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By Alex Smith
I don’t really know how to cook. That’s one thing if you’re a single guy with a cupboard full of takeout menus, but as a married father of two, it has put a bit of pressure on my wife, being that she’s the sole member of the household who knows how to actually prepare meals that involve more than operating a toaster. The fact that my wife is also a remarkably resourceful and accomplished cook doesn’t help matters. One could argue that she’s enabling my culinary incompetence.
When I was about 12 years old, I remember my stepfather marching me into the kitchen. “Today,” he informed me, “you will learn how to cook.” It hadn’t really occurred to me at the time that cooking was something I should consider learning how to do. I mean, Mom seemed to be handling that task with reasonable aplomb. Who needed me clogging up the proceedings in the kitchen? Besides – I was 12. I had baseball cards to collect, KISS records to listen to and “Star Wars” to obsess over. My schedule was already jam-packed. Regardless, my stepfather was adamant, and my first cooking lesson began in earnest.
Despite the best of intentions, the lesson ended as soon as it began. Instructed to try my hand at making scrambled eggs, I dutifully grasped a fragile egg in my hand and brought it down, as demonstrated, against the side of a bowl. Evidently, I applied a bit too much force, as the kitchen counter, my stepfather’s tie and my prized “Planet of the Apes” T-shirt were instantly covered in yolk. My stepfather proceeded to laugh like a hyena. The fact that my first stab at food preparation reduced him to fits of hysterics didn’t go over too well. Defiantly flicking a bit of eggshell out of my bangs, I declared that I was not, in fact, going to learn how to cook … just to spite him. From that point on, I went out of my way, as a petulant teen, to avoid learning how to cook. It was a vow I found all too easy to keep, but who got the last laugh?
Twenty years later, I found myself newly married. As a birthday gift, my wife gave me a gift certificate to sign up for this photography class I’d been ruminating about. Already feeling guilty about my failings in the kitchen, however, I suggested that I should take a cooking class instead. Not only did she love the idea, she decided to take the class with me.
As fun as the class (“How to Boil Water 101”) was, though, I was still way out of my depth. We poached a salmon in the first class, for cryin' out loud! I took zealous notes and paid furious attention and even completed a few honestly edible dishes, but that all happened under the watchful eye of our instructor. Sure, with him barking orders over my shoulder, of course I’d know the exact moment when to flip my omelette. But in the unforgiving wilderness of my own kitchen, I’d be on my own again.
The cooking class was fun. I still look back at my notebook and see my wife’s catty comments scribbled in the margins. But I didn’t really retain a thing and went right back to my old habit of basically steering clear of the kitchen unless there was some rudimentary pot-stirring or the dishes to do.
Soon afterward, we had a couple of children, and in no time at all, those kids graduated from baby food to “proper” food. I was able to help make their lunches and serve them up the odd bowl of macaroni and cheese (or virtually any dish that involved a microwave), but put me near the stove or oven, and all those confidence issues came rushing back. Without supervision, I seem to be convinced that I’ll screw something up. I’m deathly afraid of deviating from a recipe … something my wife can’t stop herself from doing. I freeze up and worry that I’ll either set off the smoke alarms or undercook something and make everybody sick.
Now, as a dad in my almost-mid-40s, I’m trying to make amends. I look around and see my peers who have handily tamed the forbidding frontiers of their own kitchens and are capably adept family-feeders while I'm still struggling with the coffeemaker. I am determined to put on the apron and “man up” to my responsibilities as a husband and father. As it happens, today is National Men Make Dinner Day, the ideal opportunity for men like me to stop making excuses and get cooking. Tonight, my wife gets to sit on the couch with her feet up while I toil in the kitchen (desperately trying to avoid burning the house down). Tonight, I make dinner. Men, who’s with me?
Just don’t ask me to crack any eggs.
Parents, do you have any recipe suggestions for slacker dads and husbands out there who are otherwise all thumbs in the kitchen? Share your ideas in the comment section below.
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Check out the my blog for help cooking. I have some links to some videos on you tube called Play With Your Food. I'm also working on a new show that will concentrate on food that taste great and is good for you too.
Best,
Marc
http://familychef.blogspot.com/
I have a really great recipe that I give to all my friends who rave about my cooking but say there is no way they can cook. Tastes complicated but simple to make in 55 minutes total!
Roasted Sausage and Tomatoes with Gnocchi
1 large package of sweet italian sausage cut into 2 inch pieces
3 pints cherry tomatoes washed
2 large onions cut into large chunks
2 bay leaves
olive oil
balsalmic vinegar
2 teaspoons minced garlic (from a jar)
Italian seasoning
2 packages of refrigerated potato gnocchi
Heat oven to 425
Go twice around a large roasting pan with the olive oil. Put sausage, tomatoes, onions and garlic into pan. Sprinkle with italian seasoning about 2 teaspoons full and go around the entire pan twice with balsamic vinegar. lightly mix everything together. Place the 2 bay leaves in the pan and put the whole thing in the oven for 55 minutes.
In the meantime boil a large pot of water with a small palm of salt. Once the sausage is cooked take the roaster out of the oven and cook the gnocchis. Once they float to the top they are done put them as they come up right into the roasting pan. Mix lightly together and THAT IS IT. You will impress I promise!
Baked ziti! Super easy, crowd pleaser.
Boil a pound of ziti (or shells or spirals for more interest)
Mix the noodles with a jar of pasta sauce and two cups of mozzarella cheese.
Poor in greased 9 x 13 pan, sprinkle more cheese on top.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
For added nutrition, saute some onions and peppers and mix in as well.
Men who can't take care of themselves, cooking, cleaning, laundry... are not men.
Glad to see you are taking a RESPONSIBLE role in the total family role just sadden that you are justifying yourself by preaching to others of what they should do as I am sure YOu heard this time and again from someone else prior to your "revelation".
My husband makes dinner almost every night, he's 1000x the cook I'll ever be! I think everyone in the family should learn how to do everything it takes to run a household from cooking to yard work.
My husband makes dinner almost EVERY night. AFTER working a long day as a contractor!
That's not very nice... He should have a hot meal to come home to. I hope you work longer hours than him to justify this.....
Maybe he likes to cook and finds it relaxing!
That is AWESOME! My wife and I both work and I do all the cooking BECAUSE I LOVE IT. Nothing gives me more pleasure than to whip up something and have my wife not only like it but she's licking the plate and wondering if she should really eat 2nds... :D
And yes, my opinion, thank you for showing us you are stuck in the 1950's... Welcome to the 21st century where REAL men know how to do it ALL.
How about this pasta dish:
Chop up an eggplant, zucchini, squash, bell pepper, and an onion and toss with a couple tablespoons of olive oil (If you are unsure about the veggies: leave the skins on everything but the onion, but make sure not to use the stem parts. Just chop up to the size you want- I like them pretty small (.5 in x .5 in) and that is what the time is for). Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.
While that is cooking, start some pasta (I like rotini, personally. It holds more sauce!) and heat up a jar of spaghetti sauce.
Once everything is cooked, just put it all together with some goat cheese and store bought pesto. Healthy, easy and DELICIOUS!
I have scores of quick and easy recipes:
15 MINUTE CHICKEN AND RICE DINNER; SERVES 4
1 tbs oil 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves; 1 1/2 cups water; 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup; 1/4 tsp paprika; 1/4 tsp pepper ; 1 1/2 cups Minute Rice; Frozen broccoli florettes
Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and cover. Cook 4 minutes each side, or until cooked. Remove from pan. To pan, add water, soup and seasonings. Stir. Bring to boil. Stir in rice and broccoli. Top with chicken. Cover and cook for 5 min. on low heat. IT REALLY TAKES 15 MINUTES.
ALASKAN WHITE FISH - Preferred because no skin, no bones, not fishy, white colored, and inexpensive. I fry, but may be baked.
SERVINGS: 1/3 lb per small adult portion
1/3 lb Alaskan white fish; olive oil (or canola, vegetable); minced garlic in oil (I love "garlic in extra virgin olive oil" in a jar, produce section); Optional: Mrs. Dash with Garlic
Fry fish, uncovered, on low-medium heat, so garlic does not burn, 3 minutes. (Garlic turns bitter when burned.) Turn fish over and continue cooking 5 minutes on the other side, until fish is transparent.
My late husband did all the cooking until he got sick and then I had to tie on the apron, watch some food network and figure it out. My first dish I got right is so easy and yummy I still make it almost 10 years later.
Enchilada Casserole:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large pan put a swirl of olive oil (NOT extra virgin.. that is salad dressing not something to cook with!!!) and sautee 1 yellow onion and 2 cloves of garlic. Once they are near clear, throw in a pound of your choice of meat. I use ground bison but beef, pork or venison would work too. (I'm sure you could also use TVP or some other meat substitute to make this dish vegetarian)
Once the meat is browned, put in 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, 1 can of cream of chicken soup (or some faux-chicken vegetarian option if that is your choice) and 1 8oz can of enchilada sauce. Once It's all mixed together well, you can start layering.
Take a 13x9 casserole dish and put a layer of your meat stuffs on the bottom, then top with a layer of crushed tortillia chips (not too crushed or it will be soggy) and then meat, chips, etc until the pan is full. Top it will as much shredded cheese as you like and stick it in the oven.
Keep an eye on it, and as soon as the cheese is bubbling or brown if you like it that way, take it out of the oven. Give it a good 5-10 minutes before serving so it's not lava hot and it will be easier to take out of the pan.
I think it all boils down to how you were raised and what is important as a family unit. Both my parents worked. It depended on who got home first. My dad was an awesome cook but he kept it simple. My mom was very wise with buying groceries and we always had a garden. He helped her can, and as I got older I learned to cook, too. It helps if you are interested in it. My generation and the men who grew up in it were mostly non-cookers, in that they were the bread winners, and the women took care of the children, etc. Then and now is a whole new understanding of how things are looked at. A women's job, the mother, is the most important. Yes, roles have changed, there are many men who have taken on this role and it has brought on a whole new meaning to, 'honey, I'm home.' Men have taken on the role as care givers for young children. Cooking in the kitchen with those you love and even having friends over to share in the culinary fun can be ver rewarding. And now it seems that teaching children, gathering them together and letting them share in the making of the meal is very rewarding, in that, it is the one time the family is guaranteed time together. I say HAIL to the cooks who ever they might be.
Thanks for all the suggestions, folks!
Way to go men...check out our easy to make mexican food dishes on our blog...email us your interest and we will send you some other "easy to make and impress" dishes. http://muybuenocookbook.wordpress.com/
my kids call it sloop (but they love it)
you need 5-7 nice sized potatoes
2 tablespoons of oil
2 links of smoked sausage
1/4 block of velvetta cheese cut into cubes.
1 large skillet with lid
slice your potatoes into thin slices
place your 2 tablespoons in a frying pan on a low medium heat
get your fingers a little wet flick into frying pan when grase sizzles put your potatoe slices in cover with lid.
stir (taking a pancake turner and flipping potatoes around.) every 5 minutes or so. that way they don't burn.
when potatoes are soft (you will beable to eat the without the raw filling and/or up them with no problem.)(there is supposed to be some crispy ones so don't think you burned any) add your sausage.
cook 10 minutes stiring the mixure every so often so they don't burn.
after 10 minutes add cheese. stirring every so often to mix the cheese around.
once melted dinner is done.
My crowd pleaser:
2 pounds of skinless chicken breast
button mushrooms, destemmed and halved
1 bell pepper (red or green), diced
1/4 cup diced white onion
2 tbls minced garlic
2 tbls olive oil
1 tsp fresh parsley minced
salt to taste
1 package of pasta (I like fusili, rigatoni, or penne as they are easier to cook up without clumping)
Prep, pound the chicken to 1/4 inch thickness and then cut into strips (either long or short side, your choice).
Olive oil in pan, med high heat, when oil is warm enough to be able to roll it around the pan smoothly add onion and garlic, reduce heat to med. Cook for about 3 min (or until the onions turn clear) be careful not to brown your garlic too much (some browning will occur and that is fine). Add bell peppers and chicken strips and mushroom halves. Cook until chicken is white throughout (about 10 min) stir occasionally to avoid burning.
Meanwhile cook pasta according to instructions on the package and when the chicken is finished, toss the pasta in the pan, mix, garnish with parsely and serve.
Low fat and really easy to make once you get in to it. My standby dish when I don't have much else in the kitchen. Good luck.
This is the first meal i taught my 11 yr old son. He still makes it to this day only he added to it over the 28 yrs Take about 3 tbs of oil put it in the skillet take a nice piece of beef cut it in thin strips add meat tenderizer( just sprinkle over the meat) enough for 4 people dice up a 1/4 onion put the meat and onion in the pan cook till done. Take out of skillet put in bowl, Open a bag of frozen diced pot to skillet and then add meat. cook till pots are done and brown. Serve with and side veg or salad. This is a simple meal you can start with.
Throw in a pan some fresh ground beef patties, lightly season with salt/pepper or a herb mixture and cook, turning several times, until no red juice is seen. Drain the fat and add a can of condensed soup. Try french onion or cream of mushroom. Cover and let bubble for a few minutes. If the liquid is too thick you may add a little water or if you feel adventurous you may add cooking wine or beer (don't worry; the alcohol will evaporate, leaving the flavor). Serve with rice (rice cookers are wonderful: just add ingredients, cover and turn on), pasta, mashed potatoes or green salad.
Sorry, but this guy is a neanderthal. I am in my 50's and most of the husbands/dads I know cook fairly regularly. He sounds like a dad in the 1960's.
Hi Everyone,
Hope y'all had a great Thanksgiving! I've changed my blog address to
http://marcdunham.blogspot.com