Cooking Basics for Dummies
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Now expanded with tasty new recipes and tips on techniquesSavvy tips and easy recipes for preparing great mealsTired of eating takeout every night? Does boiling an egg seem like a challenge? Relax! This fun guide will have you navigating the kitchen like a pro in no time. With over 150 tempting, hassle-free recipes covering trends like low-fat and vegetarian cuisines – and advice on kitchen skills, supplies, organizing, and budgeting – you’ll be making scrumptious feasts for any occasion!Discover how to:Equip your kitchenUnderstand basic techniquesCook eggs, soups, pastas, meat, poultry, and fishCreate delectable dessertsMake appealing meals in under an hour
ForewordxviiIntroduction1About This Book2Conventions Used in This Book2What You're Not to Read3Foolish Assumptions4How This Book Is Organized4Icons Used in This Book6Where to Go from Here7Part IGo On In - It's Only the Kitchen9Chapter 1Cooking with Confidence11Warming Up to Your Kitchen12Setting up your cooking space12Introducing major appliances: Friends, not foes15Getting Acquainted with Basic Cooking Techniques20Planning Your Menu21Kitchen Safety 10122Now Get Crackin'!24Chapter 2Gathering the Tools You Need27Collecting Your Cookware Basics27Pots and Pans 10128Comparing cookware before you buy28Investing in the essentials...and then some29Extras you may not want to live without35From Slicing to Dicing: Knives for All Occasions36Selecting the knives you need36Using knives safely39Tools for Mixing and Baking40Small Appliances: Necessity or Luxury?43Slow cookers and pressure cookers44Toasters and toaster ovens45Electric griddles and stovetop grills45Mixers, beaters, and blenders45Food processors, choppers, dicers, and slicers46Java station: Coffee makers and grinders47Specialty appliances: Help or hype?47Miscellaneous Gizmos and Gadgets47Chapter 3The Bare Necessities: Stocking Your Pantry51Dry Goods: The Pantry's Backbone52Spicing Up Your Life with Dried Herbs, Spices, and Seasonings52Peanut Butter and Beyond: Bottled and Canned Goods58Condiments to Fancy-Up Any Meal60Stocking Up on Baking Supplies61Cooling It with Refrigerated and Frozen Staples63Squeezing the Melon: Buying and Storing Fruits and Vegetables66Picking your produce66Stocking your produce bin like a pro67Storing produce to last68Selecting, Buying, and Storing Meat, Poultry, and Fish69Beef70Chicken71Fish72Part IIKnow Your Techniques75Chapter 4Boiling, Poaching, and Steaming77Cooking Food with Water: The Techniques Defined77Making Rice Just Right79Converted or parboiled rice80Long-grain and short-grain rice81Wild rice85Brown rice85Working with Other Whole Grains86Boiling and Steaming Delicious Vegetables89Simple tips for boiling and steaming a dozen fresh vegetables92Trying something new: Vegetable purees94Poaching Seafood95Chapter 5Sauteing99Knowing When to Use Oil or Butter100Making Great Sauce from Bits in the Pan: Deglazing101Mincing Onions and Garlic102Getting Versatile with Your Sauteing103Vegetables104Firm, rich fish106Chicken107Beef109Chapter 6Braising and Stewing: Now That's Home Cookin'113Braising versus Stewing114Try Braising - It's Easy!115Time to Stew119Chapter 7The House Sure Smells Good: Roasting125Roasting 101126Seasoning a roast126To sear or not to sear?126Basting127Resting your roast127Roasting times and temperatures128Roasting Poultry132Roasting Your Veggies136Roasting the Big Guns: Beef, Pork, Lamb, Ham, and Ribs139Chapter 8Coals and Coils: Grilling and Broiling151Preparing for Grill Time152Choosing charcoal, gas, or electric152Grilling tips155Marinating myths and facts156Get to Grilling!157Chapter 9Creating Sensational Sauces167What Sauce Really Is168Classic White Sauce from ze French169Brown Sauces Worth Wearing a Bib For172Egg in Your Sauce174Blender Sauces: Impressive in Minutes177Dessert Sauces to Die For179Part IIIExpand Your Repertoire185Chapter 10The Amazing Egg187Selecting Fresh Eggs187All about eggs: Grade, size, and color188Specialty eggs: Worth the extra bacon?188Discovering the Real Deal about Raw Eggs189Getting the Techniques Right190Breaking a few eggs190Separating an egg191Beating egg whites191Folding egg whites192Cooking and peeling hard-cooked eggs192Enjoying Eggs-traordinary Egg Recipes195Chapter 11Stirring Up Soup-er Homemade Soups203Brushing Up on a Few Essential Soup Skills204Up the savory quotient: Sauteing meat and vegetables205Whack that clove: Preparing fresh garlic206Getting to the meat of fresh tomatoes: Peeling and seeding206Peeling an onion - hold the tears!207Following a Few Tricks of the Soup Trade207Thickening your soup208Skimming soups and stocks209Cozying Up to Comforting Soups209Achieving the Perfect Blend: Pureed Soups214Chunky Soups to Sink Your Teeth Into217Getting Sweet with Soup219Chapter 12All Dressed Up: Salads and Dressings221So Many Dressings, So Little Time221Puckering up for tangy vinaigrettes222Concocting creamy dressings226The Soul of the Salad: Crisp, Fresh Greens227Getting your greens squeaky-clean227Buying and storing greens227A glossary of greens228Ten Quick Salads... So Easy You Don't Need a Recipe233Chapter 13Pastamania235Don't Sweat the Fresh Stuff: Dried versus Fresh Pasta235Pasta Tips and Tricks236Name That Pasta: Pasta Types and Cooking Times238Macaroni239Strand pasta239Flat ribbon pasta240Stuffed pasta240Sundry other shapes241Sauces: Pasta's Best Friends241Name that sauce: Classic sauce types242Picking perfect tomatoes243Pasta Creations243Chapter 14One-Pot Meals251Savoring the Benefits of Slow Cookers251Speeding Up the Cooking: Using a Pressure Cooker254From Oven to Table: Simplicity in a Casserole Dish255Chapter 15Sweet Somethings265Half Empty or Half Full: Measuring Techniques266Cozy Puddings and Elegant Ices267Fruit from the Oven273Cookie Collection: All You Need Is a Glass of Milk277Let Them Eat Cake (Or Tart or Tiramisu)282Part IVNow You're Cooking! Real Menus for Real Life291Chapter 16Champagne Dishes on a Beer Budget293Big Dishes for Small Bucks294Crowd-pleasing chili295Stir-fry for pennies297Super Sidekicks299Root vegetables299Dried beans300Seasonal vegetables304Chapter 17Honey, I'm Bringing the Boss Home for Dinner305If You Have All Day306Classy hors d'oeuvres306Elegant entrees308Suave side dishes310Irresistible desserts - easy as pie311If You Have One Hour318Getting started: Quickie appetizers318Entree: The short version319Super-quick side dishes321Desserts on the double322If You Have 30 Minutes323Hungry now? Instant hors d'oeuvres324Main dishes in minutes325Sides of veggies in a flash328Speedy sweets328Chapter 18Cook Once, Eat Thrice: Making the Most of Leftovers329Making the Most of a Pork Shoulder329On the Lamb: Serving It Three Ways333Chicken Dinner Times Three336Work This Way: Stir-Frying340Part VSpecial Occasions345Chapter 19Summertime Soiree347Planning the Party347Making Fried Chicken to Please a Crowd349Serving Up Sides and a Sweet Finish351Mixing Fruity Drinks for Thirsty Crowds358Chapter 20Super Bowl Buffet361Bowling 'Em Over with a Super Menu361Ready by Halftime: Making Your Meal362Chapter 21Thanksgiving Dinner369Planning Your Thanksgiving Menu370Warming Up for the Feast with Fresh Dips371Roasting the Turkey374Making Scrumptious Stuffing379Preparing Holiday Vegetables382Who Has Room for Dessert?385Part VIThe Part of Tens389Chapter 22Ten Common Cooking Disasters and How to Deal with Them391Chapter 23Ten Ways to Think Like a Chef399Appendix AGlossary of 100 (Plus) Common Cooking Terms403Appendix BCommon Substitutions, Abbreviations, and Equivalents411Index419
