Do you know how to cook.

[realist]

I was looking at the post by sniper on dinner porn and hit on this. Do you cook, no not your wife or significant other but you? In any situation it is important to become proficient in the various skills. It is also important to pass those skills on to our offspring. I have a friend who never really cooked but his wife is a great cook. Well he recently got a Traeger BBQ and now he is cooking a whole bunch. Did it mention this guy just turned 60 so it is never too late to start. So for those of you who don't cook I would like to encourage you to start. It doesn't matter if it is indoors or outdoors. So anyone out there who has been sitting on the fence trying to figure how how to start I would like to offer my services and those of the rest on the forum to help (no I didn't ask but I have yet to find anyone on this forum who is not willing to help). It can be as easy as scrambled eggs for breakfast, just get out and do it...............please, we are here to help.

[jamesneuen]

Bahahahaha!!!! I cook almost everything in the house. The wife loves the slow cooker but that's about it.

[Fidel MD]

Yes, I cook. It's funny, but it's something that lots of doctors do.

[Sniper-T]

I've been known to dabble in the culinary arts... And Mrs. Sniper can hold her own too!

[realist]

How about those that don't cook?

[Gunfixr]

I cook some. My wife is far better, I couldn't put the meals together she does. I can cook better over a fire.
I certainly won't starve.

[oif0709]

I can cook, I'd like to learn more outdoors recipes, like how to easily make a little bread in an outdoor environment.
I've used bisquik on a stick over a fire, packed mud around an egg to cook it, and so on.
I need more bushcraft cooking skills As well.

[Sniper-T]

The one, single most versatile pot I have for oudoor cooking is a good steel wok! There is not anything that cannot be made in it.
IMO

[ElevenBravo]

We both cook, my wife mostly because I work and shes at home... but I love to cook!

I also do outdoor cooking, cast iron and fire wood... skillets, pots and dutch ovens. LOVE IT, its like a hobby. Once the weather gets nicer, Im going to add to my series..
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDuF4XyN5Bie3SUVsFMtg5O-eVTCSeanU


EB

[bacpacker]

The wife does most of our cooking,mainly cause she loves cooking and she's good at it. I do all the grilling and I'm decent over a fire. I can manage in the kitchen, some stuff I'm decent at. I can keep us fed if need be. But I much prefer her cooking.

[eagle326]

I've been known to dabble in the culinary arts... And Mrs. Sniper can hold her own too!


Dabble !! ; Really!! ; Dabble!!!
I've seen your food porn Sniper!! ; You're a top tier provider of culinary taste and variable dealer of food addiction to us mere mortals.
Just be glad I don't live near you. I'd be shooting everything I could just so you'd have to prep it for human addiction and yet make it taste comforting and a joy to the palate and taste buds.

Okay I'm off to cook me up some spam & eggs Ala Sniper.

[helomech]

The one, single most versatile pot I have for oudoor cooking is a good steel wok! There is not anything that cannot be made in it.
IMO

You mean one like this.

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii247/helomech1973/IMG_1566.jpg (http://s266.photobucket.com/user/helomech1973/media/IMG_1566.jpg.html)

And yes I can cook pretty much anything. My son has also been cooking since he was about 10, and is a great cook.

[bacpacker]

I have a wok like that Helo. Did you get it a Agri Supply?

[Sniper-T]

that's exactly what I mean! Awesome!

[helomech]

I have a wok like that Helo. Did you get it a Agri Supply?

Bought it online years ago. Not sure where.

[ak474u]

I do ALL grilling, and smoking. I also cook about half of the meals around here especially the ones with meat involved, my wife works long hours and the 5 year old waits for no one when he's hungry, as a matter of fact, that was his first word. I'm a pretty good cook, my brother is a chef, and my mom is a fabulous cook even after losing her sense of smell and taste, so I've had pretty good training. My wife is a great cook as well.

[mitunnelrat]

I recall that discussion there, and I'm getting better because I'm starting to enjoy it, but still have a ways to go before I'd consider myself "skilled"

[jamesneuen]

my thing is that i am trying to teach my wife how to cook with what equipment. when we first met she put my favorite cast iron skillet in the DISHWASHER! ! ! But she is learning slowly. Can't count how many nonstick pans she ruins with metal utensils. We don't have the opportunity down here for her to learn over an open fire but she is grilling and learning to slow cook in a solar oven.

[realist]

Both my son and nephew who are in their 20's are commodities because they cook. They both say the majority of women they come across have no idea how to cook. I forced both my kid to learn and now it is paying off. It's nice to have my son home because he like to try out his new recipes on us. My daughter is still learning. This summer I will be taking her out to work on her camping skills.

[ak474u]

Both my son and nephew who are in their 20's are commodities because they cook. They both say the majority of women they come across have no idea how to cook. I forced both my kid to learn and now it is paying off. It's nice to have my son home because he like to try out his new recipes on us. My daughter is still learning. This summer I will be taking her out to work on her camping skills.

I was single into my early 30s so I taught myself stuff a wife or significant other would've usually taken care of. I had a garden on the balcony of my ratty little apartment, and I cooked every day. When I was a realtor I had some clients that were ladies, who lets just say liked softball. They would always ask me what I was up to, and what I was gonna cook that day, I'd tell them and they'd always tease me and say I was gonna make some man a good wife someday. I just told them I wasn't gonna wait for some chick to come around just so I'd be able to eat good food at home.

[robsdak]

if i didn't, i'd starve. mom taught me well as a kid, along with sewing, laundry, ??? LOL she always told me 'some woman is going to see your skills and snatch you up'. she was right, the LAZY ONES!

[Katrina]

Da hubs does ok, I did most of the cooking while he and I worked but with him retired, he's been trying to create stuff using the food storage. He put together a GREAT casserole using canned goods and a bit of garlic powder. Now if I can just get him to remember to tell me what we are getting short on stuff he uses up.. LOL
His Mom taught ALL 5 of her boys (before their baby sis was born) to cook, clean sew and do laundry.Both my boys are great cooks And yes I made sure they know how to sew, clean and cook.Both DIL's are so grateful that they don't have "helpless" males in the house.

[Willie51]

We both cook. Songbird is a great cook from the north and she's learned some southern cooking over the years as well. I do all the grilling on my Big Green Egg and love doing it. I also love to make pies.

I need to learn more about cooking from total scratch though.

[Vodin]

Grill Meister here! If there is a type of food.. I will grill it. Awesome Pizza made on the grill. Make crust 1st and then.. ohh sorry mind was wandering. Wife is an awesome cook/baker and I can only grill. Am told that I make to big of a mess in the kitchen..

[ElevenBravo]

Just finished Chicken & Dumplins (Its how we say it in the south)

Big pack of boneless chicken breast tossed into 1 big can of cream of chicken soup and 2 big boxes of chicken broth. Cooked on low in oval crock pot for 10 hours.

After I came home, I brought a big pot of water to a hard boil, unpacked a can of Grands biscuits and cut each into quarters with a pizza cutter... dropped half a can in at a time and cooked for about 4 minutes.

Add dumplins (Its how we say it in the south) to crock pot and serve.

Before you cook the dumplins, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Chicken melts in your mouth, dumplins are wonderful, broth is delicious.

Cost is about $20 or so, feeds 4 with seconds of same portion. (feeds 8).

EB

[Sniper-T]

What are these canned biscuits you speak of?

[Katrina]

Willie, Maybe this will help you. It how Mom & Pop taught me and the siblings and how I taught my boys to cook from scratch.
I'm lucky in the fact I got my mom's old cookbook (late 40's early 50's) she taught me to start with a simple recipe from the book. The cookbook didn't have a lot of open a can of whatever and mix together recipes. It dealt with basic ingredients and how to put together dishes. So if some of your older family members has an old cook book you can borrow, pick a recipe. Gather the ingredients and your utensils, measure cups, spoons, etc. Make the recipe EXACTLY as you see in the book, that is your base recipe. Eat it but think how it tastes. Do you like a little more spice, little less, do you need to increase the basic recipe to feed more than what it says it feeds? Make it another time but adjust the spices, herbs, etc to your taste and # of people, Pop used to pencil in the margins his adjustments for increasing the recipe to fit our family of 7 IE: teaspoon and half more of this, 1/2 cup more of this. Once you get a feel for how you like something, you'll be able to take basic ingredients and "create" meals. It may sound simple but it is a matter of trial and error. Yes I've had a lot of fails over the years so did the boys (thank heaven for PB&J,Grilled Cheese, LOL) but if you keep on it, you'll surprise yourself. If you can, just play in the kitchen with spices, herbs. Get to know which ones go together, which need to stand alone in a dish. Most of the time you'll be able to remember what you did for a favorite dish and will be able to put it together with ease, if you keep practicing. Yes I have had to toss somethings , even the dog turned his nose up at them they were that bad

[robsdak]

What are these canned biscuits you speak of?

right??? we in the 'south' make them from scratch. must be a YANKEE thing??? :p

[ElevenBravo]

Canned biscuits make a fast and easy dumplin, was going to make from scratch but the other 2 residents like the butter biscuit dumplins, so....

[Vodin]

Hate to say it but Grands taste good but wont make it once the fridge is gone. MRE will only go so long till one you start eating grass for flavor or you run out of em.

Katrina has it right I think start messing with spices and learn more about their flavors that they impart. Honestly I feel that my wife and I have awesome skills with food. And that in a SHTF moment will make it more bearable.

Speaking of survival I just got a hold of a book that I suggest to you with the highest recommendations: "The Wild Wisdom of Weed by Katrina Blair"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB4HSN0r-Eo

She lives in Durango Colorado. It will surprise you what can be fixed. Granted I like meat with a side of meat but if there is none at the moment of hunger..

[realist]

Katrina I was lucky too and got all my mom's cookbooks. All four of my sisters are good cooks and did not want them, their loss. I got one small little red book, no not Mao's, that is a chefs book from the 1800's which gives all sorts of substitutes you can use when supplies are low. Cookbooks are awesome, it is one of the things my wife and i agree on. We have two cabinets full of cookbooks. When we did a remodel we culled a bunch and they went up north to the cabin. One thing I have a bunch of is wild game cookbooks, I also have put together a loose leaf binder of our own favorite recipes.

[jamesneuen]

My problem with the cookbooks I inherited is that half of them are in German. Really pisses the wife off trying to use google translate to switch the recipe's and then use a converter to put them in imperial instead of metric.

I am trying to find some good cookbooks for north america wild game cooking and using only wild found herbs for seasoning when cooking. Anybody got a line on one?

[realist]

It just give you a reason to go to Germany to get some real instruction and translation. I suggest maybe in October........say around Octoberfest......

[Sniper-T]

I am trying to find some good cookbooks for north america wild game cooking and using only wild found herbs for seasoning when cooking. Anybody got a line on one?

This site used to be exactly what you are looking for, I printed craploads off of it back before it was a sign up thing. Not sure what else has changed, but you can check it out...

http://www.allnaturalseasoning.com/

[jamesneuen]

Realist, I speak German fluently. It's my wife that doesn't.

ST- thanks but I'm not even sure how to sign up for it?! lol. I am trying to get my library up to snuff. I know that Sage is a great seasoner for a lot of things and smoking things will give a ton of flavor.

[bacpacker]

Have the wife try "babblefish" it is one of the best translators I have found. Where I used to work ur equipment was built in Germany. All manuals and drawings were in German. Babblefish saved my butt more than once.

[Katrina]

realist, I too have a book from the 1800's. It's more of a "mini" encyclopedia of subjects. How to identify the different cuts of meat, Math, Music, Handwriting lessons. The societal rules, when to call on someone, leaving calling cards, how to "lay" a table, etc. "Japanese or Oriental" fighting aka judo. How to speak German, Spanish, French. It's fascinating to see how my great grandparents had to live and the societal rules back then. Son 1 and 2 used it as a resource for their respective history classes in high school. Yes they did get A's on their essays.

[realist]

James by you wife not knowing the language means you get a say, which is more than I get around her......I don't recommend you go without her though.

Katrina, so true it is really amazing what our parents and grandparents used without all the synthetics and simple things.

Bacpacker I'm going to take a look at blabberfish. You said they had drawings, that is good I read pictures real well. Thanks

[bacpacker]

Spelling is BABBLE FISH

The drawings I was referring to was our Schematics and blueprints. We were able to translate the wording to make identification possible.

[Sniper-T]

^2 on Babblefish.

Awesome program!

[Socalman]

I really enjoy cooking and, not trying to brag, pretty good at it. However m wife does the majority of meals except for summers when I am off. (Teacher) However this will change soon as I am retiring at the end of the school year. I enjoy setting my meals up as sort of a challenge. One is to simply cook a great meal when I can go to the store and get what is needed and I have plenty of time. Other times my challenge is to produce the dinner in about 30 minutes or less. The last challenge will be to prepare something good using only the things we currently have on hand -- sort of a meal like the show on Food Network, Chopped. My wife is usually much better at this type of meal.

[Grumpy Old Man]

What do you want? An etouffee? Jambalaya? Duck a la Orange? Kung Pao whatever? Barbecue, grilled, fried, poached or steamed? Yankee pot roast, or specialty salads?
I can and have cooked all of these and more. It's a necessity when you been married and divorced as many times as I have.

[Sniper-T]

So with all the 'chefs' on here, we should have a lot more participation in the dinner porn thread...

[mitunnelrat]

Stand by. I did buy a new cookbook.

[Katrina]

realist what's the name of the little red book? I think I can find it I believe MSU has been putting old books on line and there are cook books on it.
The substitutes list would be very handy.

[Vodin]

I grill and my wife cooks and bakes.

[ElevenBravo]

Got some steaks on reduced price, saved $7 on the family pack... damn beef is EXPENSIVE.
Anyway, Lil'Bravo has dinner detail tonight, she has watched me plenty of times cook on the grill, tonight I shadow her on her first grillin' experience.

Ill be DAMNED if a kid of mine will grow up and not know how to cook, much less be well rounded in cooking!!

EB

[realist]

EB my sentiments exactly. My oldest is a great cook. My youngest likes to eat and will be out on her own in a couple of months. She does not seem too concerned about cooking..............she will learn or starve........

Katrina, I'm out here in Virginia teaching a class. I will not be home for a couple of weeks, I will get it then.



Grumpy
"What do you want? An etouffee? Jambalaya? Duck a la Orange? Kung Pao whatever? Barbecue, grilled, fried, poached or steamed? Yankee pot roast, or specialty salads?
I can and have cooked all of these and more. It's a necessity when you been married and divorced as many times as I have."

What do I want??? all of it, what time is dinner. I agree I like my cooking much better than my ex-wife and my current wife, its called survival.

[Sniper-T]

Got some steaks on reduced price, saved $7 on the family pack... damn beef is EXPENSIVE.
Anyway, Lil'Bravo has dinner detail tonight, she has watched me plenty of times cook on the grill, tonight I shadow her on her first grillin' experience.

Ill be DAMNED if a kid of mine will grow up and not know how to cook, much less be well rounded in cooking!!

EB

Um, EB... isn't she like in her late teens? Why hasn't she been grilling for 10 years or more already?

[ElevenBravo]

T- Master one skill at a time... I finally got her doing mindful thinking, steaks on a grill are low priority. Raising kids these days is almost like a battle of her mind.

So anyway, the steaks she did were GREAT, better than if I'd cooked them!

I hope to teach charcoal soon too... Shes been a help with cast iron & fire wood, soon she will be rolling solo with that too...



EB

[Sniper-T]

Ah, up until recently, she knew everything, now she knows that she doesn't

That's a huge step!

Congrat's to both of you!

[ElevenBravo]

now she knows that she doesn't
Not quite that far... yet... but were getting closer!

[Sniper-T]

keep pluggin' on my friend! she'll get it!

:)

[Katrina]

Realist, thanks appreciate it.

[Katrina]

If anyone is interested I have picked up a series of books that talk about the Great Depression in the USA by a lady who lived thru it.She collected a ton of anecdotes from people around the country who also remembered the time as they were growing up along with a ton of recipes from the 30's-40's The title is: Stories and Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930's by Rita Van Amber. Her daughter is the editor and there are 5 volumes, same title, Notebook size bound with wire spiral. They are fascinating and I've seen recipes that I still use today that I learned growing up.

[Sniper-T]

Those sound awesome!

Growing up, my parent's neighbours lived through the depression, and it was amazing how 'frugal' they were, some 60+ years later. I don't think any other situation in the world changed peoples way of thinking as much as the depression did.

[bacpacker]

Those do sound good. I remember my grandparents ts telling stories of how they got by during those times. Wish I had written it down.

[Katrina]

Amen to that bp, wish I had written my grandmother's(both of them) recipes down. What they could do with a little food was amazing.As I was the "official" taste -tester (LOL) I hung out in the kitchen watching them putting together a meal for all of us. I still remember how to make meat loaf with cornflakes and eggs and 3 lbs of burger for ten AND have left overs. Grandma, Grandpa, Great grandfather and the 7 of us for Sunday dinners were the best. Sorry I haven't posted on dinner porn lately , things have been so messed up around here. Thanks for the prayers though, they are working. Hopefully next year we will have some good news to share with you all

[realist]

Katrina I'm back now. The name of the book is, "A Selection of Dishes and the Chef's Reminder". Copyright is 1909 and was published by The Hotel Monthly Press, Chicago Ill

[Katrina]

Thanks realist. I'll have to see if I can find it and add that to the collection.