Kitchen Virgins 3

                                       Baking

Nowadays there are so many boxed and bagged mixes in the baking aisle that actual homemade baking is becoming a lost skill. Boxed cake mixes have improved over the years and are good.But there is nothing like homemade.
Baking from scratch may be something you want to try after you have become more comfortable in the kitchen and tried your hand at the boxed cake mixes and brownies or bagged cookie mixes.
I love to bake.It is therapy without the office call bills for me.I bake when I am bored,angry,happy or just want something special when family will be coming for a visit.
You will need a cookbook or a recipe printed off of one of the many recipe sites online before you attempt that cake or batch of cookies.
For your first baking shopping trip there are some basics to buy to stock your cupboard.
Most important is a bag of flour and a bag of white sugar.Add to that brown sugar and powdered sugar.Vanilla,baking soda and baking powder.With some eggs and butter you are already all set for sugar cookies!
A few other things for the baking supplies shopping trip,baking cocoa,in case you want to make chocolate cake or cookies,chocolate chips,cream of tartar( I have no idea what this is but some recipes call for it and it has to be used) and bakers chocolate squares.
When you have free time give it a try.Make a batch of chocolate chip cookies or a cake.Dont let your first attempt at making something be dessert for a dinner party or a snack for when your mother in law is coming to visit.Sometimes things dont turn out well.It could be because you measured incorrectly or forgot an ingredient or it was just one of those stuff happens days.A no stress baking experiment will let you learn from your mistakes without everybody else knowing about it.

 

Kitchen Virgins 2

                                 3 meals from one base meat sauce

A very simple meat sauce can make spaghetti sauce,chili or goulash.Start with a pound of ground beef.In the frozen food section where the frozen vegetables are located buy a bag or two of cut up peppers and onions.Kroger brand has a good one that has chopped red,green and yellow peppers and onions all in one bag.For all three recipes you will need a jar of spaghetti sauce.
For the chili  you will need kidney beans or chili beans,2 cans and a large can of diced tomatoes,salt and pepper and some red pepper flakes and some of the frozen peppers and onions.
For the goulash you will need a box of elbow macaroni and a large can of diced tomatoes.
For spaghetti sauce you can add a can of sliced mushrooms if you like them.
Brown your ground beef and peppers/onions together in a large skillet that has a lid.Drain off the grease and add musrooms and the spaghetti sauce.I always add a teaspoon of the italian seasonings and a teaspoon of sugar,a little salt and some black pepper but that is not mandatory.

If you want to make chili,after browning the ground beef and peppers,add the beans and canned tomatoes and about 1/2 of a teaspoon of red pepper flakes and the jar of spaghetti sauce.Cover the pan and simmer for about 30 minutes.Taste it.If it is not spicy enough for your taste add another 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes,recover and simmer for another 10 minutes.

If you want to make goulash ,after browning the ground beef and peppers add a large can of diced tomatoes and the spaghetti sauce.You can add mushrooms to the goulash also if you like them.Cover this and let it simmer.Boil the macaroni in a large saucepan by following the directions on the package.Drain and add to the sauce.Let it sit and simmer for 10 minutes and dinner is served.

Kitchen Virgins

                                       

This is a blog to help all of the new brides or bridegrooms that are new to the kitchen, or even those who are on their own for the first time.
How many times have you heard someone laughingly say I can't even boil an egg?Well,there are some people who cant because they have no idea how to even start.
I married very young and had no idea how to cook.I never helped mom in the kitchen,but luckily I figured it out on my own.I have always been able to think about what a dish tasted like and then try to puzzle out what the ingredients were.It didnt always turn out perfect at first but it was edible.
That technique will not work out for baking where specific ingredients in exact amounts are called for.You would probably end up with something like this.

Cooking can be relaxing and fun,cleanup never is.Even if you dont enjoy it it does not have to be stressful.
Start by buying the best cookware set you can afford. Make sure you have a couple of sizes of spoons,plastic if you have non-stick cookware and a spatula.A couple different sizes of casserole dishes,a roasting pan,cake pan and cookie sheets.These things will get you started.If you are on a tight budget there is nothing wrong with rummage sale shopping or asking mom or grandma if they have a couple old pans to spare.
Basic spices and seasonings to get you started cooking would be salt and pepper,garlic salt and or powder,seasoning salt,a blended italian seasoning,and if you like spicy, red pepper flakes.
Try to keep butter,shredded cheese and eggs in the refrigerator.With those three things and a couple items from the cupboard you can always be able to throw together something simple to eat.
Ground beef is great to keep in the freezer.You can mix it together with sauces,or cheese,rice and cream soups and pasta and make a simple but delicious casserole or a plate of spaghetti with meat sauce.
Keep your cupboard stocked with different types of pasta and rices and soup.Keep things simple at first so you dont get frustrated.
A very simple but elegant looking dinner is fettucini with shrimp alfredo sauce.All it entails is a box of fettucini,cooked,a jar of ragu alfredo sauce,a package of frozen salad shrimp ,thawed(and not very expensive)and a can of sliced mushrooms.Warm the ingredients up together and serve over the fettucini.Someone will think you spent all day cooking.

And about those boiled eggs...yes you can.Place the eggs in a saucepan add enough water to cover them.Set them on the burner on high.Once they start boiling time them for 10 minutes.Remove them from the stove and drain out the water.Voila! boiled eggs.Great just like they are,or make egg salad by chopping them up,mashing with a fork,add a little mayo and salt and pepper and you have egg salad.