Patrick Rodriguez wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> I'm currently enrolled in college and I want to finally learn how to
> cook for myself. I can only handle the basics: boiling ramen noodles,
> scrambling eggs, making a ham and cheese sandwich. I've always been
> meaning to enter the realm of actual cooking, but I'm either too busy
> or lazy...
>
> My question: what are some of the easier dishes to make, especially
> for someone with no experience such as myself? I'm thinking something
> without too many steps or ingredients, but is actually something to
> be proud of. And more importantly, something that would encourage me
> to dig deeper into cooking.
>
> Thanks for any help. I hope that I can at least say that I've cooked a
> decent dish before I graduate.
>
> -Patrick R.
> UC Berkeley

This is admirable but I need more info, Patrick. What cooking facilities do
you have available? Are you living in a dorm or in a place with a full
kitchen - that is, stovetop and oven? Microwave? Are you limited to a
cookplate? Or a cookplate and a toaster oven? Do you have a full set of
pots & pans (including baking dishes) or just a pot and a skillet?

What do you like to eat? What sort of "dish" would you like to prepare?
Are you vegetarian? Do you want to learn about 'ethnic' cooking, such as
Mexican, Italian, Asian? Or just some good ol' U.S. "home cooking" like
meatloaf and mashed potatoes?

Jill