How can I learn how to cook? If I cook meats incorrectly, that could be dangerous...?

it is definitely cheaper to eat home cooked food. As for wasted ingredients, just don't waste food. Buy what you need and use it before it spoils. Restaurants toss out a huge amount of food on a daily basis. Cooking is not hard to learn, you just need to follow instructions. I'd suggest you pick up a good children's or rookie cookbook. These have some very easy recipes, and have more complete instructions to help novice cooks understand the terminology. People that say food prep takes too long, or that rationalize eating out are simply afraid to learn how to cook. It's not hard to learn to do basics. Chicken fingers for example, are very easy. You just buy boneless, skinless chicken breast and cut it into the size you like. Then you take crushed crackers or bread crumbs, add seasoning to suit your taste, then you roll the chicken pieces in melted butter or margarine, then roll in the crumb mixture to coat. Then bake on a cookie sheet at 350F until done. If you're not sure if it's done, take out the thickest one, and slice it open to see if it's got any pink in the middle. If you over cook it a bit, they'll just be a bit dry. Cooking is very much a skill you learn by doing. So get out there and cook some stuff. Even just basics like grilled cheese, or bacon and eggs. Once you've had some practice and are more comfortable, you can try more complicated dishes. If you have any detailed questions, or want pointers, feel free to e-mail me. And yes I can cook. In fact I sometimes think that's the real reason my wife married me.

Buy a cookbook (my parents love the Joy of Cooking...I have a Betty Crocker cookbook that I use frequently). Joy of Cooking not only has recipes, but it also has tips or substitutions and such. For chicken and turkey, you want to cook them until they are no longer pink. For beef (hamburgers are really the only beef I cook) you want the juice to run clear, and that rule may also apply to poultry. Another thing you could do is by precooked things (I think perdue makes several different types of precooked chicken). Things like this you could toss in a frying pan with some veggies for a quick stir fry...

Its time to take a breath and slow down, are you going to live longer for the fast pace world you live in? I dont think so, in fact you will die sooner if you have to live in a racing world, My son is single and even he takes time to cook for himself, There is a lot of prepackaged meals out there, first buy a crockpot, if your both working it will be a time saver, the stores even sell a prepackaged crockpot meals, all you do is put it in the crockpot and put it on and in 4 to 6 hours it will be ready, they even have crockpots that will go to warm after it is done cooking. now for something to cook. how about chicken breast, skinless and boneless, buy 2 chicken breast wash well, set breast in a bowl and add lemon juice for a marinade, add some garlic powder or garlic salt and pepper, let stand while you prepare the vegetable, buy some fresh broccolli and break off all the tops off the stalk and put them in a microwave bowl, than turn your chicken to marinade the other side, make sure the broccolli has a cover on it, , you need a carbohydrate so buy some potatoes, large for baking, wash well, take 2 and slice an x in the potatoes and wrap in plastic wrap, put in the microwave for about 15 min. to test for doneness squeeze with a hotpad or dry towel ,if they are soft than their done. now put the potatoes on the back of the stove, now cook the broccolli in the microwave for about 15 min. you can check for doness by piercing the broccolli with a fork, while the broccolli is cooking put the chicken in the fry pan, dry with a paper towel first, fry in eather olive oil or vegetable oil fry for about 6 to 8 min on each side, you could also use a electric grill like the forman grills they have cheaper brands out in the stores, now, you should have every thing cooked and it shouldn't have taken anymor than 30 min. I 'm sure you no what to put on the potatoes and the chicken should be very moist and you can put a couple of slices of cheeze on the broccolli, if desired , if you want, make a salad and I hope you like it. Aprileat.

Unfortunately, I'm in a similar boat to you so I'd love to know this as well. A good way to tell if your meat is done, though, is to use a meat thermometer(~$5) until you learn other ways to tell if it's done and which meats actually have to be fully cooked. I usually get recipes here: www.allrecipes.com www.food.com I'd really love to be able to cook from my heart, though, and not someone elses recipes.

Your best bet is to make a large batch of meatloaf and divide it up into those store bought aluminum foil baking trays and freeze them after cooking (you can freeze them before cooking but it's a hassle to thaw and cook rather than just thaw, heat and eat) Now you'll have red meat for your fella and you can make yourself premade meals with chicken. I'll attach a few recipes. I'm going to send you the absolute simplest recipes you could ever imagine. Feel free to email me and I'll send you a slew of recipes. I make caseroles all the time because they are really easy to prepare and can be frozen for later meals. They also have the 4 basic food groups in one easy to make meal. Chicken Enchillada Caserole Ingredients: 12 pack of large flour tortillas, large can of enchillada sauce, large can precooked chicken (you can also find it in the butcher department pre cooked but I like the canned better), large can corn, shredded mexican cheese, optional sour cream. Tear up the tortillas into the size of a dollar, drain corn and chicken and blend them together with the enchillada sauce (minus 1/2 cup). Put the half cup sauce in the bottom of pan to keep tortillas from burning. Now layer (like lasagna) the tortillas (overlapping them slightly), the meat/corn/sauce, cheese and repeat until all ingredients are used. Cook at 350* for 45 minutes. I would make this recipe in individual portions for future meals.

You're speaking very frankly about a problem of our times. We have a cultural breakdown from not eating together. Home Economics used to be taught in schools. Start by watching the Food Network on Cable, if you get it. Or you can access them & many others on-line. Hubby is wrong about food waste & cost in restaurants. Your friends are just trying to make excuses. You are right about risks of improper food handling. The best safeguard for cooking meat is a thermometer. These days, you can get accurate electronic ones. But you also need to be careful handling raw meat.

Firstly, learning to cook isn't hard. There are a number of good cookbooks that can help you. Of course, there is the other method. Just read the labels. You'll need a few tools. These include a good knife set, spatulas, spoons, and a whisk (or whip). Get a decent cutting board that has two identifiable sides (one for meat, one for veggies). You'll need some pots and pans, and probably a cookie sheet or two. Have some plastic wrap (never to go in the oven), and some aluminum foil. Get some storage bags or containers too. Also make sure you have some hand soap in the kitchen. You need to wash your hands each time after you handle meat. If you touch the veggies after the meat without hand washing, you can move germs between the two, and the veggies may not get hot enough to kill the germs. For meats, get a meat thermometer. When you cook it, check the temperature inside the meat to make sure it is hot enough. I think it is around 160 F for chicken, for example. There is no such restriction for veggies. Start with simple meals. You can pick up veggies, and boil them or nuke them. Pick up prepared meats at first. Frozen combos work pretty well. Start adding a little around them, such as a salad. There is no reason to handle everything all at once. As you get a little more practice, get some pancake mix, and make pancakes. It will take a few days to get everything just right, but it is worth it. Add things to the pancakes, such as fruit. Look at the backs of the food containers for simple ideas on how to cook things. Follow these instructions at first. Later on, you'll figure out where you can depart from them. Cooking preparation will take about 20-30 minutes per meal if you make a decent sized meal. Some foods may take only a few minutes to cook, others an hour or so. Never undercook meats. Count on making a few meals that are good excuses to eat out. As you start to cook, you'll start to notice how things are done at the restaurants, such as what sauce they use, what spices are used, etc. Try to emulate these at home from time to time. You can also play a bit with salad dressings to further get savings. Mixing honey and mustard together gives honey mustard dressing. Consider varying the mustard, or adding some other flavors with it. In general, simple is best. Make sure your meals are colorful. One meat, one green veggie, one colored veggie, and one starch is the old standard.

Here is a website that is easy to follow recipes. Be sure to put it into your "Favorites) : http://www.cooks.com/rec/ch/main_dishes.html You are going to have to cook two meals if you two are not going to eat the same foods. Perhaps it is time for him to do what other men are doing...learn to cook too. Cooking is a breeze now days. First you must get acquainted with your local grocery store. Clerks are there to help you, so ask for the manager or a clerk to walk around with you. What you will find: Frozen dinners already cooked - warm in microwave. Stick with the big name brands for good taste. Add a can of veggies or frozen veggies as a side dish. Pre-cooked meats found in the cold section (just pop into the microwave for a few minutes) such as baked ham, pot roast, chops, chicken, meatloaf, and so much more. Canned vegetables to add as a side dish. Canned sweet potatoes to add as a side dish. Canned potatoes to add as a side dish. Frozen vegetables in large bags or small boxes. Heat in microwave. Fresh salad greens now come already cut up and in large packages. Buy the pre-washed types. All you have to do is add the salad dressing. Be sure to use by the date on the bag. Salads turn black and need to be thrown away if not used by the printed date on the bag. Canned soups are delicious. Follow the directions on the cans. Frozen desserts of all types. Follow directions on the containers. Bake shop inside the grocery store has all kinds of desserts. The deli has delicious rotisserie/roasted chickens. They also have all types of side dishes for you to choose from. But if you would like to cook from scratch, go to this link and follow directions. Put this website into your "Favorites". At the website, scroll down the screen and read some of the dinner recipes. On the left hand side you will find categories. Buy a crock pot, read the directions...you put your dinner recipe in the crock pot, turn the knob to low most of the time, and it will be cooking while you are away from your home. Here are 1,160 Crock Pot recipes: http://www.cooks.com/rec/search?q=crock+... Here are 2,600 Microwave recipes: http://www.cooks.com/rec/search?q=microw... There are jars of all types of sauces for all kinds of noodles. These are found on a shelf. Noodles are in packages, follow the directions...most of the time you will need a deep pan for boiling lots of hot water for the noodles. A clerk can help you find these items. You will find many brand named boxed dinners such as Pasta-Roni. There is a seasoned packet in each box. (My favorite is Garlic & Olive Oil. I put more garlic powder in it 'cause I like to taste lots of garlic) Ask a clerk if you need help in finding these boxed dinners. Remember...safety in the kitchen at all times. Keep EVERYTHING clean!!! Keep hot foods hot, and cold foods cold!!! And "when in doubt, throw it out". **************************** 1. Hamburger - Video: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-the-perfect-hamburger 2. Steak - Video: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-rib-eye-steak 3. Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich-video: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-a-philly-cheese-steak-sandwich 4. Cheese Omelette-video: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-a-cheese-omelette 5. Roast Beef-in crock pot-video: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-roast-beef 6. Cesar Salad - Video: http://www.flixya.com/video/303031/Cesar_Salad 7. CATALINA CHICKEN: From http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1939,148181-224193,00.html Chicken breast (or your favorite piece) Garlic salt Catalina dressing Arrange chicken pieces in baking dish. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Top each piece with Catalina dressing. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. 8. Magic Seven-Layer Bars recipe from: cooks.com Magic Seven-Layer Bars Ingredients 1/2 c Butter 1 c Butterscotch chips 1 1/2 c Graham cracker crumbs 1 c Walnuts, chopped 6 oz Semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 c Sweetened condensed milk 1 c Coconut, shredded Instructions for Magic Seven-Layer Bars Melt butter in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Sprinkle crumbs over butter and add remaining ingredients in layers as given. Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes. Makes about 40 bars Note: If you prefer a thicker bar, use a 9 x 9 inch pan. Bake 10 minutes longer.

Cooking your own food is only a chore if you dislike doing it..a lot of us get real satisfaction out of preparing even a simple meal, knowing what went in it and being in control of the costs and care involved. So, good for you that you want to try. If you are in England then get yourself the Marks and Spencers cook book, it has a number of simple recipes and sections about different products telling you how to cook them, to what temperature and so on..this book and a meat thermometer is a really good introduction to cookery..or, if you prefer, there are always Delia Smiths "How to Cook" books ..which are excellent but take a lot more time getting to grips with. If you are in Canada or the States then get a current copy of the Five Roses cook book..and if it is out of print then get a used copy from a book store. My mother bought a copy of this more than fifty years ago; I still use her copy and my daughter has copied any number of recipes out of it. Although it has been around a long time the publishers have kept this book up to date..again, get a meat thermometer; the best way to feel confident about meat being correctly cooked is to be able to look at a thermometer and see that it is..the old fashioned round ones with a metal spike behind are excellent and informative. As for cooking for your fiancee, he won't complain about not getting burgers and fries once he's been reminded what real food tastes like in the comfort of his own home.If he does..well, you belong to a generation that was never taught to use the kitchen properly, the end result is dependence upon fast foods and ready-made dishes that are usually bad for your health; you don't want to put your children into the same situation.