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Greets TL!
Somehow I have made it through 24 years of life without learning how to cook. I’m not “OMG how do I sandwich?” awful, but I’m pretty bad. I had a chef in college (long story) and never bothered learning to cook afterwards. My culinary skills are basically limited to:
1) Boiling water and then boiling other things in said water
2) Anything with pre-mixed seasoning and step-by-step instructions on the box
Usually my lack of talent doesn’t matter because I have a good job and can afford to eat out. I also have a smaller appetite than the average person, so I often get by on one large meal a day which is perfect for dinner portions at restaurants.
The problem? My girlfriend just got back from a 3 month trip to Africa. While she was there she entered into some “pact” with a few other girls to spend a year without going to restaurants, department stores, buying coffee… basically anything they felt represents their “American privilege”. Because we live together I have essentially also taken this pledge + Show Spoiler + or as single men will read it – “FAILING FAILER EPICLY FAILS”
Normally I make her cook if she wants to stay in, but seeing as this is supposed to last for a year I figure I’m going to have to cook eventually. What’s worse, with her cooking most of the time I will have to cook UP to the standard she sets- which pretty much throws my current go-to meals out the window.
THE POINT- Please post some recipes/meal ideas that you think qualify as EASY
Some things I am looking for:
1) Easy spices + Show Spoiler + I really can’t handle a “dash” of anything. My idea of “salt to taste” involves adding salt until I cannot taste any of the other ingredients
2) Doesn’t include obscure ingredients. + Show Spoiler + If I were the type of person the buys artichoke hearts I wouldn’t need this thread, would I? I especially want to avoid buying $5 jars of spices that I will only use once.
3) Anything that makes lots of leftovers + Show Spoiler +soups, pasta sauces, casseroles etc.
4) Takes less than 1 hour + Show Spoiler +NOT including any time it spends sitting in the oven
I don’t need a full build order for the meal, mainly just the ingredients and oven temperatures. I know there are other cooking threads but this is geared towards things you can serve women with a straight face so no ramen or easy mac!
As I use your ideas I will update the OP so people can see which ideas I used and how easy they really were. I will especially update and post pics of any epic fail that occurs which is quite likely.
Much thanks in advance!
Edit(s)
ssamjang on ebay HERE
Meal 1 has already been picked! (but not cooked yet) + Show Spoiler +
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On April 22 2011 07:59 OmniscientSC2 wrote:
One of the only things I can make is "Camarones al Mojo De Ajo" which is basically.... Shrimp cooked in garlic.
Easiest thing to make ever:
1: Take a pan and cover with a light coat of Oil (any) and wait a minute or so for it to heat up.
2: Place Shrimp in (raw kk) with a clove or two of garlic.
3: Flip Shrimp over after a minute or two of them cooking.
4: Serve with a side of vegetables and some rice. :D
Oh yeah, add a bit of salt and a bit of pepper ^^
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http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?id=111240
Yes! I get to reference a Chill blog!
You should give us some idea what kind of food she likes? Personally, I love serving French-cut steaks with thinly sliced potatoes and onions with some nice spices.
I'm no pro cook either, but here's what I can make easily:+ Show Spoiler +
Really easy and takes maybe 20 minutes of attention.
I realize it's not the most appetizing looking food. But it truly does taste great:
It's essentially french-cut steaks (meaning they're really thin/flat) showered in red pepper spices, dashes in salt to kick up the flavor and then dipped into the oil-puddled pan. Simmer it and flip it after maybe 6-7 minutes on each side. Finish it with some if this mixed-bifteck spice and blanket it with monterey jack cheese.
Potatoes are thinly sliced and equally doused in oil (any kind of oil), let them sit and flip them on occasion so they don't burn on one side and onions are equally easy (let them soak shorter than the potatoes).
Add a dollop of sour cream on both steaks.
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Pasta is easy!
Chicken fettucini with white cream sauce.
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Rice + meat. :D
rice cooker + water = magic rice pot.
as for meat, we usually grab these...packs of pork? i duno what its called...but you know, just like small lumps of pork, chop them up until they're about the size of half your pinky finger. and thenn, i think you coat it really lightly in cornstarch to make it softer, marinate for a while in some soy sauce/sugar/pepper/what have you and then fry it in a pot. high temperature in the beggining and then bring it down a bit and let it simmer with the lid one.
when you fry it, you can throw in some veggies too like cut up celery or brocoli or whatever. the juice that comes out mixes really well and voila, you have a dinner :D
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On April 22 2011 07:54 mizU wrote:
Pasta is easy!
Chicken fettucini with white cream sauce.
This is probably going to be my main approach, making a sauce and throwing it on top of pasta. Any ideas on how to make a good cream sauce? I guess they sell it in jars but thats cheating
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One of the only things I can make is "Camarones al Mojo De Ajo" which is basically.... Shrimp cooked in garlic.
Easiest thing to make ever:
1: Take a pan and cover with a light coat of Oil (any) and wait a minute or so for it to heat up.
2: Place Shrimp in (raw kk) with a clove or two of garlic.
3: Flip Shrimp over after a minute or two of them cooking.
4: Serve with a side of vegetables and some rice. :D
Here is a cookbook that Plexa made. Very good
http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?topic_id=174541
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On April 22 2011 07:59 OmniscientSC2 wrote:One of the only things I can make is "Camarones al Mojo De Ajo" which is basically.... Shrimp cooked in garlic. Easiest thing to make ever: 1: Take a pan and cover with a light coat of Oil (any) and wait a minute or so for it to heat up. 2: Place Shrimp in (raw kk) with a clove or two of garlic. 3: Flip Shrimp over after a minute or two of them cooking. 4: Serve with a side of vegetables and some rice. :D Here is a cookbook that Plexa made. Very good http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?topic_id=174541
This will be meal #1
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On April 22 2011 07:55 felizuno wrote:Show nested quote +On April 22 2011 07:54 mizU wrote:
Pasta is easy!
Chicken fettucini with white cream sauce. This is probably going to be my main approach, making a sauce and throwing it on top of pasta. Any ideas on how to make a good cream sauce? I guess they sell it in jars but thats cheating
+ Show Spoiler +
Boil Water, break spaghetti in half (meaning take a sizeable handful of spaghetti and snap it in half of length).
Let it cook. Drain.
Leave it in the pot and let it cook and add two good shavings of butter to oil the spaghettis up.
New pan, throw some tomato sauce in there and let it cook at the 5th level, it shouldn't stick to the pan but if it does, don't worry not that big of a deal. Now add your own spices: some garlic powder, little bit of pepper to give it a kick and a small cut of cream cheese. Yes... cream cheese. It'll give it some texture, some color (orange in this case) and it'll be a bit tangy. Might taste weird, I liked it, others might not. Cream cheese also works if you go Alfredo and throw some chives in there (get the powder alfredo mix and then add chives and a bit of pepper, no garlic powder).
Mix it and let it cool for a bit.
Add spaghetti, pour alfredo down the middle of your spaghetti.
Serve.
(The image looks like shit because I added shredded cheese over my dish).
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On April 22 2011 08:02 felizuno wrote:Show nested quote +On April 22 2011 07:59 OmniscientSC2 wrote:One of the only things I can make is "Camarones al Mojo De Ajo" which is basically.... Shrimp cooked in garlic. Easiest thing to make ever: 1: Take a pan and cover with a light coat of Oil (any) and wait a minute or so for it to heat up. 2: Place Shrimp in (raw kk) with a clove or two of garlic. 3: Flip Shrimp over after a minute or two of them cooking. 4: Serve with a side of vegetables and some rice. :D Here is a cookbook that Plexa made. Very good http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?topic_id=174541 This will be meal #1
Oh yeah, add a bit of salt and a bit of pepper ^^
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1 -3lb Rotisserie Chicken from the store - Shred up all the meat.
1- Can of Rotel (I get the Hot with habanero's but whatever you prefer)
1 - Medium can of Diced Green Chili's
1 - 16-18 oz can of Green Chili Sauce
1 - Small Onion
1 - 10-12 count Burrito Sized tortilla's
1 - 2 cups of Mexican style cheese
Dice up the onion and throw in a pan with the chicken and a couple tablespoons of water. Spice to your likening. Wait for the Onions to soften up and the water to mostly evaporate.
Add the Diced Green chili's and the can of Rotel and stir.
Then add about half of the Green chili sauce in there as well, just enough to cover the all the ingredients(You want a nice thick filling so don't put too much sauce in their.)
You can throw in a handful of cheese into the sauce if you put too much to try and thicken it up.
Put the filling inside of a tortilla add cheese, wrap em' up, and place them in a casserole dish.
Throw some more green chili sauce on top and some more cheese.
Place in oven @ 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
20 minute prep time 20-25 minute cook time.
Deliciousness.
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Norway28495 Posts
This thread and the link to chill's thread inspired me to examine the internet for a way to buy ssamjang sauce online.
I failed. anyone able to help?  I remember I bought a bunch home with me last time I was in korea, but unfortunately that was a couple years ago, and right now I want this to such a degree that I'm contemplating ordering all the ingredients of ssamjang - which I am able to find on amazon of all places.
I guess there's ebay though, but I'd love for there to actually be an online store offering.
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On April 22 2011 08:10 Liquid`Drone wrote:This thread and the link to chill's thread inspired me to examine the internet for a way to buy ssamjang sauce online. I failed. anyone able to help? I remember I bought a bunch home with me last time I was in korea, but unfortunately that was a couple years ago, and right now I want this to such a degree that I'm contemplating ordering all the ingredients of ssamjang - which I am able to find on amazon of all places. I guess there's ebay though, but I'd love for there to actually be an online store offering.
http://www.asiakauf.com/en/
Top-right via "search": type; ssamjang
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On April 22 2011 08:10 Liquid`Drone wrote:This thread and the link to chill's thread inspired me to examine the internet for a way to buy ssamjang sauce online. I failed. anyone able to help? I remember I bought a bunch home with me last time I was in korea, but unfortunately that was a couple years ago, and right now I want this to such a degree that I'm contemplating ordering all the ingredients of ssamjang - which I am able to find on amazon of all places. I guess there's ebay though, but I'd love for there to actually be an online store offering.
Despite being the fool that started this thread I DO know what to do here. The problem with searching for this type of product is they aren't typically sold under the English name. I reccomend finding an ethnic grocery store like this one (thats where I go in Seattle but most big areas have something similar)
If that doesn't work I have bought bottles of sauce from restaurants before, just order enough to have leftovers and at the end of the meal say "Can I buy a bottle of ___ to go with these leftovers". Only really works with mom-and-pop's but with Korean food most are :-)
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Youtube vids, bro. It's quite easy to cook when someone's teaching you  .
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Norway28495 Posts
On April 22 2011 08:17 felizuno wrote:Show nested quote +On April 22 2011 08:10 Liquid`Drone wrote:This thread and the link to chill's thread inspired me to examine the internet for a way to buy ssamjang sauce online. I failed. anyone able to help? I remember I bought a bunch home with me last time I was in korea, but unfortunately that was a couple years ago, and right now I want this to such a degree that I'm contemplating ordering all the ingredients of ssamjang - which I am able to find on amazon of all places. I guess there's ebay though, but I'd love for there to actually be an online store offering. Despite being the fool that started this thread I DO know what to do here. The problem with searching for this type of product is they aren't typically sold under the English name. I reccomend finding an ethnic grocery store like this one (thats where I go in Seattle but most big areas have something similar) If that doesn't work I have bought bottles of sauce from restaurants before, just order enough to have leftovers and at the end of the meal say "Can I buy a bottle of ___ to go with these leftovers". Only really works with mom-and-pop's but with Korean food most are :-)
I live in Trondheim, Norway and there are no korean restaurants here. I've checked a couple "ethnic food stores" as well but they all seem to be either vietnamese of arab in origin, and I haven't found any ssamjang. Thank you though.
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Easy spaghetti recipe good to serve along any kind of meat (pork, chicken, cow):
Boil spaghetti only adding salt. When the spaghetty is cooked you have to drain out the water of the pan. Then wash the spaghetti in fresh water. Then put the washed spaghetti back into the pan.
Then add to the pan:
1) several nuggets of butter
2) garlic diced in very small pieces
3) an chicken broth (smashed between your fingers to reduce it to powder)
4) diced parsley
Then in low heat mix all slowly until the butter nuggets are melt down and the spaghetti is evenly hot again.
Serve immediately after putting down the fire. GL HF
You're welcome ^^
(sorry if the explanation wasn't too precise...english is not my main language)
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Steamed asparagus:
1. wash asparagus
2. chop off the root ends
3. place in a steamer, add salt, pepper and other preferred spices (I like oregano)
4. steam for 4-7 minutes
Sweet and sour cabbage:
1. chop cabbage into thin strips
2. heat pan on high heat until hot, add olive oil
3. add red pepper, garlic until both light brown
4. add cabbage, add salt, wait until softened
5. add black rice vinegar, add sugar
Green beans:
1. wash and clean green beans
2. heat pan on high heat until hot (no oil)
3. add green beans, grill on pan until partially browned, turn frequently
4. take out green beans
5. add oil oil, green onions, red pepper, garlic, ginger
6. add green beans back and stir fry
Fish fillet:
1. bread fish fillet with all purpose flour, salt, pepper and optional Parmesan cheese
2. coat hot pan with olive oil
3. add garlic and dill
4. add breaded fish into hot pan, press down lightly with spatula (this gives it a nice crispy crust)
5. flip when golden brown, and repeat 4 for other side
6. take out fish and deglaze pan with white wine
7. add butter, cream and lemon juice
8. wait until sauce thickens, pour into plate, place fish on top of sauce
Cooking is honestly one of the easiest things to do, just watch some foodnetwork shows and inspirations will come easily.
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Norway28495 Posts
that being said, if you know how to get ssamjang, here is what you do
buy lettuce (one that is easily foldable)
buy meatballs (or ground beef and just roll your own meatballs!)
heat meatballs
put meatball inside piece of lettuce with ssamjang sauce
eat
Also I just bought 5x 170 grams on ebay, hooray.
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On April 22 2011 09:02 Liquid`Drone wrote:
that being said, if you know how to get ssamjang, here is what you do
buy lettuce (one that is easily foldable)
buy meatballs (or ground beef and just roll your own meatballs!)
heat meatballs
put meatball inside piece of lettuce with ssamjang sauce
eat
Also I just bought 5x 170 grams on ebay, hooray.
I will be trying this and I also updated the OP to include the eBay link for ssamjang
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When you're in a rush and dunno what the hell to make--
Dice some potatoes (this means cut into bite size square-ish chunks).
Choose a meat (if chicken breast or steak or something, cut it into strips). Fish is not the best for this.
Chose other vegetables including but not limited to: carrots, onions, green beans, asparagus, etc, and cut them into edible size pieces.
Decide what seasonings you would like with all of this (do the smell test-- if it smells like it would be delicious with your steak and potatoes, it probably will be). Rub the raw meat with an appropriate amount of seasonings (read: if it strong enough to make your eyes water when you smell it, don't pour the whole thing into your food). If you are using ground beef, you will want to knead in the seasoning so it gets worked through all the meat.
Mix in the vegetables and potatoes and make sure it's all pretty evenly mixed together.
Divide into two piles.
Take a large sheet of tinfoil and wrap each serving individually. Use several layers.
Place on a cookie sheet so the juices do not make a mess of your oven, and bake at 350 for about 30-45 minutes, or until the meat is done. (Depends on how much meat you put in there to an extent.)
This is pretty good plain, or you can serve it with some basic soup (cream of chicken and mushroom go well with pretty much anything not sweet). If you don't like the same vegetables or seasoning as your gf, you can easily mix them separate. Takes about 15 minutes to prepare unless you are bad at chopping vegetables and go really slow cause you are afraid of cutting of your fingers.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/Xeroxer/P8200042.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/Xeroxer/DSCN3158.jpg)
