Need cooking help?!! Please Help me!!

Question

I am 20 and I have just started cooking. Lately I have not been cooking and have been buying ready made meals and food and money just goes by so fast. I need to know if there are any simple and good recipes that I can cook quick and will still taste good so that I can stop spending so much money at the grocery store. I want to try to do like a meal plan so it will be so much easier to shop at the store. Please help!

Answer 1

I have a cooking group with over 14000 recipes. Be glad to help you. Free to join and no obligations.

http://groups.msn.com/CookingWithKay

Square Spaghetti

8 ounces vermicelli

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup milk

1 (14 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

4 ounces sliced pepperoni

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and place in a large mixing bowl.

Combine egg and milk. Pour over pasta and mix well.

Coat a 13 x 9-inch pan with non-stick vegetable spray. Pour pasta mixture into pan. Cover pasta with spaghetti sauce. Layer pepperoni over sauce and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

Cut into squares to serve.

Buy a good size of meat

I like to use pork butt

Cook it in the crockpot and the first day eat it that way

The next day take so of it and put some bbq sauce on it and have sandwhiches

The last night make this recipes

Mexican Roll Ups

This is something I made up its a great way to use left over meat.



Use one of your choice

Shredded Chicken, shredded beef or shredded pork

Put in skillet with 1 pkg of taco seasoning

Add enough water so that you may simmer it, not to much



After simmering like 20 min

Place small amount in to soft burrito shell, I like to use the large ones.

Roll them up and secure with toothpicks

In deep fryer or skillet, brown til golden brown

They will be crunchy

Serve with sour cream, salsa or gucamole



Dont forget to remove toothpicks !!!!



You may add cooked chicken, ham, tuna or shrimp to this if you want

Olive Garden Alfredo Fettuccine

1 pint heavy cream  

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter  

2 tablespoons cream cheese  

1/2 - 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese  

1 teaspoon garlic powder, add in more to suit your taste if you prefer

Salt and pepper, to taste

8 ounces fettuccine, cooked and drained

In a saucepan combine butter, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Simmer this until all is melted, and mixed well. Add the Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Simmer this for 15 - 20 minutes over low heat.

Toss pasta lightly with sauce, coating well. Leftovers freeze well.

Weekend Lasagna Toss

Prep Time: 5 min

Total Time: 28 min

Makes: 4 servings, 2 cups each

1 lb. lean ground beef

2 cups  chopped green peppers (about 2 peppers)

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 jar  (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1-2/3 cups water

1/4 cup  KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing

12 oven-ready lasagna noodles, broken into quarters

1 cup  KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

BROWN meat in large (4-qt.) saucepan on medium heat; drain.

ADD peppers, garlic, spaghetti sauce, water and dressing; bring to boil. Stir in noodles; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover.

COOK, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 min. or until noodles are tender. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

California Chicken Delight

3/4 cup flour

1 T. Old Bay Seasoning

1 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

4 fresh or individually fresh frozen boneless skinless chicken b*****s

2 T. oil

1/4 pound thinly sliced Prosciutto or deli style ham

1/4 pound sliced Monterey Jack or Swiss cheese

IN a shallow dish, combine flour, seasoning, salt and pepper. Coat chicken

b*****s in flour mixture. In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook chicken

in oil for 20 minutes or until juices run clear. Turn once during cooking.

(Internal temperature should read 170.) Place one slice ham and one slice cheese

on each breast. Cover and cook until cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Makes 4

servings. Note: Cooking time given is for fresh chicken. If using frozen

chicken, remove protective ice glaze by holding under cool running water 1-2 minutes

and allow additional time for cooking.

1-2-3 Chops recipe

4-6 pork chops

1 (12 ounce) can 7-Up or Sprite soda

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

Put pork chops in a baking dish. Cover with soda. Sprinkle onion soup on top. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 60 minutes.

Serve over hot, cooked rice.

NOTE: Chicken may be used instead of pork chops

Lots more like this in my group. Enjoy !

Answer 2

Pasta dishes seem to be the cheapest way to go if ur not making the pasta from scratch. You can add different vegetables to ur taste. u can also make sauce from scratch at a reasonable price, freeze the sauce when ur done. Does this help you any?

Answer 3

Try cooking in bulk and freezing single servings.  You can try some simple recipes on Flylady.com.  There are some great link to dinner saver.  You can download some weekly recipes along with a grocery list.  They are great dishes and recipes and the food is inexpensive.  

Answer 4

http://www.meals.com/Recipes/RecipeDetai...

Making that tonite!

Another great one is

http://www.meals.com/Recipes/RecipeDetai...

Just go to any recipe place and look for meals under 25 minutes!

Good luck

Answer 5

Heres one TACO SALAD VERY EASY you can modify this according to your liking

.(Or use low fat Ranch Dressing and  lean taco chips and beef IF WATCHING WEIGHT)

1 bag cheese shredded taco or reg.

1 bag taco chips

1 pound ground  Beef

1 bag lettuce or 1 head lettuce

2-3 tomatoes

2 can kidney beans

2 onions

1 pack of taco seasoning

1 Botttle of Ranch dressing

1 huge bowl or tupperwear.

(1) brown all ground beef till brown then (drain) grease

(2) cut up lettuce/ tomatos/ and onions

(3) drain kidney beans

(4) crush up taco chips while still in bag

(5) throw EVERYTHING in the huge bowl together

(5) pour Ranch dressing over it or use Ranch dressing as needed (for calories) if watching them.

Good stuff!

very easy to make all you do is brown the beef drain the kidney beans and cut up tomatos onions and lettuce.

Answer 6

There are two fundamentally different ways to learn how to cook

The amateur way which places far too much emphasis on recipes and is ultimately a dead end  culinary street and

the professional way which places most of the emphasis on learning and developing proper techniques

Assuming that you actually know how to cook competently, pro-recipes are actually a lot easier to execute.

The next thing that you need to learn how to do is how to efficiently maximize your time and get the most out of your product

Case in point>1

If you can make a veloute sauce properly , then you can make a bechamel sauce and if you can do those two mother sauces then with some minor adjustments you can make all the cream soups and about 40 small sauces

CIP2

If you can accuratley do the classic 8 piece chicken breakdown

2-b*****s

2-legs

2-wings

2-thighs

Then you can save not only save money on buying parts but you can save the carcasses and make stock out of them

CIP3

Buy a whole pork loin , cut chops out of it  and then use part of it to make a butterflied stuffed  pork loin with .

CIP 4

make a gallon of  a basic marinara sauce.

Divide into 4 portions and do variations on the theme

The list goes on

Answer 7

The first step to taking control of your grocery budget and your schedule is making list. Shopping from a list also ensures you have healthy food on hand so that you don't resort to driving through the nearest grease pit in an effort to feed your hungry family. Using a list also gets you in and out of the grocery store faster, because we all have better things to do.

Weekly Menu Planning

In order to make a grocery shopping list you have to have a plan. Many people like the method of shopping one day a week, but whatever works for you is good. You just have to know the period of time you're shopping for.

If you plan to shop once a week, get out your calendar and some paper. Look at your week and identify everything that will affect meals.

Early morning sports practice

Field trips

After school activities

Date nights

Birthday parties

Once you know your family's schedule for the week, you're ready to plan the meals. Using dinner as an example, if you know you have a busy Tuesday night with soccer practice, play rehearsal, and a spouse with a late meeting, you might want to do a crock pot recipe that night. If you have grown up plans on a Friday night, you might plan a kids' favorite like ready-made pizzas that are easy for the babysitter to prepare.

When You're Stumped

Sometimes you're just plain uninspired. This is where having a collection of family favorite recipes comes in handy. If you're not there yet, use this simple formula or any variation:

Sunday - Beef

Monday - Fish

Tuedsay - Chicken

Wednesday - Pork

Thursday - Vegetarian

Friday - Fish

Saturday - Chicken

It's simple, but often having a system makes it easier to think of meals your family likes. Instead of sitting down and thinking - Ug, I have to come up with seven meals? - you just need a beef dish, two chickens, etc. Once you have dinner covered, take a peek into the fridge and pantry to see what you're lacking. I mentally go through breakfast and lunch, adding items to the list.

The Efficient List

There are software programs you can buy where you enter your recipes and get fancy print out grocery lists. That's fine, but don't think that because you're not that organized or computer savvy that you're doomed to shop without a list.

You can make a simple Word or Excel document with common items that you buy and space for more. You could even write out a list and photocopy it. I like to do my menu and my list on the same piece of scratch paper. I keep it all week to remind me what I'd planned for dinner.

Now for recipes.  There are SO many on your computer.  I am going to list a fewvery easy ones and if you need more you can e-mail me.  If you want to find some on your own just go to your yahoo search box, type in the name of whatever you want,,,say "meatloaf recipe" and you will have hundreds of meatloaf recipes at your fingertips.

Good luck on your new adventure.  I have been cooking for well over 30 years and I just love it.

EASY SUPPER FOR FOUR

4 1/4 lb hamburger patties or 4 boneless chicken breast

4 small Potatoes

4 Carrots

2 Onions

Seasoning

Directions

Peel and slice potatoes, carrots, and onions.  Spray 4 large pieces of foil with cooking spray.  Place one hamburger patty or one boneless chicken breast on a sheet of sprayed foil.  Season meat to taste.  Divide slice potatoes, carrots, and onions evenly.  Place sliced potatoes, carrots, and onions on top of the meat.  Seal up foil packet.  Place in 400° oven for about 1 hour or until meat is fully cooked and potatoes and carrots are tender.  One packet makes one serving.

Quick & Easy Side Dishes

Bacon Mashed Potatoes

2-1/2 cups cubed peeled potatoes (3/4 pound)

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup mayonnaise

4-1/2 teaspoons minced chives

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain. Add the milk, mayonnaise, chives, garlic powder and pepper; mash potatoes. Stir in cheese and bacon.

Glazed Baby Carrots

1 pound fresh, frozen or canned whole baby carrots

Water

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4 cup brown sugar

Cook carrots in a small amount of water until tender. Drain. In a saucepan, combine butter and brown sugar; heat until sugar dissolves. Add carrots and toss to coat. Heat through.

Mixed Vegetable Casserole

1 package (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1 large onion, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers

1/4 cup butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Spoon into a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Combine the cracker crumbs and butter until crumbly; sprinkle over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

Onions Au Gratin

6 medium yellow onions

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup beef broth

1/2 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Slice the onions into 1/2-in.-thick rings; saute in butter until tender. Place in a greased 8-in. square baking dish. In a bowl, stir broth, cream, flour, salt and pepper until smooth; pour over onions. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and mixture is bubbly.

Sugar Snap Pea Stir Fry

1 pound fresh sugar snap peas

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot

1-1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1-1/2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Dash cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil

2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

In a large nonstick skillet or wok, saute the peas in canola oil until crisp-tender. Add the garlic, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and cayenne; saute 1 minute longer. Add basil; toss to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Steamed Lemon Broccoli

1 large bunch broccoli, cut into spears

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 cup thinly sliced celery

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt, optional

1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a saucepan, bring 1 in. water to a boil; place broccoli in a steamer basket over the water. Cover; steam for 5-6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Rinse in cold water; drain and set aside.

In a skillet, saute the onion, celery and garlic in butter until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon peel and juice, salt if desired, pepper and broccoli; heat through.

Pecan Green Beans

1-1/2 cups cut fresh green beans

2 tablespoons chopped pecans

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Place beans in a saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute the pecans in butter for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain beans; add to skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Okra Medley

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups sliced fresh okra

3 to 4 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped

2 cups frozen corn

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Add okra; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until corn is tender.

Casserole Recipes

Cheddar Mushroom Potato Casserole

4 medium potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Arrange potatoes in a greased shallow 2-qt. baking dish; sprinkle with cheese. In a bowl, combine soup, paprika and pepper; spread over cheese. Cover and bake at 400° for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Creamy Vegetable Casserole

1 package (16 ounces) frozen broccoli, carrots and cauliflower

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1 carton (8 ounces) spreadable garden vegetable cream cheese

1/2 to 1 cup seasoned croutons

Prepare vegetables according to package directions; drain and place in a large bowl. Stir in soup and cream cheese. Transfer to a greased 1-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with croutons. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Mushroom Green Bean Casserole

1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup half-and-half cream

1 jar (16 ounces) process cheese spread

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

2 packages (16 ounces each) frozen French-style green beans, thawed and well drained

2 to 3 tablespoons slivered almonds

In a large skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in butter. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; add the cheese sauce, soy sauce, pepper and hot pepper sauce, stirring until cheese is melted. Remove from the heat.    Place beans in an ungreased 3-qt. baking dish. Pour the cheese mixture over top. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.

nfd♥

Answer 8

Casseroles are usually good choices and their are so mant diff't kinds.

one my favs is: DORITO CASSEROLE

2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup

1 1/2 cups water

1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes, chopped

1 (13-16 ounce) bag plain Doritos

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1 lb ground beef

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions

1Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2Bring to a boil the soup, water, and tomatoes.

3Cook onion with ground beef.

4Place layer of slightly crushed Doritos in the bottom of a casserole.

5Add a layer of ground beef, a layer of soup mixture and a layer of Doritos.

6Continue until all ingredients are used.

7Top with cheese.

8Bake in 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.

9Serve and enjoy.

10You can also add canned beans and cooked rice to this casserole!

11If you can't get Rotel tomatoes, use a can of crushed, peeled tomatoes and add 1 tsp of seeded and minced jalapeno to them (or mild green chiles

Answer 9

chicken breast and frozen veggies and be made into a number of things like soups stews and hot or cold dishes, my favourite is to cut the chicken in to strips  and fry them up and then add some froxen veggies and make it into a wrap using your favourite flatbreads. if you cook to much at one remember leftovers of this can be reheated for anouther wrap.. or you can coook some rice and use it with that

Answer 10

Hamburger is the answer. You can make patties, add a jar of gravy...instant meal. Also add to mac a cheese. Tacos too.