A girl who can't cook....

Some people just aren't made to cook. I went out with one lady who was so bad, I used to joke that she should put the "Do Not Cross" crime tape around her kitchen.
Make sure your scrapbook contains a few phone numbers for dependable take out. Her new husband will thank you.

Recommend she get a husband who can cook!!!

That's the best advice I have heard thus far! And also a husband that likes to do laundry, cleaning and yard work. And a guy that hates watching sports and does not have any drinking buddies!

That's not a real guy!

Easy Chili: (can be done in a slow cooker too)

1 pound ground beef
Deleted
1/2 cup of frozen chopped onions
1 can tomato puree
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon chili powder
1-2 teaspoons tabasco (optional)
Salt and pepper

Put a large saucepan over medium heat, put in all the meat and cook it until there is no more pink, stirring it the whole time and breaking up the meat into small pieces. Next, add all the other ingredients to the pot, stir and let it cook until it bubbles. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for 15-20 min. Serve with rice or tortilla chips. You can sprinkle some grated cheddar cheese on top.

There. All better.

rwj

Do you feel better now Cowboy?

Recommend she get a husband who can cook!!!

Sorry, I'm already taken. Damn!

Recommend she get a husband who can cook!!!

That's the best advice I have heard thus far! And also a husband that likes to do laundry, cleaning and yard work. And a guy that hates watching sports and does not have any drinking buddies!

Now you're carrying it into the realm of fantasy.

Easy Chili: (can be done in a slow cooker too)

1 pound ground beef
Deleted
1/2 cup of frozen chopped onions
1 can tomato puree
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon chili powder
1-2 teaspoons tabasco (optional)
Salt and pepper

Put a large saucepan over medium heat, put in all the meat and cook it until there is no more pink, stirring it the whole time and breaking up the meat into small pieces. Next, add all the other ingredients to the pot, stir and let it cook until it bubbles. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for 15-20 min. Serve with rice or tortilla chips. You can sprinkle some grated cheddar cheese on top.

There. All better.

rwj

Do you feel better now Cowboy?

Alas, I will sleep tonight.

rwj

Wow!!

Thank you so much everybody! These all sound yummy!

To answer a more asked question...I don't know if she can't cook, or doesn't like to cook. I've never known her in that capacity. I think she just was never taught. Hanging out and eating several meals with her family when I was younger, her mother rarely made anything other than frozen pizza and pasta. Usually, it was take out.

Her bridal shower is tomorrow. I ignored everything on her registry, and I bought her a set of wine glasses, some brandy snifters, some beautiful cobalt glass dishes and matching glasses....and best of all.....a corkscrew! This girl also knows nothing of wine, so hopefully I can prod her with the nice glasses and higher quality corkscrew. Even someone who's never uncorked a bottle before will be able to figure it out with this baby!

Thank you SO much everybody! This has been endlessly helpful. The cookbook is pushing 25 pages, and I still haven't had time to throw in all the recipes or most of the old family recipes!

Liz, you may have enough, but here's a working list of the recipes and menus I got to on a regular basis. I've printed it out and let Janet pick from it, or suggest something else.

Almost all are relatively easy to make, and many come from FLDG. Let me know if any appeal to you. I'd be glad to share. Bob

Soup
Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Soup
Cream of Carrot and Ginger Soup
Corn Soup
Chicken Soup -- Karen
Pea Soup

Starters
Avocado on Toast
Avocado with EVOO and Vinegar
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
Janet's Cranberry Relish
Mango and Avocado Salsa
Baked Stuffed Olives
Blueberry Muffins

Sandwiches
Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Ham, Cheese & Pear Panini

Pizza -- dough via Robin and Stuart with input from others
Toppings -- simple, simple, simple.
Pizza sauce -- bright or long simmered


Main Dishes
Janet's Turkey Baked Ziti
Penne ala Judy
Italian Braised Beef
Chicken Breast Provencal
Dal with Cilantro Yogurt Cream
Duck a l’Orange [The Balthazar Cookbook] [Complex, show off dish]
Eggplant Parmigiana, Mario Batali
Meatloaf -- Batali via Jenise and others on FLDG [superb and easy]
Marinaded Lamb Shish Kabob with Vegetables
Roasted Salmon On Potatoes With Herb Vinaigrette (Bobby Flay)
Lamb Shanks with Beans -- Delia Smith
Lamb Shanks -- Howard
Balthazar Trout with Lentils
Trout with Spinach
Trout with toasted almonds and green beans
Trout with heart of palm and a mayo and mustard sauce -- Peru

Vegetables
Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Pan-Browned Brussel Sprouts
Polish Cabbage and Noodles, sometimes called Halusky
Braised Red Cabbage
Carrots in Orange Juice
Glazed Carrots
Toasted Chickpeas
Fire Roasted Corn Flan
Sautéed Mushrooms
Duchesse Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes
Potato Purée
Crispy Roast Potatoes
Sugar Snap Peas
Roasted Beets
Sweet potatoes or yams

Desserts
Crème Brulee
Roasted Peaches with Oatmeal topping
Pear and Ginger Sorbet
Baked Apple
Apple Sauce
Cantucci -- Tuscan Biscotti

Special Items
Baked Oatmeal
Bread Sticks
Basic Brown Veal Stock
Baked Marinara Sauce
Chicken Broth - Stock, Boot Camp
Pure Chicken Stock
Basic Corn Bread -- Coyote Cafe
Parmesean Cheese Crisps
Sour Dough Bread (Draft)
Balsamic Glaze
James Beard Dressing for Goose or Duck
Basic Tomato Sauce
Vegetable Stock
Vegetable Stock -- Boot Camp

Here's an easy and delicious cake that always get raves and recipe requests. In fact, I have one in the oven right now for Cheers tomorrow. This is the recipe as written. However, I lighten it up by using reduced fat sour cream, skim milk and use part oil and part orange juice instead of the 2/3 cup oil.

Honey Bun Cake

1 2-layer package yellow cake mix
½ cup sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup milk

Combine cake mix, sugar, oil, eggs and sour cream in mixer bowl; mix well. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in small bowl; mix well. Pour half the batter in greased 9x13-inch cake pan. Sprinkle half the cinnamon mixture over batter. Add remaining batter; sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture. Swirl back and forth with knife. Bake at 350  for 35 minutes. Combine confectioners’ sugar and milk in bowl; mix well. Pour over warm cake.

Makes 15 servings.

- Old North State Cookin’

Don't forget Jenise's Pineapple Muffins.

A couple that are on Bob's list that came to mind were meat loaf and lamb shanks. The shanks might sound a bit exotic for someone who's not into cooking, but they're an easy prep and they come out so well that they're well worth getting into the arsenal if only for occasional special meals.

Liz,
This may be too late to be of use, but if I were to advise a neophyte in where to start in the kitchen, I'd suggest learning how to roast a chicken (recipe) and how to sauté. The other technique that is way up there, though, is how to chop -- and that of course comes with a good chef's knife.

Mark Lipton

[Jenise]

Don't forget Jenise's Pineapple Muffins.

Not to toot my own horn, but you're actually quite right that it's a very easy recipe and perfect for a newlywed.