Cooking basics for dummies

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Title:

Cooking basics for dummies

Author:

Miller, Bryan, author.

ISBN:

9781119696773

Edition:

5th ed.

Physical Description:

xvii, 443 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Series:

--For dummies.

General Note:

Includes index.

Contents:

Getting started with cooking -- Know your techniques -- Expand your repertoire -- Now you're cooking! Real menus for real life -- The part of tens -- Appendix A: Glossary of 100 (plus) common cooking terms -- Appendix B: Common substitutions, abbreviations, and equivalents.

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Summary:

Your go-to guide for success in the kitchen. Ready to do more than boil water? Cooking Basics For Dummies will help you expand your skills and develop your confidence in the kitchen. With simple instructions and a fun-and-friendly tone, this cookbook shows you how to prepare everything--from traditional dishes to the latest popular foods, and from brilliant breakfasts to delectable desserts. Whether you're looking to make dinner in a pinch or crafting a dish for a special occasion, you'll find everything you need to start creating delicious, healthy meals. --

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Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... Lake Elmo Library	641.5 MIL 2020	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Park Grove Library (Cottage Grove)	641.5 MIL 2020	Searching... Unknown
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury)	641.5 MIL 2020	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Get started cooking now with Cooking Basics For Dummies, 5th Edition!

Are you looking to dig yourself out of microwave dinners and learn the ropes of home cooking? Cooking Basics For Dummies, 5th Edition takes the intimidation out of cooking and helps you start cultivating your culinary prowess in no time. From learning fundamental cooking techniques like dicing, chopping, and saut?ing to creating delicious, easy-to-follow recipes, you'll discover how to cook up crowd-pleasing meals the whole family will enjoy--all without breaking a sweat!

Even if you've never cracked an egg, this friendly, practical guide gives you all the ingredients to become a superior home cook. In plain English, it explains step-by-step how to master popular cooking techniques, such as dicing vegetables, hard boiling an egg, making quick and delicious sauces, planning menus, stocking your pantry, and so much more.

Packed with more than 150 easy-to-follow recipes for every meal of the day, from mouth-watering mains to sumptuous sides to delectable desserts Helps you master grilling, slow cooking, baking, roasting, pressure cooking, and more Includes tips on adapting meals to meet the latest dietary trends, such as low-sugar, low-sodium, low-fat, plant-based, and vegetarian diets Covers shopping at farmer's markets and buying organic foods

Cooking Basics For Dummies, 5th edition is for every beginner cook or polished chef looking for a refresher on breathing new life into home-cooked meals.

P.S. If you think this book seems familiar, you're probably right. The Dummies team updated the cover and design to give the book a fresh feel, but the content is the same as the previous release of Cooking Basics For Dummies (9781118922316). The book you see here shouldn't be considered a new or updated product. But if you're in the mood to learn something new, check out some of our other books. We're always writing about new topics!

Author Notes

Bryan Miller is a food and wine writer and a former restaurant critic for The New York Times. He has written and cowritten a number of books.
Marie Rama is a food writer, recipe developer, and coauthor of Grilling For Dummies.

Introduction	p. 1
About This Book	p. 1
Foolish Assumptions	p. 2
Icons Used in This Book	p. 3
Beyond the Book	p. 4
Where to Go from Here	p. 4
Part 1 Getting Started With Cooking	p. 5
Chapter 1 Cooking with Confidence	p. 7
Creating a Cook-Friendly Kitchen	p. 8
Declutter your countertops	p. 9
Let there be lighting	p. 9
Organize your pantry	p. 10
Introducing Major Appliances: Friends, Not Foes	p. 11
Stovetop and oven	p. 11
Microwave ovens	p. 13
Refrigerator	p. 15
Freezer	p. 16
Dishwasher	p. 16
Garbage disposal	p. 17
Kitchen Safety 101	p. 17
Now Get Crackin'!	p. 18
Chapter 2 Investing in the Essential Tools	p. 21
Collecting Your Cookware Basics	p. 22
Picking Pots and Pans	p. 23
Doing some comparison shopping	p. 23
Buying the essentials	p. 24
Getting fancy	p. 27
Selecting Tools for Mixing and Baking	p. 30
Considering Small Appliances	p. 33
Graters and Mashers and Peelers, Oh My!	p. 35
Chapter 3 The Bare Necessities: Stocking Your Pantry and Fridge	p. 39
Dry Goods: The Pantry's Backbone	p. 40
Stocking Up on Baking Supplies	p. 40
Spicing Up Your Life with Herbs, Spices, and Seasonings	p. 42
Working with herbs	p. 42
Studying spices	p. 43
Peanut Butter and Beyond: Bottled and Canned Goods	p. 46
Cooling It with Refrigerated and Frozen Staples	p. 48
Squeezing the Melon: Buying and Storing Fruits and Vegetables	p. 50
Where to purchase produce	p. 52
Going organic	p. 53
Selecting, Buying, and Storing Meat, Poultry, and Fish	p. 54
Beef	p. 54
Chicken	p. 55
Fish and other seafood	p. 58
Part 2 Know Your Techniques	p. 61
Chapter 4 The Cutting Edge: Working with Knives	p. 63
Buying Knives for All Occasions	p. 64
Investing in the three essentials	p. 64
Adding to your knife block	p. 65
Shopping wisely	p. 66
Caring for Your Knives	p. 67
Storing and washing	p. 67
Sharpening twice a year	p. 67
Honing before each use	p. 68
Using Knives Correctly (and Safely)	p. 69
Chopping, Mincing, Julienning, and More	p. 70
Chopping and mincing	p. 70
Julienning	p. 72
Cubing (or dicing)	p. 72
Halving tough-skinned vegetables	p. 73
Slicing	p. 74
Paring	p. 74
Carving Poultry and Meats	p. 76
Showing a turkey or chicken who's boss	p. 76
Cutting a pot roast	p. 77
Slicing a leg of lamb	p. 78
Handling a ham	p. 78
Chapter 5 Boiling, Poaching, and Steaming	p. 81
Water, Water Everywhere ... Now What?	p. 82
Making Hard- and Soft-Cooked Eggs	p. 83
Giving Your Veggies a Hot Bath	p. 84
Parboiling, blanching, and steaming veggies	p. 84
Boiling and steaming a dozen fresh vegetables	p. 85
Making vegetable purées	p. 88
Poaching and Steaming Seafood	p. 88
Chapter 6 Simply Sautéing	p. 95
Knowing When to Use Oil or Butter	p. 96
Combining Sautéing with Roasting	p. 97
Making Great Sauce from Bits in the Pan: Deglazing	p. 98
Getting Versatile with Your Sautéing	p. 99
Vegetables	p. 99
Firm, rich fish	p. 100
Chicken and turkey	p. 100
Beef	p. 100
Chapter 7 Braising and Stewing: Slow and Seductive	p. 111
Cooking in Liquid	p. 112
Browning before braising	p. 112
Taking time to stew	p. 113
Braising greens	p. 113
Keeping Herbs and Spices in Check	p. 114
Chapter 8 Roasting Poultry, Meats, and Veggies	p. 125
Roasting the Right Way	p. 125
Seasoning your roasts	p. 126
Brining to retain moisture	p. 126
Searing meat before you roast	p. 126
Basting during cooking	p. 127
Taking a rest	p. 128
Roasting Times and Temperatures for Poultry and Meat	p. 128
Putting Poultry in the Oven	p. 132
Mastering Roasted Meats	p. 134
Beef	p. 134
Pork	p. 135
Ribs	p. 135
Ham	p. 136
Lamb	p. 138
Remembering (to Roast) Your Veggies!	p. 139
Chapter 9 Coals and Coils: Grilling and Broiling	p. 155
Mastering Your Grill	p. 156
Charcoal grilling	p. 156
Gas grilling	p. 158
Grilling with wood chips	p. 158
Marinating for Flavor	p. 159
Perfecting Your Grilling Technique	p. 160
Making Each Dish Delicious	p. 161
Burgers	p. 161
Chicken	p. 162
Vegetables	p. 162
Steak and pork	p. 163
Seafood	p. 163
Chapter 10 Baking Basics	p. 175
Don't Wing It: Measuring with Care	p. 176
Measuring dry ingredients	p. 177
Measuring wet ingredients	p. 177
Measuring other types of ingredients	p. 178
Working with Eggs	p. 178
Breaking with care	p. 178
Separating an egg	p. 179
Folding, Whipping, Kneading, and More: Getting the Techniques Right	p. 180
Perfecting Your Pie Crust	p. 183
Making Cakes and Quick Breads for a Sweet Treat	p. 186
Part 3 Expand Your Repertoire	p. 195
Chapter 11 Conquering Breakfast	p. 197
Starting the Day with the Incredible, Edible Egg	p. 198
Understanding the grade, size, and color of eggs	p. 198
Deciding whether to splurge on specialty eggs	p. 198
Cooking Perfect Eggs	p. 200
Simply scrambled	p. 200
Frankly fried	p. 201
Perfectly poached	p. 201
Beautifully boiled	p. 202
Craftily folded omelets	p. 202
Oven-worthy frittatas and stratas	p. 203
Making Mouth-Watering Breakfast Meats	p. 204
Breaking the fast with bacon	p. 204
Spicing it up with savory sausage	p. 206
Steak-ing your claim (to breakfast!)	p. 206
Taking a Tour of Breakfast Breads	p. 206
French toast	p. 206
Pancakes and waffles	p. 207
Blending Your Way to a Healthy Breakfast	p. 207
Chapter 12 Super Soups and Savory Salads	p. 217
Mastering Essential Soup Skills	p. 217
Sautéing meat and vegetables first	p. 218
Thickening your soup	p. 218
Skimming soups and stocks	p. 220
Enriching store-bought stocks	p. 220
Peeling and seeding a tomato	p. 221
Showing garlic, onions, and herbs some respect	p. 221
Trying Your Hand at Pureed Soups	p. 222
Stimulating Your Palate with Fresh Salads and Dressings	p. 223
The soul of the salad: Crisp, fresh greens	p. 223
Skipping the greens but keeping the salad	p. 228
So many dressings, so little time	p. 229
Ten easy salad ideas	p. 233
Chapter 13 From Sides to Mains: Great Grains and Pastas	p. 247
Sprucing Up Standard Rice	p. 248
Checking Out Other Grains	p. 249
Canoodling with Everyone's Favorite: Pasta	p. 251
Don't sweat the fresh stuff: Dried versus fresh pasta	p. 252
Pasta tips and tricks	p. 252
Name that pasta: Pasta types and cooking times	p. 254
Topping Your Pasta with the Perfect Sauce	p. 256
Chapter 14 Making Sensational Sauces: Fear No More	p. 269
Starting with the ABCs of Sauces	p. 270
Deglazing for Delicious Pan Sauces	p. 271
Whirling Light Blender Sauces in Minutes	p. 272
Sweetening Things Up with Delectable Dessert Sauces	p. 273
Chapter 15 Delectable Desserts	p. 285
Creating Creamy Chocolate Sweets	p. 285
Finding the Indulgent Side of Fruit, Fresh from the Oven	p. 286
Collecting Cookies: All You Need Is a Glass of Milk	p. 287
Taking on Tiramisu	p. 290
Part 4 Now You're Cooking! Real Menus for Real Life	p. 303
Chapter 16 Taking It Easy with One-Pot Meals	p. 305
Slow Cookers: Small Input, Big Output	p. 306
From Oven to Table: Simplicity in a Casserole Dish	p. 307
Chapter 17 Making More (and Better) for Less	p. 319
Creating Big Dishes for Small Bucks	p. 320
Crowd-pleasing chili	p. 320
Stir-fry for pennies	p. 320
Dressing Up Your Meals with Super Sidekicks	p. 321
Root vegetables	p. 321
Seasonal vegetables	p. 321
Dried beans	p. 321
Chapter 18 Going Global with Asian and Mediterranean Dishes	p. 331
Discovering the Asian Pantry	p. 332
Stocking up on Asian staples	p. 332
Starting with the basics: Asian noodles	p. 335
Getting it right with Asian rice	p. 335
Exploring the World of Mediterranean Cooking	p. 336
Meeting popular Mediterranean meats	p. 336
Goat cheese and feta cheese	p. 337
Olives	p. 337
Preserved lemons	p. 338
Chapter 19 Quick Picks: Cooking with Fewer Ingredients	p. 353
Whipping Up Dinner with Convenience Foods	p. 354
Keeping Things Simple and Delicious	p. 355
Chowing down on cheese	p. 355
Serving more-substantial meals quickly	p. 356
Seeing the Pasta-bilities!	p. 357
Chapter 20 Summertime Soirees	p. 365
Planning the Menu	p. 365
Mixing Fruity Drinks for Thirsty Crowds	p. 367
Preparing in Advance for a Stress-Free Party	p. 368
Chapter 21 Feeding Holiday Hordes: Festive Winter Menus	p. 379
Planning the Menu	p. 380
Getting Yourself Organized	p. 380
All about Turkey	p. 382
Teasing the Palate with Fresh Dips	p. 384
Scrumptious Stuffings and Sides	p. 384
Last Man Standing: Holiday Desserts	p. 386
Warming Up with Holiday Libations	p. 386
Part 5 The Part of Tens	p. 399
Chapter 22 Ten Ways to Think Like a Chef	p. 401
Know the Basic Techniques	p. 401
Use Only the Freshest Ingredients	p. 401
Get It Together	p. 402
Understand Flavor Combinations	p. 402
Think about Your Plate	p. 403
Plan Your Menus in Advance	p. 403
Be Thrifty	p. 403
Don't Be a Slave to Recipes	p. 404
Simplify	p. 404
Above All, Have Fun	p. 404
Chapter 23 Ten Common Cooking Myths	p. 405
Marinating Meat Tenderizes It	p. 405
Searing Meat Traps in the Juices	p. 406
Basting Chicken Creates Crispy Skin	p. 406
Adding Oil to Pasta Water Keeps It from Sticking Together	p. 406
Using Quality Olive Oil Is Important for Sautéing or Pan-Roasting	p. 406
Using a Garlic Press Extracts More Flavor	p. 407
Soaking Dried Beans before Cooking Improves Flavor and Texture	p. 407
Adding a Potato to an Oversalted Soup or Stew Reduces the Saltiness	p. 407
Cooking with Wine or Spirits Burns Off All the Alcohol	p. 408
Rinsing Raw Mushrooms Causes Them to Absorb More Water	p. 408
Appendix A Glossary of 100 (Plus)
Common Cooking Terms	p. 409
Appendix B Common Substitutions, Abbreviations, and Equivalents	p. 417
Index	p. 425

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