"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> Lucy wrote:
>
>> Looking at previous posts of mine, I did ask for recipes, and I
>> apologize. I
>> did find a recipe newsgroup and there seem to be lots of recipes, and
>> almost
>> no feedback on how they turn out.
>> Rather than recipes, I'm wanting to learn how to prepare a few basic
>> meals,
>> without having to read a recipe out of a book. ugh. I have taken two
>> cooking
>> classes and did not learn much at all. I know how to make stock (which
>> isn't
>> worth the time to me, and I will continue to get it from a can), and from
>> another class, omelettes.
>
> Use recipes for baking, puddings and things like that. For cooking meals
> it is
> easier to adopt a style of cooking and adjusting to what is one hand.
> Look at
> a recipe for something relatively simple like macaroni and cheese., melt
> nutter,
> add flour,stir around, add liquid, stir, add cheese, add to cooked pasta
> and so
> on. But if you have learned to make an adapt a simple white sauce, all
> you do
> is make a simple white sauce with approximate measures , adjusting to the
> amount
> you need.
>
> Stir frying is a great way to learn an adaptive cooking style. Cut the
> ingredients into small (quick cooking pieces), toss into a hot wok with
> some oil
> starting with the hardest and longest cooking things then add the softer
> fast
> cooking things. Use a slurry of corn starch and water and some broth to
> make a
> sauce and flavour it with whatever pleases your fancy.

The macaroni and cheese made me laugh. I have to share this. The first time
I tried to cook, I made macaroni and cheese. Bear in mind.. first time, and
this was before the cooking class even.
I did not know what a measuring cup was, and the recipe didn't specify
measuring cup. It merely stated cups of milk. So.. I took a coffee mug from
the cabinet and proceeded to add coffee cups of milk to the macaroni and
cheese. Needless to say.. I ended up with macaroni soup!
lucy

>
>