reply

I give it a good try

The gravy recipe is great thanks

It's going to take a while I'm sure

Many thanks

Of

free web hosting images

There Ok!

The pan looks a bit dry, not enough oil. When you put the egg into hot oil, tilt the pan away from you (lift handle up) and slowly pur egg into the oil at its deepest point and keep pan tilted until the egg is white at the botton.

 

If your stews/ casseroles are tasting a bit bland, a few tea spoons of gravy granules added to it, will transform it!

Edited July 18, 2017 by silver pigeon69

[GingerCat]

Oh my. This won't do. I find cooking relaxing and rather easy. My advice is get the jamie oliver cook book (not a fan of him but the book is great for a novice and the food good) and follow the recipes.

In no time at all you'll be charming yiur way round the ladies who marvel at yiur skulls in the kitchen.

All this half a cow in the slow cooker malarkey is wrong this time of year. You want nice salads with blushing lamb steaks or pigeon breasts with cherry sauce.

Not rocket science. Get a recipe book.

[Old farrier]

Oh my. This won't do. I find cooking relaxing and rather easy. My advice is get the jamie oliver cook book (not a fan of him but the book is great for a novice and the food good) and follow the recipes.

In no time at all you'll be charming yiur way round the ladies who marvel at yiur skulls in the kitchen.

All this half a cow in the slow cooker malarkey is wrong this time of year. You want nice salads with blushing lamb steaks or pigeon breasts with cherry sauce.

Not rocket science. Get a recipe book.

Thanks for your reply and input

However salad is not really my thing and I'm pretty sure there isn't any in the freezers

Tried Jamie Oliver book

To complicated far to many ingredients no help to me I'm afraid

 

I have however thanks to a member recently received a Haynes cooking Manuel 👍👍

It talks my language

 

Anyway thanks for the reply

All the best

Of

[Old farrier]

There Ok!

The pan looks a bit dry, not enough oil. When you put the egg into hot oil, tilt the pan away from you (lift handle up) and slowly pur egg into the oil at its deepest point and keep pan tilted until the egg is white at the botton.

 

If your stews/ casseroles are tasting a bit bland, a few tea spoons of gravy granules added to it, will transform it!

Thanks for your reply and thanks for the tips More oil and put it in the deepest bit 👍👍

 

And the granules got it 👍👍😊

[iano]

Jamie Oliver stuff is great for people who don't know a lot about cooking. We learned from a couple of his books and just googling stuff online on his site.

 

Just google things you like eating, watch him cook it a couple of times on youtube and away you go.

[grrclark]

A very simple 20 minute recipe for you to try.

 

Get some bacon lardons, about 150g-200g, from the supermarket or your butcher, choose smoked or unsmoked as you prefer. Bacon lardons are basically little cubes of bacon with a good bit of fat on them.

 

Also get some pasta, something like the corkscrew shaped pasta (fusilli) is ideal.

 

Preheat your oven to 180'c/350'f.

 

Put the lardons in an oven dish with about a tablespoons worth of olive oil and a handful of cherry tomatoes. Pop the dish in the oven for 15 mins or until the bacon lardons look nice and crispy.

 

In the meantime add some pasta (about 100g - 150g) to a pan full of boiling salted water (teaspoon of salt to 2 pints of water) and cook that until the pasta is soft, but not soggy. Will take about 12 mins.

 

Drain the pasta and then add the cooked pasta into the oven dish with the cooked bacon lardons and tomatoes. Stir around together so the pasta, lardons and tomatoes are mixed and the pasta coated in the oil from the dish.

 

Pop that into a dish, sprinkle with ground pepper to taste, and a bit of parmesan cheese if you like that, and enjoy.

[Old farrier]

A very simple 20 minute recipe for you to try.

 

Get some bacon lardons, about 150g-200g, from the supermarket or your butcher, choose smoked or unsmoked as you prefer. Bacon lardons are basically little cubes of bacon with a good bit of fat on them.

 

Also get some pasta, something like the corkscrew shaped pasta (fusilli) is ideal.

 

Preheat your oven to 180'c/350'f.

 

Put the lardons in an oven dish with about a tablespoons worth of olive oil and a handful of cherry tomatoes. Pop the dish in the oven for 15 mins or until the bacon lardons look nice and crispy.

 

In the meantime add some pasta (about 100g - 150g) to a pan full of boiling salted water (teaspoon of salt to 2 pints of water) and cook that until the pasta is soft, but not soggy. Will take about 12 mins.

 

Drain the pasta and then add the cooked pasta into the oven dish with the cooked bacon lardons and tomatoes. Stir around together so the pasta, lardons and tomatoes are mixed and the pasta coated in the oil from the dish.

 

Pop that into a dish, sprinkle with ground pepper to taste, and a bit of parmesan cheese if you like that, and enjoy.

Thanks for your reply and I hope to give it a go

Thanks again for your help

 

Many thanks

Of

[Old farrier]

Ok

Thanks for all your replies

Obviously this is going to take a bit of time to learn and get through the recipes to see what I like

Just a reminder for those who skipped through the posts

I've never cooked it doesn't come naturally to me and I'm totally not at home with kitchen stuff yet

Also I need to cook what I have in the freezers so identification tips welcome 😂

I've no desire to buy good stuff and trash it

 

Been to a supermarket today looking at the frozen meat to try to help identify what I have

 

Anyway thanks for your replies help and support

 

Made custard tonight in the microwave (don't ask)

 

All the best and thanks for the help

Of

[mel b3]

good morning nigel,

 

may i first offer my most sincere condolences on your sad loss . i hope that you are coping as well as you can each day.

 

i cant offer very much help with the practicalities of cooking , as im still not a fantastic cook , but ,what i can offer , is a little bit of hope.

 

when my first wife passed away , my cooking abilities amounted to , cooking toast , and making a cheese sandwich(the cheese sandwich was really over stretching myself).

 

i had the added motivation of trying to provide a healthy diet for two young kids , i was also lucky to have my mom and sister at hand to push me in the right direction, they only stepped in when i was about to poison myself and the kids( you can eat steak with blood in , but you cant eat chicken with blood in) , you have your family , and your pigeon watch friends to guide you in the right direction.

 

i found that taking something from the freezer , and letting it defrost in the fridge , was a big help with identification , once you know what it is , its much easier to decide how to cook it.

dont beat yourself up if you get it wrong , youre a very intelligent guy , and you will soon start to find your way , burned food may not look and taste great , but , you can live on it and (generally) it wont hurt you.

 

it may take a little time , but you will get there , you may just need to lower your expectations for a while . my late wife was a cook , and i dined like a king every day , when i took over cooking duties , we would have "chicken surprise" most days(it was a surprise if it was actually chicken).

 

a few tips.

 

get yourself a label maker , you can use ordinary sticky labels , but proper labels will last longer , and i know that you love messing with things.

 

make sure that you actually use the label maker.

 

use a slow cooker , theyre fantastic , and youll really struggle to mess things up , gravy granules , stock cubes , and black pepper , are your friends when it comes to adding flavour.

 

cook more than you need , and freeze it , you can buy microwaveable tubs very cheaply from any supermarket(think indian/chinese takeaway).

 

make sure that you use your label maker when you freeze food in the tubs , or you will definitely forget whats in them.

 

 

it might seem like a real challenge right now , but you will learn very quickly , just dont beat yourself if it goes wrong at first.

 

mel.

[amateur]

Defrost a block of meat overnight,

Photograph it and post the picture on here.

We should be able to identify it and then give you a simple recipe to cook it.

 

Most cuts of meat are reasonably identifiable.

[mel b3]

Defrost a block of meat overnight,

Photograph it and post the picture on here.

We should be able to identify it and then give you a simple recipe to cook it.

 

Most cuts of meat are reasonably identifiable.

thats a fantastic idea .

 

edited to add . thats a terrible idea , pw members can fight for ten pages over what day of the week it is, never mind what cut of meat it is , the poor guy will be starving by the time an agreement is reached .

Edited July 20, 2017 by mel b3

[amateur]

I knew that there had to be a flaw

[Old farrier]

I knew that there had to be a flaw

Here you go

gif pictures site

No arguments 😂😂😂

[amateur]

I think that you are going to need to unwrap one and let it thaw individually. - you don't need a load of meat at once - then photo it. It will then make identification a little easier

 

My initial thought is that at the centre back of the photo you have some belly pork

[panoma1]

I think that you are going to need to unwrap one and let it thaw individually. - you don't need a load of meat at once - then photo it. It will then make identification a little easier

 

My initial thought is that at the centre back of the photo you have some belly pork

Nah! Lamb breast! Lol!