Step 209: Be able to cook at least four dinners really well
(photo via suavehouse113)
And now, an excellent submitted step from Erin of Gingero.us fame, a wonderful blog that everyone should surf on over to, assuming you like cooking and photography and crafts and well-curated link roundups. Erin?
As an adult, one will often want to enjoy the company of other adults in one’s home. And entertaining friends means that you should feed them, because that’s what a good host does. Takeout is a beautiful thing, but once in awhile it’s nice to be able to treat your guests to a meal that did not arrive in a cardboard bucket or styrofoam box. It also shows that you appreciate them enough to plan for their visit.So here we go: Pick four dinners and learn to make those four things really well. That’s enough that you can change it up if you entertain the same people frequently, but not so many that you feel you’re committing an entire cookbook to memory.Ideally, you should choose one-pot meals that do not require a side dish and do not have a huge amount of ingredients (around ten or less is good). If you can pair it with a mixed green salad or a nice loaf of bread and call it dinner, it’s perfect.Some ideas for your recipe repertoire:One casual, quick dinner: Fancy grilled cheese, paninis, or pizza (you can cheat and buy a pre-made crust).One “wildcard” dinner: If you have friends with special diets (eg: Gluten-free) learn to make something that they can eat. Otherwise, be creative! May I recommend a Japanese, Indian or Mediterranean dish?
Also, while we’re at it, what are some recipes/techniques that every adult should master?
