Full Description
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.
Contents
Introduction 1 Part I: Getting Started with Cooking 5 Chapter 1: Cooking with Confidence 7 Chapter 2: Investing in the Essential Tools 21 Chapter 3: The Bare Necessities: Stocking Your Pantr y and Fridge 39 Part II: Know Your Techniques 61 Chapter 4: The Cutting Edge: Working with Knives 63 Chapter 5: Boiling, Poaching, and Steaming 79 Chapter 6: Simply Sauteing 93 Chapter 7: Braising and Stewing: Slow and Seductive 109 Chapter 8: Roasting Poultr y, Meats, and Veggies 123 Chapter 9: Coals and Coils: Grilling and Broiling 153 Chapter 10: Baking Basics 171 Part III: Expand Your Repertoire 191 Chapter 11: Conquering Breakfast 193 Chapter 12: Super Soups and Savory Salads 215 Chapter 13: From Sides to Mains: Great Grains and Pastas 245 Chapter 14: Making Sensational Sauces: Fear No More 267 Chapter 15: Delectable Desserts 283 Part IV: Now You re Cooking! Real Menus for Real Life 301 Chapter 16: Taking It Easy with One-Pot Meals 303 Chapter 17: Making More (and Better) for Less 317 Chapter 18: Going Global with Asian and Mediterranean Dishes 327 Chapter 19: Quick Picks: Cooking with Fewer Ingredients 349 Chapter 20: Summertime Soirees 361 Chapter 21: Feeding Holiday Hordes: Festive Winter Menus 375 Part V: The Part of Tens 395 Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Think Like a Chef 397 Chapter 23: Ten Common Cooking Myths 401 Appendix A: Glossary of 100 (Plus) Common Cooking Terms 405 Appendix B: Common Substitutions, Abbreviations, and Equivalents 413 Index 419
