[nabs-l] some very beginner, basic cooking questions!

Sat Oct 30 22:48:33 UTC 2010

Anita
I haven't heard of these.  Sounds handy for a beginner cook; crock pots are 
nice since they cook your stuff at a low temp evenly for a long time.  Who 
makes the mealkits?  Like what brand and is it found in a box or what?

Ashley
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Anita Adkins" <aadkins7 at verizon.net>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2010 5:45 AM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] some very beginner, basic cooking questions!

> One more thing as a quick note.  If you like chicken and dumplings or beef 
> stew. you can get mealkits for your crockpot.  There may be others, but I 
> don't remember for sure.  It has everything included with it.  You add a 
> specific amount of water and milk (the bag tells when to add milk if it is 
> needed), and you're set.  With the dumplings, I know you leave the 
> dumpling part in the freezer and just dump the veggies and meat in the 
> crockpot (with a certain amount of water) until about a half hour before 
> its done.  Sorry if someone else has mentioned this, but I haven't checked 
> the rest of the email yet.  I know you can also get such dinners for the 
> microwave, but I have done some in a skillet on the stove, but not the 
> microwave, and so I am not sure the exact directions.  Just FYI.  Anita
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Kerri Kosten" <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>; "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>; 
> "blind-cooks" <blind-cooks at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2010 3:40 AM
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] some very beginner, basic cooking questions!
>
>
>> Hi Everyone!
>>
>> Thanks for all the help/suggestions. I now understand that the
>> tablespoon is the measuring spoon.
>>
>> I also understand that cooking is a very experimental thing and there
>> is no exact way of doing things. I will try to be a little more
>> relaxed and just experiment.
>>
>> I did have a couple more questions though, particularly related to
>> making chicken breasts. I am trying to make my grocery list. I am
>> trying to keep it limited to the items I need for the recipes I want
>> to make, and other very necessary items. I am also trying to clean out
>> my freezer. I have one chicken breast left. Can anyone give me any
>> suggestions or recomendations of any premade sauces, seasonings, or
>> marinades I can put on it? I don't like BBQ sauce much. Should I just
>> go with roticery flavoring? My grocery stores are Kroger (also called
>> King Super-savers in other areas), Walmart, and Giant Eagle. Kroger is
>> the closest and would be the easiest to get to. I know someone else
>> (pretty sure it was Jewel) suggested Pineapple chicken, which sounds
>> good but from looking at the recipes it's not as simple as pouring
>> pineapple juice on the chicken, and putting it into the oven or on the
>> grill. I'd like to keep this to a simple premade sauce, flavoring
>> (like roticery), seasoning, or bottled marinade that you just pour on
>> the chicken and cook. I know someone else suggested BBQ sauce, but I
>> don't like BBQ sauce very much.
>>
>> I will be going to the store by myself, and so was planning on just
>> getting help from customer service. I love the idea of browsing and
>> just picking something random that sounds tasty but can you do that
>> with a customer service person? I thought with them you kind of had to
>> have your list and such ready..they don't have much time to "browse"
>> do they?
>>
>> Also, what oven mits do you recomend? I saw some on
>> www.blindmicemart.com that say you can grip things with them and can
>> withstand temperatures of up to 500 degrees. They seem a bit
>> expensive, but do many of you use them or do you just use cheap cloth
>> ones? The cloth ones make it really hard to grip things, so I'd like
>> to find a better pair.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Kerri
>>
>> On 9/29/10, Anita Adkins <aadkins7 at verizon.net> wrote:
>>> sounds like you need to do some experimenting, meaning trying these 
>>> things
>>> out on your own.  Wanted to email though to mention that I found a meat
>>> thermometer at Independent Living Aids for only around 30 dollars or so, 
>>> and
>>> so it would be cheaper for you.  www.independentliving.com
>>> Anita
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Kerri Kosten" <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
>>> To: <blind-cooks at nfbnet.org>; "National Association of Blind Students
>>> mailing list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>; "Blind Talk Mailing List"
>>> <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>; "NFB of West Virginia Discussion List"
>>> <nfbwv-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: <k-r at atlanticbb.net>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2010 9:44 PM
>>> Subject: [nabs-l] some very beginner, basic cooking questions!
>>>
>>>
>>>> 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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>>>
>>>
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>>
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