<p>What would Ccers recommend for the person who has absolutely NO cooking skills? There is also not much motivation to be a good cook. The goal would be to learn to prepare some simple healthy quick meals. A cookbook for someone who finds making meals a chore not a pleasure.</p>
<p>I grew up using the 1956 edition of the Betty Crocker’s Picture Cookbook–and I still use it today. Great basic recipes, basic instructions on technique, and lots of good tips on how to make your own variations.</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> Betty Crocker’s Picture Cook Book (Revised And Enlarged): *: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crockers-Picture-Revised-Enlarged/dp/B000EF4OEY/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crockers-Picture-Revised-Enlarged/dp/B000EF4OEY/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t)</p>
<p>I still like Bittman. But I am allergic to cookbooks that use only three ingredients at least one of which is some disgusting canned soup. I think someone who finds cooking a chore should just learn to saute a piece of meat and steam a vegetable and experiment with the spice jars.</p>
<p>“I still like Bittman…But I am allergic cookbooks that use only three ingredients at least one of which is some disgusting canned soup”</p>
<p>Are you describing a Bittman cookbook? With canned soup??? Which one?</p>
<p>This one is new, and a good reference…</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> Keys to Good Cooking: A Guide to Making the Best of Foods and Recipes (9781594202681): Harold McGee: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594202680/ref=oss_product]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594202680/ref=oss_product)</p>
<p>^Of course I’m not describing Bittman, but that pretty much describes many “easy” cookbooks like the “I hate to cook” cookbook. Remember that one?</p>
<p>Bittman has simple recipes generally followed by variations. So he’ll have a simple pot roast. Then he’ll tell you you can dress it up with apricots and North African spicing or make it more Italian with another set of spices. I really think it’s great for learning to think like a cook. But you can always stick to the simplest version of each recipe.</p>
<p>Really, no one likes Julia. She taught me how to cook in college. Mastering the Art of French Cooking.</p>
<p>But I am intrigued by Bittman and will look into it for my son.</p>
<p>For those of you who are Bittman fans: Do you recommend the “How to cook everything, The Basics” version? Or “How to cook everything: Simple recipes for great food”? Does anybody know if they are very different? I often see him on Today, but don’t have any of his books…</p>
<p>I just ran and looked; it is the Simple Recipes I have.
mom60, I would recommend the Bittman for your person. My DS was the sort of kid who would open a can of tuna, put it straight on the bread and call it a sandwich. He could not scramble eggs. By the end of the year he had a nice repertoire of simple dishes (stir fries, pasta) and often tried the variations that follow many of the recipes. (He actually has started to enjoy cooking and is now baking his own bread!)</p>
<p>I found this at a used bookstore for $4- I love it- already three recipes are in heavy rotation.</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> The Minimalist Cooks at Home: Recipes That Give You More Flavor from Fewer Ingredients in Less Time (9780767903615): Mark Bittman: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Minimalist-Cooks-Home-Recipes-Ingredients/dp/0767903617/ref=pd_sim_b_7]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Minimalist-Cooks-Home-Recipes-Ingredients/dp/0767903617/ref=pd_sim_b_7)</p>
<p>my MIL gave me this book for a wedding present.
[Amazon.com:</a> Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook (9780878510375): Zoe Coulson: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Good-Housekeeping-Illustrated-Cookbook-Coulson/dp/0878510370/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1293042790&sr=1-2]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Good-Housekeeping-Illustrated-Cookbook-Coulson/dp/0878510370/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1293042790&sr=1-2)</p>
<p>I think that was irony.
Even @ 23 I had more cookbooks than she did plus grew fresh herbs in my balcony.
It was a decent cookbook though.</p>
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<p>Oh, I love Julia. But Mastering is for someone who is serious about cooking, even if at the stage of being serious about wanting to <em>learn</em> how to cook. I didn’t think that was what was called for in this case.</p>
<p>Another vote for Fanny Farmer here. I took one off to college in 1971 and sent my D off to college with the latest print this year. The best part is the how to cook stuff in the front. My problem with books like The New York Times is you have to be in a big urban place to find some of the obscure ingredients.</p>
<p>My H sent kids off with Bittman when they moved out of dorms into places with kitchens.
How to Cook Everything and the How to Cook Everything Vegetarian version too!</p>
<p>I have two Joy of Cooking cookbooks- one I think was my mom’s & one I got in the late 70’s. But aside from a couple christmas cookie recipes, I dont really use them.</p>
<p>The older cookbooks seem like they make more food than we eat & lots of kids don’t have much room for all kids of cookware.</p>
<p>( I also don’t know of any Bittman recipe that calls for canned soup, although I will admit I buy aseptically packaged * organic!* broth, instead of making my own.) :o</p>
<p>This squash recipe sounds really good.
[Fall</a> favorites: Bittman?s one-pot comfort soups](<a href=“http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39639046/ns/today-foodwine/]Fall”>http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39639046/ns/today-foodwine/)</p>
<p>When I was starting out, I used a paperback called “The New Cook’s Cookbook”. I still use it for my chicken soup and roast duck recipes. It’s out of print but available on Kindle.</p>
<p>Thinking about this thread, I checked out the cookbook section of the bookstore I was in. There’s a short version of the Bittman’s *How to Cook Everything *out. It even tells you how to scramble an egg, but it’s not as fat as the big book. If I thought there was any chance of someone becoming a serious cook I’d get How to Cook Everything. But if I thought they needed baby steps I choose this one: [Amazon.com:</a> How to Cook Everything: The Basics (0785555852204): Mark Bittman: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/How-Cook-Everything-Mark-Bittman/dp/076456756X]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/How-Cook-Everything-Mark-Bittman/dp/076456756X)</p>
<p>I’d never give Julia’s Mastering the Art to a beginner. She makes mashing potatoes complicated. However, she does have a great cookbook that is user friendly. It’s this one: [Amazon.com:</a> The Way to Cook (9780679747659): Julia Child: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Way-Cook-Julia-Child/dp/0679747656]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Way-Cook-Julia-Child/dp/0679747656) Unlike Bittman, it’s got lots of photos both of the final product and how to get there. Good standard recipes - with a master recipe and variations system that works pretty well.</p>
<p>mathmom, thanks for the link on the Bittman cookbook. My son is moving into an apartment next year and has no clue how to even scramble an egg. I just ordered it using his Prime account and it will be here before Christmas! It will be perfect with the other books I got him: [Amazon.com:</a> Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen Cookbook: 100 + Great Recipes with Foolproof Instructions (9780618711758): Kevin Mills, Nancy Mills: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Help-Apartment-Has-Kitchen-Cookbook/dp/0618711759/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1293058941&sr=1-1]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Help-Apartment-Has-Kitchen-Cookbook/dp/0618711759/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1293058941&sr=1-1) and [Amazon.com:</a> Where’s Mom Now That I Need Her?: Surviving Away from Home (0012387401011): Betty Rae Frandsen, Kathryn J. Fransen, Kent P. Fransen: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Wheres-Mom-Now-That-Need/dp/0961539011/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1293058988&sr=1-1]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Wheres-Mom-Now-That-Need/dp/0961539011/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1293058988&sr=1-1)</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>This isn’t a cook book but after my son called and asked how I brown ground beef I found these videos - [Browning</a> Ground Beef > Start Cooking](<a href=“Browning Ground Beef > Start Cooking”>Browning Ground Beef > Start Cooking). I may use them myself! They do tell you to how to boil and fry an egg and make an omelet. And make a grilled cheese sandwich, plus a whole bunch more.</p>
<p>“^Of course I’m not describing Bittman”</p>
<p>Sorry! I figured that out when it was too late to edit!</p>
<p>A “Julia” I use regularly is “Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom”. Best way to boil, scramble, poach, or fry an egg, etc.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Julias-Kitchen-Wisdom-Essential-Techniques/dp/0375411518[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/Julias-Kitchen-Wisdom-Essential-Techniques/dp/0375411518</a></p>
<p>Love Betty Crocker. My husband & I each had a paperback edition in college. I still have mine and consult it at least 1x/week to confirm correct temp for roasts. Her pumpkin pie recipe is my standard. </p>
<p>Another one I like that hasn’t been mentioned is the Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook. I was working on a project for Hearst Corp 18 years ago and they gave me a copy. It’s my #2 resource and had great illustrations. I gave a copy to an au pair when she left, as it was her favorite.</p>