[Blindtlk] some very beginner, basic cooking questions!

[Jewel S.]

Hi Kerri,

I'll try to answer all your questions, but feel free to yell at me if
I miss some.

First, when a recipe calls for a tablespoon, it means the tablespoon
in th e measuring set. The one used for soups and such at the table is
also a tablespoon, but you cannot be certain to get the right amount
every time because of the shape of the spoon. And at the same time,
when it says a teaspoon, it is calling for the measuring spoon again,
not the spoon for stirring tea. You could use these tablespoon and
teaspoon, but you are far less likely to get the right amount of
ingredients as with the precise measuring spoons that allow you to run
your finger across the top and remove any extra.

Now, on to the scrambled eggs, microwave style, which was ironically
enough, my own first cooking experience as well. First, make sure the
bowl you use is microwave-safe! You can do this by putting water in it
and microwaving for one minute (never heat a dish in the microwave
empty). If the bowl is hotter on the outside than the water on the
inside, the bowl is not likely to be microwave-safe. Same for
plates...dishes that are not microwave-safe leave the food cold in
spots while the dish gets very, very hot.

Okay, so you have your microwave-safe bowl. I usually use a cereal
bowl, and I usually do two eggs. I always stir them up very well (it
doesn't matter what  you use for this, whether a spoon or a whisk or a
fork, but I find a fork to be useful for this step, and then I can
wipe it off and use it to eat the eggs, too). You want to make sure
the yolk is broken; that is why you stir it before cooking. How long
you put it for at a time depends on the microwave as well as how
cooked you want the eggs. I like my eggs fluffy and not slimy. I put
it for one minute (with a paper plate over the bowl to keep any
popping egg from getting all over the microwave...this is the point of
covering it). Then I stir it, testing for solidity with the fork.
Usually the center is quite mushy still, so I want to make sur to
stire really well so that the outside is not burnt while the center is
mushy. I put it for another 30 seconds, stir again, and put it for 30
seconds more. The timing is something you'll have to experiment with.
I don't think you can burn eggs in 2 minutes time, so don't worry
about that. But not stirring the eggs will lead to uneven cooking and
pockets of air that might pop and make a mess.

How much butter you put in your eggs is totally personal preference,
as well as milk or water. I don't suggest putting water in the eggs,
but a little milk is good if you want a smoother taste. Too much
butter could make the eggs rather mushy, so I wouldn't put more than
about half an inch off a regular butter stick for two eggs. But that's
just me. I always add a bit of salt and pepper after the first stir,
and sometimes I add cheddar cheese! The cheese should be added after
the first stir, so it doesn't get too cooked, since overcooked cheese
is rubbery. So that's my thoughts on scrambled eggs...on to the next!

I have never had grape jelly meatballs, and don't know that I want to,
but I won't knock it (and might even give it a shot sometime...). I
definitely suggest stirring the chili and jelly together before
cooking. It won't make a huge difference, but it will give everything
a more even flavour. Instead of having more jelly on one meatball and
almost no chili on this one over here, and all chiliy and no jelly on
another, you'll have a jelly-chili mixture over it all.pp

On to the bread crumb question...that one I'm not sure about. I use
original bread crumbs for most recipes, though I love to make cornmeal
balls (basically hush puppies, but not cooked quite so long).

Ground beef in the microwave is euch! It tastes like cardboard, though
it is technically edible. I would not suggest it at all, because of
the lack of flavour.

There are many ways to cook chicken that you could try. You can get
rotisserie flavouring and rub that on the chicken before putting it in
the George Foreman...you could also put them on aluminum foil on a
baking sheet, add butter and some vegetables (onions and carrots are
good), a bit of lemon pepper and a bit of garlic powder (about a
quarter teaspoon of each per breast), and bake on 350 for about 15
minutes (I think...google baked chicken recipes). Let's see, you could
also bake them with barbeque sauce, or mmmm....how about chicken
breasts cooked in pineapple juice (baked again)? There are some good
recipes for baked chicken, which is more juicy than on the George
Foreman. You could also oven fry them in strips, by dipping them in
egg and rolling them in either bread crumbs, flour mixed with
seasonings, or cornmeal according to your preferences.

Two recipes I would definitely recommend for a starting cook are
"Meatloaf in a Mug" and "Chocolate Cake in a Mug." You could google
these, or if you'd like them, shoot me an e-mail and I'll type them
up. These were my first two recipes at the rehab center's cooking
class. The chocolate cake (I made it with dark chocolate, since I'm
allergic to milk chocolate) was absolutely amazing, and the meatloaf
was good (which is saying much from a person who always hated
meatloaf). In fact, the entire collection of recipes I got from the
rehab center would be good for you....do you read Braille? If so,
shoot me an e-mail, give me your address, and I can send you the
recipes in Braille. I can type them up on my computer, which I've been
meaning to do anyway, and that way I'll still have them, but they'll
be right beneath your fingers. Let me know if you want it...it's a
collection of all the recipes I did at th e rehab, and a few others
did, in a three-ring binder, all Braille since that's my primary
media.

On 9/29/10, Kerri Kosten <kerrik2006 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi All!
>
> I am very basic at cooking as I haven't been taught much but wanted to
> experiment and try to make a couple of simple-sounding recipes. I had
> some questions however, as I am a bit confused.
>
> I should first begin by saying I can not use the stove at this time. I
> have a crockpot, a George Foreman Grill, a microwave, and a small
> toaster oven. However, even with these limitations, I feel I can make
> some things. I won't clutter this email with the reasoning. I am also
> totally blind, and have no residual vision.
>
> First, when a recipe calls for a table spoon of something, does it
> mean the measuring spoon (the biggest spoon in the measuring spoon
> set) or does it mean one of those larger spoons used at the table for
> eating/ocasionally mixing things?
>
> The first recipe I'd like to try making is scrambled eggs in the
> microwave. Yes, it can be done, and from the reviews I've read it's
> pretty tasty, easy and quick. I am confused though because I have read
> several recipes for microwave scrambled eggs and they all say
> different things. Some say put the eggs in the microwave for 30
> seconds, then mix with a fork/whisk, then put it in for another 10
> seconds, mix again, then keep putting it in for 10 second intervals
> until the eggs are done. Others however say to put the eggs in the
> microwave for 2 minutes, and take the eggs out after one minute and
> stir. I like my eggs very thick, and well done; I don't like them
> runny. I don't want to overcook the eggs...should I do 30 seconds then
> stir at 10 second intervals or put it in for 2 minutes stirring at 1
> minute intervals?
>
> Also, I like a lot of butter in my eggs. Some recipes say a table
> spoon, others say 2 teaspoons (I know the teaspoon is the littlest
> spoon so that doesn't sound like much), and others say a small pat of
> butter. Do I need to literally measure out a tablespoon or can I just
> cut a square pat of butter from the stick? Will it hurt the eggs at
> all or affect the taste drastically if I accidentally put too much
> butter in?
>
> Some recipes say to put a tablespoon of water or milk into the eggs.
> Is this a good idea or will it make them more liquidy/runny? I don't
> want my eggs to taste rubbery but I don't like them liquidy either.
>
> Some recipes also say to lightly cover the bowl with the eggs in it.
> Does this have to be done? Couldn't I just fix the eggs uncovered?
>
>
> Another recipe I'd like to try is grape jelly meatballs in the
> crockpot/slow cooker. These may sound gross, but essentially all you
> do is take frozen meatballs (you can also make your own), a jar of
> grape jelly, and a jar of chilli sauce, put it in the crockpot, and
> let it go. I've been told they are very good. However, some recipes
> say to dump the chilli sauce, meatballs, and grape jelly  in the
> crockpot and let it go, while others say the grape jelly and chilli
> sauce needs to be mixed well before putting the meatballs in. Should I
> mix the chilli sauce, and grape jelly or just throw it all in? Once
> the meatballs finish cooking, Does it affect the taste at all whether
> the sauce is mixed or not?
>
> Speaking of meatballs, sometime I would also like to try baking them
> in the oven. Does it matter which type of breadcrumbs I use? There are
> many different types.
>
> Also, I read that browning ground beef is just heating it to a 160
> degree temperature so the bacteria are killed off. You can either do
> this in the microwave or the conventional way on a stove. Have any of
> you ground beef in the microwave and if done properly does it taste
> the same as browning it on the stove?
>
>
> One thing I really like is chicken. I usually get the boneless,
> skinless frozen chicken breasts. Currently, the only thing I know how
> to do with them is to put hot sauce on one, put it on the George
> Foreman grill, and cook it for 7 or so minutes. However, this gets old
> after a while. Is there any simple marinades or anything I can buy
> that I can lather on the chicken, and either bake it or grill it? I
> know marinades can be made from scratch but I'm at a very simple basic
> level of cooking right now so am just looking for something simple.
>
> Is it a good idea to get a talking meat thermometer? Should I just get
> the $115 one sold at the Independence market?
>
> I am a very literal, over-analytical person who tends to overthink
>  everything. When I look at recipes, and they all say differing
> things, I get confused. Also, when a recipe says to use a bowl, I
> can't figure out whether it means a big bowl, a medium-size bowl, a
> small bowl, or  a mixing bowl. When it says combine something I
> wonder...does that mean to just put the items in the bowl or does that
> mean throw the items in the bowl, and mix them? When a recipe says to
> mix something, I wonder... with a big mixing spoon, with a spoon you
> eat with, a fork, or a whisk. When beginning to first cook, did you
> also have these types of problems/questions? How do you get over
> this...just with practice and experimentation?
>
> Thanks so much!
> Kerri
>
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-- 
~Jewel
Check out my blog about accessibility for the blind!
Treasure Chest for the Blind: http://blindtreasurechest.blogspot.com