Terrible cook! page 4

[Dialit]

Get yourself a crockpot (they're pretty inexpensive $25-40 for a basic model) and then do an Internet search for paleo or primal crockpot recipes. There are several benefits to crockpot cooking:
1) you can fix your stuff in the morning, put it on low, and dinner is ready when you get home!
2) pretty much guaranteed even cooking so no half raw, have burned stuff
3) great for cooking chicken, cheep cuts of beef, pork... Everything comes out fall-off-the-bone tender
4) leftovers are easy to shred for making chicken salad, pulled pork, etc
5) super easy way to make broths, soups, stews, etc

[abstractpersona]

Ignore everything said so far and head to
The Basics - Food News - CHOW
Browse for a bit, some of the tutorials are not Paleo or are for desserts or silly things.

There are illustrations for the steps.
After a while you will notice techniques used for each purpose. Try one or two of the tutorials over and over until you understand why and how it works.

Good luck and enjoy!

[abstractpersona]

Oh, by the way, don't feel discouraged that you werent taught to cook. I felt the same way. My mom, one of the best cooks in the whole world, refused to teach me. She was a very busy homemaker, she didn't have time. But I learned out of necessity, and now I'm, by far!, the best cook in my family and friends social circle.

You can do it :-)

[jmday]

Ann Cap - Did you try anything yet? How did you do?

[ChocoTaco369]

Cooking is like anything else. The more you practice, the better you get. Just like a kid playing the piano, you probably won't be good at it at first. It also helps to have fun doing it. Cooking is my favorite hobby. I find it very therapeutic. If you can make yourself enjoy it, you'll get really good really fast.

[Chochobo]

i love to cook as well, it does take much trial and error. u obviously want to start with basic prepped foods. in no time u will be cooking more regularly and might even enjoy it lol

[primal_matrix]

Get yourself a crockpot (they're pretty inexpensive $25-40 for a basic model) and then do an Internet search for paleo or primal crockpot recipes. There are several benefits to crockpot cooking:
1) you can fix your stuff in the morning, put it on low, and dinner is ready when you get home!
2) pretty much guaranteed even cooking so no half raw, have burned stuff
3) great for cooking chicken, cheep cuts of beef, pork... Everything comes out fall-off-the-bone tender
4) leftovers are easy to shred for making chicken salad, pulled pork, etc
5) super easy way to make broths, soups, stews, etc

I totally second this. Cooking in a slow-cooker has many advantages. No need for expensive cuts of meats, preparation is as long as it takes you to dump everything in it, it cooks while you are gone or busy with anything else, it won't burn food as long as it's moist, easy to clean up, makes a lot of food at once, the possibilities for recipes are endless but you can also base all your meals on only a few main ingredients and still pull off some interesting combinations.

I use the Hamilton Beach programmable slow cooker with a temperature probe, so if I'm gone for 10 hours it automatically detects if food reached required temperature and it goes into warm mode to prevent overcooking. I had a regular "low/high" slow cooker before but it would overcook recipes requiring less then 8 hours if I were gone for more then that.

Other than that, don't be afraid to start experimenting with cooking. I was clueless about cooking up until I was forced to start doing it and then I realized how easy and creative it was. I find cooking to be quite a relaxing activity after a stressful day. I don't think the same about doing the dishes after all is done though.

[demuralist]

Both Trish and Vanessa have great recipes on their sites.

For cooking meat the problem is that it depends on which cut you use. Some meat (steaks, and flank steak) like high fast heat-under the oven broiler or on a grill, or a hot skillet, and some meats (roasts, and briskets) like low slow, roasting pan in the oven at 300 or less for a few hours (depending on how many pounds)or a crock pot. For me the easiest and cheapest thing to do is to buy roasts on sale, and put them in the crock pot all day. I use different spices, or flavorings, or veggies depending on what I want to end up with. Really full proof.

For delish veggies I take a bag of frozen (broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, cut up squash, et.) and I put it on a cookie sheet which I have oiled with a tablespoon of coconut oil. Put it into the oven at like 425 for anywhere from 10 minutes to 20 minutes depending on how carmelized you like it. Then take it out and salt and eat.

also, even the best of cooks end up with occasional flops. It takes practice.