Well shits to expensive and I’m finally home enough so I’m learning to cook. Turns out when your not being constantly criticized for existing, cooking isn’t nearly as terrible! (Trauma made me hate cooking).

So far I’ve been keeping it very simple. Store bought pasta, store bought sauce, put them together, that kind of thing. I think I’m getting ready to branch out and learn more.

I’d love to hear some things from those of you who know your way around the kitchen. If you have a recipe you love or, a story to tell or, a warning you learned the hard way or, a great website/cookbook/youtube channel or, anything else you feel like sharing.

I’m just here to learn some stuff, hear some stories and get some ideas to try. Thanks for having a fun cooking convo with me!

  • Blubber28@lemmy.world
    3·
    11 hours ago

    It’s nice to see people taking an interest into new stuff, especially their food! Not every meal can (nor should) be a gourmet meal, but there are many easy and cheap options. I see many suggestions regarding rice and stews, both great base options, but might I recommend soups! I also highly recommend getting a hand blender to easily make good and nice-tasting soups (or smoothies in the summer :) ).

    I’ll even throw in an easy recipe:

    • 1kg tomatoes
    • 1 zucchini/courgette
    • 1 bell pepper or sweet pepper
    • 2 onions
    • 2 cloves of garlic
    • 1L of bouillon (water + bouillon cubes is the easiest)
    • cooking oil (pref. olive oil) Optional additional spices:
    • basil
    • oregano
    • sage
    • thyme

    Dice the onions and mince the garlic (or chop it finely). Cut the tomatoes, zucchini, and pepper into small pieces. Bake the onions, garlic, and bell pepper in some cooking oil on low-medium heat until the onions start to brown. Add the tomatoes and zucchini. Put the lid on the pot and leave for 5-10 minutes. If the tomatoes are soft and the skin starts to come loose, they’re good for the next step. Add the bouillon and any other optional spices and bring to a simmer. Boil for at least 30 minutes, but longer is perfectly fine. Blend the soup - be aware that it’s hot, so wear long sleeves and oven mitts. Serve immediately or keep it for a day to let the flavours set.

    This is a great base soup that you can tweak as much as you like. Want a sweeter soup? Swap the pepper for some carrots or pumpkin! Want a more acidic and fresh taste? Add some white wine vinegar. You can also add some chickpeas or meatballs and vermicelli after blending if you want a more filling soup. Be sure to boil the soup for some time after blending in that case.