Hi me again the wannbe chef!! Does anyone know of a good basic recipe book for people like me (i know i'm 32 and should know better by now) i mean one that shows you how to make say shepherds pie, soups, pies, casseroles etc.

The ones i see online are full of ingriedients i would never be able to find in my lifetime here :D
Any suggestions welcome so i can go get one on amazon.

Many thanks.

Sarah :)

p.s i made chicken broth today from scratch wooo hoo

Delia Smith's 'How to Cook' series :)

Any of Nigella Lawson's books (but particularly 'How To Eat'). Some of her dishes seem a bit pretentious but on the whole I find that she can break a recipe down into really simple terms and they always turn out well. Probably helps that she's not a trained Chef like many of the others.

cooking ??? whats that ????
i thought that went out with ironing ???

Try one of Delia Smiths early books ??
or mrs Beaton (my mum had one of those not me !
too young !!)

well done with the chicken broth, if it tasted good and didn't kill
anyone i would say you were half way there :-)

Donna

As an all-rounder, you can't beat Delia Smith's 'Complete Cookery Course'. I think the 'How To Cook' series are bit too basic, really. TCCC has a good mix of recipes, and if you follow what Delia says, they'll work!!

M.

Thanks guys much appreciated good job i have dogs to eat the 'mishaps' (i didnt know i had a fan oven till last week)

If you want a really basic book you could try the student cook book - designed for those who are going away from home and cooking for themselves for the first time. I can't remember the exact title but perhaps someone else will. :)

Grub on a Grant :D

student cookbooks, basic cookbooks.  Or for online try bbc.co.uk/food and choice recipe finder.  you get lots of results depending what you search but some of it's really easy :)

Nigel Slater's "Real Cooking" has quick but delicious recipes.  Delia's books are great but some can involve lots of ingredients - I love her "Vegetarian Collection", really delicious recipes, but some of them are definitely not for women who work!

Smashing thanks i will give them all a look!! to be honest as well as cooking good grub i cant even believe how cheap it is!! its going to cut my food budget by half just by making a simple meal from scratch!

My main reason is for my daughter of course but the food bill is swaying and its not took me as long to make a simple chicken broth as it would any quick easy meal :D

edit to say sorry i should say i am really ashamed i havent been able to put a simple meal together in the past but i'm working on it.

>  i am really ashamed i havent been able to put a simple meal together in the past but i'm working on it.

Why be ashamed ?? :) As you say - you are working on it :) :)  You'll be a super cook in no time :)

Daisy

Thanks daisy i have really enjoyed cooking of late my husband has always been the cook he sort of took over for some reason and it made me feel a little nervous about tackling cooking (thats sounds silly but) he reckoned if i had more than 2 pans on the go i was in need of help!! so i stepped out for years.

Nothing better than baking with yer kids i have enjoyed it immensely and hope others do it too.

Men do have this habit of taking over the kitchen :D :D Mine does - if I let him :D :D

Daisy

My favourite is the Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Marian Rombauer Becker. I mean it teaches you how to skin a squirrel and to make bread pudding - how cool is that! But seriously, even though it originates in the states it does give instructions and recipes for everything from starters to deserts, and lots of global recipes. I use the internet to find different recipes but Joy is where I go for basic information like what you need to know about cream soups or oil cakes.