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

Thu Sep 30 09:45:36 UTC 2010

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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