Real Simple Classic Cooking Tips

This week we dissect Real Simple’s October 2011 feature that gives four different families a dinner make over. The first challenge is called “I Don’t Even Know the Basics.” (Annoyingly called “I Need to Learn How to Cook” on the website…why do they insist on making it so hard to throw away the clutter that the magazine’s create?!) Anyway, it’s about new wife Ashley Bush, who has never been taught how to cook and who we suspect is like half of you out there in America — a Classic. So their tips are right on for those types, but there are a few other basics that will help some big picture cooking newbies too.

The first thing Real Simple did was take Ashley Bush shopping for a list of essentials. Classics always love a good checklist, but frankly anyone who doesn’t know how to cook will appreciate knowing what kind of tools you need to start cooking. It’s also good to know what’s essential if you have, um, too much stuff that you don’t use but think that ONE DAY you might need. This list gives you permission to pare down, especially if you don’t cook! The list also helps the types who are overwhelmed by the details involved in cooking — Organics and Smarts — by letting them know which details are important.

The bread and butter of this solution are quick tutorials on knife skills and seasoning which even this Organic Freedom appreciated because I am a random cook who tends to forget anything I learned the last time I went through a cooking phase. It’s good to be reminded and I always love to learn a few new things. This solution also reminded me that roasting meat with vegetables is a quick and easy way to have a healthy and well rounded meal. I think while Classics probably invented those “one pot” meals, Organics and Smarts adore any great idea that takes care of the details that cooking vegetables can entail.

Real Simple also had some interesting ideas for spicing up whole grain side dishes like Quinoa, Bulgur and Barley with things like raisins, almonds, olives, etc.. This is a detail oriented thing that might overwhelm me and other Organic Freedoms and Smart Freedoms, or be too much work for Organic Structures, Smart Structures and Classics who might just want to grab some whole grain bread and a call it a day. On the other hand if any type is trying to find more healthful and interesting carbs, then this might not be such a hard thing — it just depends on your level of interest. For those in a hurry to get cooking checked off their list, then maybe looking for a pre-seasoned rice packet — might be a better bet.

Another tip that is great for Classics and the other types who can get overwhelmed by the unpredictable nature of cooking — Smart Structures and Organic Structures — is to slow down. As Bush says, “Emily taughts me that when I’m in the middle of a recipe and things get overwhelming, I can just turn off the heat and step away from the stove.”

And yes, I didn’t mention Funs at all! Basically for newbie cooking Funs, the essential list is probably a good start that will help them stay on task, but they’ll need to branch out and try new things or they might  quickly bore with the basics. Also Funs tend to be perfectionists and can get overwhelmed by the time it takes for them to get everything done, so we might suggest that they wait on perfecting Quinoa with a thousand different herbs and spices, and toast up some good multi-grain bread to make sure dinner gets on the table at a reasonable hour.