#3. Simplest yogurt sauce

[mrbungle]

So, I am slowly going through How to Cook Everything in an effort to learn how to cook. Right now I’d put my skill level at….poor-to-fair. My heart’s in the right place, though.

Anyway. I’m going to post photos of the stuff I make, just so you know how it’s going. This first chapter is all about sauces and marinades and such, so it may start out

Comments

[the_brown_bunny]

knowing how to cook = THE BEST. have fun!

[mrbungle]

Yeah! The intro to this book says something about how when you're cooking, it's almost meditative. And I think that's true. When I'm doing stuff, I'm so focused on what I'm doing--the measuring, the cutting, the stirring--that my brain shuts up for a bit and it's kind of peaceful. I'm really enjoying it.

Plus I have some really forgiving family members who are going to be very happy with nearly anything I make, no matter how it turns out. When I go to my parents' house on Sundays, I have access to all their ingredients, and grateful stomachs. :)

Plus, chicks like a dude who can cook, yeah?

[the_brown_bunny]

um YEAH! kind of a deal breaker for me if a guy can't make some basics. chicks will be stoked if you have them over for a -serious- dinner. pretty much a no fail!

[mrbungle]

I should probably buy a table then. That "cooking and then eating on the floor" thing works great in "Scott Pilgrim," but I find that Ramona Flowers is kind of a fanboy dream.

[productofxand0]

I was going to comment on your tumblr post about "it needs more __________", but I needed more than the 250 characters they allow. These are just a few tips/tricks mostly dealing with seasoning. Hope this helps!

One good trick is to taste what you're making, smell some spices/herbs individually, then add whatever you think it needs. Repeat until you get the desired flavor. And remember you can always add more not less, so start slowly and keep adding until you reach the flavor you want.

Fresh herbs are stronger than dried so be careful when substituting. Usually, 1 part fresh herbs equal 2 parts dried, but that's not always the case. It depends on the herb and the recipe. If something calls for fresh herbs you'll usually want to use fresh. You can ruin something by adding too much dried herbs, the flavor might be right but you just ended up putting half a cup of oregano into your meal to get there

[mrbungle]

Good tips! :)

Also, I think knowing what what you're cooking is supposed to taste like helps. Like, if you're making a thing for the first time, I, personally, feel sort of in the dark. I think I'll get some experience under my belt and I should hopefully be better at this. :)

[dravene]

I made this last night. Was super quick and easy, and makes great leftovers for the week.

Casseroles are the way to go for sure. They're easy and go a long way.

And regarding the above post, as far as baking... I've been baking all my life and have never used one. I'm sure you can go without it unless you intend to do some zomghardcore baking.

[mrbungle]

Some day, I'm going to get to that point where I will cook something Sunday night that I can live off of for a few days. That seems most economical. Right now though, I'm just like "Um...I should probably buy some sugar if I want to make anything." I need to get a sort of....pantry with some guts to it. Not just canned soup and tea. ;)

[greenfly422]

I only know how to bake cookies. It's all I have.

[mrbungle]

I'm sure your cookies are lovely. :)

(sex joke here)

But I'm betting if you can make cookies you can make muffins. And pancakes. I believe in you, Anne. Your magic is real.

[dravene]

and if you can make pancakes, you can make crepes. and if you can make crepes, you can put nutella on them. and you should invite me over.