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Ktchen Stuff

Written by Best-Achiever from the blog Only the Best is Achieved Here on 20 Feb 2008
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Lady in need.

I am a lady crying out for help from you bloggers. I need to learn something new this year and have chosen it to be the kitchen department; well I’m no good when it comes to that department so I’m asking fellow bloggers to help grow the best person in me when it comes to that department. When I grow up my mother used to cook for us so that we can focus on our studies, and on weekends we would clean, wash our clothes, play with friends, rest a bit then study again, yes that’s what we were doing. The first time I learnt to cook was during December Holidays when I finished writing my matric exams(Yes, I was 15 at that time, I started schooling when I was 4 because I didn’t have anyone to stay with at home and all my friends were going to school). I know someone may ask why I didn’t learn to cook all those years back during holidays. My parents were tough nut to crack, during December Holidays when all scholars have their break from school, me and my siblings were busy being geared up for the following grade, yes that was our life. The only break we always have was the Christmas week and New Year’s week, that’s two weeks, those were our school holidays to us and we got used to it.

Then I went to tertiary and didn’t get time at all to cook, during holidays I would do some holiday jobs to help raise money for this and that, come home late, eat rest a bit and study again. So I didn’t have enough time for kitchen department. Well when I started working I was mostly eating junk food even today I still do that. Well I can cook the basic, as long as it won’t need so many things to prepare, things like rice, pap, chips, fish(that only need a griller), when it comes to meat, I can do it as long as I have marinade, herbs and a spice. My biggest problem is that I’m so tired of eating same food over and over again(roasted Chicken, lamb/beef stew, pasta, fish and chips, that’s what I normally cook and eat, and now I have lost appetite when it comes to this). Can you fellow bloggers help me with some recipes that I can use to cook some interesting food, even if it is what I have listed because you might be doing it differently?

And can you also please shower me with some baking recipes (biscuits, cakes, etc); have tried to Google stuff but they come Greek to me.
Thank you.

39 Comments

azHOT
20 Feb 2008 05:07

hey BA! glad to see you want to acquire some cullinary skills. i'd advise you to search on the things you want to make. once you've established the foods you want to prepare i.e: chicken, pasta, lamb etc. that will make your quest much easier. food&home magazine should come in handy so will the library and net...happy cooking

Best-Achiever
20 Feb 2008 05:12

@azHot ... thanks, have tried searching those, but most of the times i dont even know the ingredients they are talking about, it is very much greek for my no-so-good kitchen knowledge. and those 5ml is too much i donk know what they corresponnd to because i dont have those things to measure in my kitchen

belz
20 Feb 2008 05:15

Shame BA, you can try stir fry (either beef or chicken).Boil rice or pasta, im sure you can do that. then cut the meat into strips, spice it the way ofuna ngakhona, then just ad a whole lot of vegetables, every vegetable you can think of, its quick and easy, i do it all the time because its one of the things i do best.

Best-Achiever
20 Feb 2008 05:21

@belz .... Thank you, have taken notes, will try it. rice separate nhe?

Zee Babes!
20 Feb 2008 05:22

@Best Achiever - nyc one...I was dying for something constructive today - thanx doll for rescuing me.

Its a good thing that you are even considering learning - its never to late nonoza. I guess you can still learn and excelle cos where there is a will there is a way. Trust me cooking @ an earlier age or not - i doubt it would have made a difference. Cos it depends on what you would have been cooking back then and I think "meals" change now and then, yes you can cook chicken the way your mother does but then again there is a room for improvement - c what i mean. Why dont you try those classes or hook up with a caterer who knows their way around the kitchen.

Also try to buy as many spices and flavours as you can and just play around your kitchen - Oliva`s law.

Well mina sana - I wouldnt cook to save my life. My friend cooks and i do the dishes...

belz
20 Feb 2008 05:25

Best A, yes my love but when you are a pro you can actually mix the pasta with the veges kodwa jsut do it seperate for now, imnandi i promise.

Zee Babes!
20 Feb 2008 05:27

@ Belz - You can try stir fry (either beef or chicken).Boil rice or pasta, im sure you can do that. then cut the meat into strips, spice it the way ofuna ngakhona, then just ad a whole lot of vegetables, every vegetable you can think of, its quick and easy, i do it all the time because its one of the things i do best.

Thanx for i-recipe - I`ve always wanted to try i stir fry....but thot it was difficult kanti cha. I will try it on Sat...A friend is coming over on Sat and the sad part is dat she is also a family member of tvsa....lets hope she will miss this one! Sure ntombazane.

Best-Achiever
20 Feb 2008 05:29

@Zee-Babes, thank you, but make sure you learn a thing or two from your friend or you'll end up being like myself when you both go separate ways.

@belz ... you such a darling, thank you once.

belz
20 Feb 2008 05:34

I dont know what to call this but this is what you do

Boil rice with spice for rice so that its got a nice yellow colour, then just before its ready add mixed frozen vegetables, stir so that that veges are mixed with the rice. Grill or fry chicken to go with it, you can do grave as well with this meal but the nice part is this rice is jsut as nice without the gravy. You can replace the rice with potatoes but you have to do the gravy if you decide on the potatoes.

myname
20 Feb 2008 05:40

thats me zeebabes i do the dishes my luv. Before i was staying alone but now im staying with this woman (she is the best man). iIwas a fan of eggs & bread, hot-dogs, he he he peanut butter, jam & rama zonke at the same tme luv & ndiyazisamenta. And yes my mother teached mi 2 cook but not this fancy food that we eat now. These green stuffs eish they r killing mi man & hayi shame i love washing dishes bcoz i know im good when it comes to cleaning & im not lazy. Some they said i must watch abantu abaphekayo & then try to cook it when im alone in case if it turns bad Father Dustbean will save mi from humiliation so BA look & watch from food analyst then try it when u r alone okey bcoz mna sendikhathele. Bye

Lex
20 Feb 2008 05:41

Well mina sana - I wouldnt cook to save my life. My friend cooks and i do the dishes... @ Zee Babes,that's me right there.My parents know that if I cook on a Saturday its gonna be pap and wors.And they'll be complaining about the pap,and the funny thing is I wouldnt even know what they're complaining about coz I dont even eat pap.On Sundays its rice,chicken and some potatoes.I am so glad I'm not facing this cooking dilemma alone.And to make everything extra worse is that my boyfriend is good in the cooking department (and the other department as well LOL!)

Tashi
20 Feb 2008 05:43

Hey BA - SNAP!! - I SO feel your pain you have no idea - I'm exactly the same. I've struggled for forever to find things to make and decided this is the year to make things happen and get over my crisis. I know exactly what you're saying about recipes - that you never have what they suggest or can't measure them properly. I've been asking family and friends for easy ideas and these are two I've tried that have worked very well and become a regular meal. Hope they can help you too!

1. Bacon Quiche

Ingredients:

Half a pack of bacon
2 cups of cheese
2 eggs
1 x onion

Extra's needed later:
a bit of milk
a bit of flour

Fry the bacon until cooked properly then chop into little pieces.
Chop up the onion - don't cook.
Mix together: the cheese, onion, eggs and bacon.

Add: a bit of flour and milk - I've found a half a cup of flour works well, then add a bit of milk so that the mixture's kind of sticky i.e. musn't be watery - the milk just combines it together type thing.

Spray-and-Cook an oven dish, put in the mixture and cook on 180 degrees for 15 - 20 mins - check it at 15 minutes. Once it's out wait for it to cool down before slicing.

Works well with stir fry vegs with nothing added to them.

2. Pasta bake

Ingredients:

Half a bag of macaroni
Onions, green peppers (and other things you'd like eg mushrooms, other peppers, pepperdews etc)
A packet of bacon
1xlarger sized cream ie not the small one
Some cheese

Directions:

Cook the macaroni
Fry all the bacon and chop into pieces
Chop up the onions, peppers etc - don't cook.

Mix everything up in a bowl and put in an oven dish - a square or rectagular one works well.

Once it's all in pour the cream over it and across it.
Sprinkle the top with cheese
Bake for 30 minutes at 180.

It makes a lot and it's super-tasty so you don't need anything extra with it.

belz
20 Feb 2008 05:47

Thanks Tashi, im printing this, my man will be so proud of me, he loves my cooking.

Best-Achiever
20 Feb 2008 05:51

@Tashi .... Thank you very much, will definately try everything that comes my way, maybe after all i can look forward to the flat after work.

Jordan
20 Feb 2008 06:02

Dear Best-Achiever

I have trained my stomach to appreciate what it gets, so naturally I won’t be able to give you any valuable info. I hope you don’t regret learning though, cos once people know that you know, they will take advantage of you!!!

Mathaz
20 Feb 2008 06:04

Cheese cake:

Lemon jelly, Blue Label Biscuits or Tennis biscuits, a spoon of lemon juice, desert cream (not the one that you get in the fridge) and condenced milk.

cruch bisucits and melt butter in a pan and mix the two and then put inside the fridge for no less than 12 hours. Prepare your jelly but do not let it set, just when it is about to set, mix all the ingredients and you've got yourself a cheesecake. It's also nice if served with ice cream.

It's so hard to give expalin a recipe in English.

LM
20 Feb 2008 06:11

Hey BA.....am also not good in that department so like the other blogas say, I hv invested in herbs, spices and frozen vegies (especially stir fry ones). Move magazine (R4.20) has wonderful recipes which need ingredients u may already be familiar with. It is also perfect for baking recipes.

All the best with your cooking.

belz
20 Feb 2008 06:20

It's so hard to give expalin a recipe in English.> LOL Mathaz, you are right. im trying this one too

Molilo
20 Feb 2008 06:22

While at it can those who know good salads provide us with the recipes

Tynt!
20 Feb 2008 06:27

Ok! Lets make a Pita/Shwarma

Stir fry is gud( thats if u dnt hv tym):

But nw we goin to make our own. We neeed Red, yellow, green pepper en carrots( cut into strips). Sliced onions en cabbage neH!
Hit ur oil( if u wanna live healthy Olive oil, if nt any other oil its ok Mwa use sunflower) then fry ur mixture and add spice to blend ( any spice of ur choice, jst dnt 4gt Paprika thou)
add chiken/beef strips , fry till golden brwn.

Aside heat ur butter/ Rama then add flower and milk. stir till thick and add any cheese of ur choice, black pepper en parsley)

base ur Pita bread with ur sauce. Add bbq sauce or any sauce of ur choice, then ur mixture. then cheese again...

measurements nt included, jst make nuff ok!

Best-Achiever
20 Feb 2008 06:37

Thank you so much im taking all recipes here and plaese keep them coming, also include baking ones and salads. thank you so much

Pooky
20 Feb 2008 07:04

Tashi thanks babes...thats actually one of my favourite dishes maara i have no idea how to make it....so thanks for the recipe i'll definately try it, both actually.

myname
20 Feb 2008 07:26

@Molilo lettuce, cucumber, cold boiled eggs, chicken viennas, Feta cheese; as well as Melrose Cheddar cheese & tomato im sure everybody knows it hihihi & thats my fav salad dear

belz
20 Feb 2008 07:45

Orange cup cakes.

Cream castor shuga and margarine until fluffy( i dont know if this is the right term), Beat 2 eggs and add, add flour and half a teaspoon of baking powder, grate 2 - 3 oranges into the mixture, (not the inside of the orange, just the peel) mix, mix, mix with milk , uzobona nawe ukuthi sokusharp then bake for 15 -20min, i think you need to preheat the oven to about 180 degrees. im not sure of the other quantities but nawe mos you'll see. All the best.

myname
20 Feb 2008 07:47

Cream spinach but you gonna pay me bcoz I learned for 4 months so you can imagine struggling to get it right LOL. You must have a onion, yellow & red pepper to create that beautiful colour that makes you hungry NOW, fresh spinach, oil (I believe in sunflower fish oil darling not butter), salt, chilli beef stock (also love this) boiled milk or boiled water, creamy cheese soup, mushroom soup & cheddar soup (oh I love cheese I forget to tell you & they all come from Knorrox or Any but make sure its creamy something. Now u chop everything nhe & you fry onion & peppers, Then cook spinach alone in another pot with water my darling until sivuthwe (ripen). Then you mix everything like onion, peppers & spinach in one pot, then mix all these soup in a bowl & remember you use boiling water or that boiled milk when mixing these soup & make sure its thick bcoz we want that creamy spinach from Meat Company in Monte Casino LOL. Then you pour that creamy mixed soup in that pot including salt & beef stock for a taste & after everything is mncwaaa maan eish Now pay me WANKOLOTA

Molilo
20 Feb 2008 07:52

Tanx myname from ur first one I was gonna say u so love cheese but now sincew u just confirmed it i cannot say a thing. Unfortunately i do not know that one u said we all know but i am learning tanx send me a quotation i will discuss it with the CFO

belz
20 Feb 2008 07:54

darling until sivuthwe (ripen). > LOL myname, im not sure this is the term we use for cooked stuff, i think you should use the term , unti its "cooked" hihihi. But i'll try this spinach thing man. maybe umntu angabahealthy.

Vutmi
20 Feb 2008 08:24

Thanks 4 the article Best A, cant cook too, always on woolies ready made food, which is costing me an arm and a leg. Busy taking notes thou, keep them coming...want to impress my new boyfriend; if only i knew how to operate my oven but thats another story. i suppose i'll have to dig-out the user manual. any body know how to make lasagna(beef or chicken).

myname
20 Feb 2008 08:30

thanks Molilo its easy & quick darling. Eish Belz usile yhazi bendifuna sivuthwe like matured LOL & mna im out of here. C u 2morow

Brown Shuga
20 Feb 2008 10:06

Glad to hear I'm not alone BA!
Isn't there somewhere we can attend lessons?

Tshd21
20 Feb 2008 10:16

@ Myname: Gal..I like the cream spinach recipe but I don't eat cheese...replacement? :)

Beyonce
20 Feb 2008 11:05

@ Shugs: You know where to get those lessons mos.

@Mathaz: re- Cheese Cake, dont you put cottage cheese somewhere? It is a CHEESE CAKE after all... Nonetheless thanx darling, this was the only thing I didnt know how to do:)

Bra Bizza
20 Feb 2008 11:43

@Tashi....can i be your friend....i'm also printin your recipe

Tshd21
20 Feb 2008 11:58

Why is cheese so....everywhere?

Best-Achiever
20 Feb 2008 23:24

Thanks guys, im taking notes. tried belz one yesterday and it was delicious, today im trying one of Tashi's.
@BS ... if you find a place where we can get lessons let me know or rather Beyonce, help me out, where to get those lesson.

belz
21 Feb 2008 00:00

tried belz one yesterday and it was delicious, today im trying one of Tashi's. > Im glad it worked BA.

Mathaz
21 Feb 2008 02:37

@Mathaz: re- Cheese Cake, dont you put cottage cheese somewhere? Yes you do, thanks for reminding me.

sweetie my baby
21 Feb 2008 08:34

here's one of my fave salads babe...

2/3 tomatoes, chopped into large pieces,
half an onion, chopped finely
5/6 stems of coriandor (cilantro) chopped up
1 chilli pepper chopped (only if you like your things hot)

alternative extras
baked beans - drained of tomato sauce
or avocado

mix all these ingredients up together

dressing - regular italian salad dressing or mixture of

lemon juice - 3 tablespoons
one tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic crushed into the lemon jce, olive oil mixture

ENJOY!

Beyonce
21 Feb 2008 10:21

>>>@BS ... if you find a place where we can get lessons let me know or rather Beyonce, help me out, where to get those lesson<<<

Best Achiever--- Send me an PM

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