In my last post I brought up the idea of teaching my son some cooking skills this summer. I think he should be able to make a few dishes beyond bagel bites and the weird concoctions he makes of different kinds of sodas.
I happened upon the Food Network’s show, “Five Ingredient Fix” and thought that would be a good basis for selecting things for him to attempt. She was making something that looked good but was a “diet buster” (pasta with bacon, tossed in the bacon grease and topped with parmesan cheese!), so I thought I’d first introduce him to one of my own easy recipes. My mom, an admittedly terrible cook, starting making this when I was a kid. I’ve altered it a bit, and it sounds weird, but it’s good! I think my son will do well with this:
Dr. Martin’s Mix (no idea who the doc is)
Serves 2-4, depending upon the appetite
1 lb uncooked turkey breakfast sausage, cut into bite-size pieces or 1 lb. ground beef
2-3 celery stalks, chopped
2-3 green onions, chopped
1 C rice
2 C water
1-2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 t. Worcestshire sauce, optional (I skip)
Brown the sausage (if using ground beef, drain fat after this stage) in a large saucepan. Add all other ingredients, stirring until it comes to a boil. Turn heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes. When done, fluff and serve! Very good with applesauce or cut fruit. It’s also easy to double…you can just add more rice and celery and green onion and take to a potluck.
While it’s got a couple of ingredients beyond five (don’t think water counts, though), it’s simple and filling.
So, any other ideas of simple dinners he can make? Maybe I can make a budding chef out of him this summer!
Riding With The Top Down 
Hm. I don’t remember what mom started me on. I just remember always knowing how to read a cookbook and how to cook.
maybe simple spagehtti
things like hamburger helper
work up to putting a chicken in a pan, covering it with foil and tossing it in the oven.
Do you have a girl? hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken would be a good start there.
When it’s colder, you can start teaching him chili with premixed spices, unless your recipe calls for just a few spices. (this can also teach him how to safely handle peppers)
Well, this is also a diet buster (what isn’t?) but a favorite in my family is boiled penne noodles; strips of grilled chicken breast, warmed (you can buy them precooked even); drain noodles, add chicken and top it all off by pouring garlic butter on it. One of my sons fixes this at least weekly!
The first thing my mom showed me how to make was spagetti and meat sauce.. of course the meat just had to be browned and the sauce came out of a jar..
Good for you Christie! Is this your graduate? I’m a big fan of rotisserie chicken from the grocery store deli. It’s already hot! Add a green veggie and a potato or sweet potato zapped in the microwave, and call it good!:)
Thanks for all the tips! You guys are reminding me that we’ll also need to talk a little balance. Green veggies plus the main meal, that kind of thing. Spaghetti is a must. Maybe tonight… 🙂
I’d get him a slow cooker and start him on pork tenderloin or beef roast–and he can make sandwiches.
3-4 beef roast–Chuck is affordable usually (you should cut off the obvious fat on the edge if you can)
1 package of dry Hidden Valley Ranch flavoring
Put roast in crockpot (you don’t even have to bother browning it if you want to skip that part); sprinkle the dry ranch flavoring over it. (My friend’s mother doesn’t put ANY water in it, but I’m hesitant to do that, so I either put in a 1/2 cup of water or 1 can of diced tomatoes). Slow cook for 8 hours until the meat falls apart. Stir and shred, eat on bakery rolls.
He doesn’t have to babysit it; doesn’t have to do anything other than show up 8 hours later and stir it together.
And if he wants a pot roast version, do that (leave out tomatoes), put in a bag of baby carrots, some halved baby potatoes, some chunked onion (put veggies on bottom of cooker, meat on top), sprinkle seasoning, cook and serve. (I think that’s still 5 ingredients, right?)
Homemade Marinara is fun and simple
12oz can of WHOLE PEELED TOMATOES
1 Tbl OLIVE OIL
6 CLOVES GARLIC – I buy the already peeled and ready to go ones in the produce section of the store
1 tsp BASIL – or italian seasoning
half a tsp or so each of SALT and PEPPER to taste
Crush the garlic and let it cook in a small stock pot with the oil over med-low heat (you don’t want to burn garlic) While it’s sizzling away open the tomatoes and pour the juice in with the garlic. Then you can cut or chop the tomatoes, but it’s much more fun to take them one at a time and crush them with your fist (beware of squirting juice – don’t make this with a white shirt on!). Add the tomatoes and spices and simmer for at least five mintues – though if you can give it 20 minutes it won’t be as watery and the flavours will blend better.
You can put this over pasta or waterever, but I really like dipping toasted bread with mozzarella in it.
Oops! Make that a 28 oz Can of TOMATOES
*facepalm*
I don’t recall when my son decided he wanted to learn to make chocolate chip cookies, but bless the day he did. He used to make them for us at least once a month. Hot, fresh cookies. Num. That’s one of many things I miss now that he’s out and living on his own.
If you all like black bean soup I have a great recipe, and it’s a few simple ingredients, similar to the recipe you listed above. Just chop a few veggies, chicken brother, and beans and only takes half an hour. So good.
OMG! These recipes are wonderful. Yes, Michele, black bean soup when you get a chance!
I’m glad to know about not needing to brown the roast, Hellion. I am such a rule-follower that I never take a chance on deviating, and I hate that step.
Pancakes. Because they work any time of the day, including dinner, and they don’t take a lot of ingredients. I’m talking scratch, not the box. And teach him how, with some sugar and maple flavoring, he can make his own syrup (takes a few attempts not to get this too runny). Better for him. No high fructose corn syrup.
Another good one is chili. You can teach him how to make a perfect pot of rice, single serving size, which will come in handy for a lot of dishes. Then how to make chili to go over it.