So you’ve moved out of your parents home and have so far managed to sustain yourself on sandwiches, buttered noodles, and table-scrap leftovers from family visits. Unfortunately, that jar of peanut butter doesn’t have all the nutrients needed to keep a human alive. So, it’s time you learn how to cook!
If all you can manage is boiling water and you can barely manage to not burn toast, these blogs are right up your alley — the alley of clueless cooks, to be specific. These blogs have recipes and cooking tips that even the most inexperienced chef can handle, and soon, you’ll be able to prepare more than dish (and maybe even have them both ready at the same time).
Learn to Cook Badger Girl
Badger Girl didn’t grow up gourmet, she taught herself. As far as she was concerned, “There were two kinds of cheeses: Kraft singles and, for those special occasions, Colby. Sandwiches were made of baloney, mayonnaise, and white bread.” Now, though, she’s cooking up healthy, whole foods, and can teach you to do the same.
The Novice Chef Blog
It’s all in the name. This blog takes kitchen newbies and gets them up to speed, fast. Soon, you’ll be able to ditch the frozen meal packages and cook up your very own buffalo chicken poppers, creamy sweet corn and roasted poblano soup, and spicy Thai beef nachos. (They even have a newsletter, so you don’t even have to go out of your way to find out what’s for dinner.)
Learn to Cook
Sure, recipes sound easy until you’re not sure what “sauteeing” is. While we’re at it, what is the wrong way to cut an onion? And what precisely can one do with a steamer basket? If some simple techniques continue to escape you, this blog will solve your problems, with an entire section devoted to things like how to deglaze a pan and season a cast iron skillet. You’ll also find general tips about knife skills, grilling, and freezing food, as well as recipes to practice your new skills.
Reluctant Gourmet
Like Learn to Cook, Reluctant Gourmet has more than recipes. It’s filled with tips, tools, and information about ingredients, such as which grains are better for you and how to scale recipes. Plus, it has handy resources for food budgeting and meal planning — the true bane of non-cooks everywhere.
Stone Soup
Jules Clancy, the author of the Stone Soup blog, takes pride in her simple recipes, many of which use no more than five ingredients. In addition to not having to break the bank going to the store to pick up bizarre foods you’ll likely never use again, she also includes helpful tips for entertaining on a tight budget, gives sample menus, and help for meal planning.
