Read The Can't Cook Book: Recipes for the Absolutely Terrified! Online
Authors: Jessica Seinfeld
Tags: #Non-Fiction
The Can't Cook Book: Recipes for the Absolutely Terrified! (4 page)
12-cup Muffin Tin
For the standard size muffin or cupcake. Nonstick is perfectly fine.
The pan’s round ring springs free when the clamp is opened, making it easier to remove your baked goods.
To turn out the perfect cake every time, buy a straight-sided aluminum pan. I avoid nonstick here as it can make your cake brown too quickly.
Great for making brownies, cakes, and bar cookies. You can even use it for baking macaroni and cheese. Aluminum will last a lifetime.
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2
×4
1
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2
-inch Loaf Pan
Use this pan for baking meat loaves and banana breads alike. Opt for metal rather than glass.
Transfer you warm cakes or cookies to this rack so they cool quickly and evenly.
The Terrifying
FOOD PROCESSOR
Yes, it’s loud, formidable, and a big piece of equipment, but it’s also very handy when it comes to chopping. Let’s do it together, so you have a good experience.
First, put the base on a stable surface, then lock the bowl in place. Then, slide in the metal blade and add your ingredient(s). For something large like a tomato or an onion, cut it into quarters first. Lock in the top. Press the Pulse button several times in quick succession to chop. The Pulse button gives you more control than the On button, which can quickly turn that onion you’re trying to chop into mush. You can use the On button for pureeing vegetables or for making pesto.
You will come across a few recipes where electrical appliances are needed. Take your time to buy them. The recipes aren't going anywhere. Buy what you can. Think of this as a long-term investment.
11-c. Food Processor
Blender
5- to 6-qt. Slow Cooker
Panini Press
Toaster
Electric Mixer
On any given day, there are lots of things conspiring to prevent you from cooking a good meal. I’m going to show you how to remove one of the easiest reasons: not having the basic cooking essentials on hand.
You can’t get dressed without some clothes in your closet, and it works the same way in the kitchen. Setting up a foundation of ingredients you can use (and use again) is a game changer. For me, that includes these key items: olive oil, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, Parmesan, fresh garlic, fresh herbs, and fresh lemon. Think of these as your “wardrobe essentials.”
I have tried hard to keep the recipes very simple by using few ingredients. I took this approach because I find for busy, intimidated Can't Cooks, fewer ingredients mean fewer steps. As you will see in this book, I hold olive oil in high regard. I tend to cook with a basic, not-too-expensive extra virgin olive oil that’s mild in flavor. Sometimes I splurge on a special extra virgin olive oil with a more pronounced olive flavor for dipping bread and making vinaigrettes. When you see e.v. olive oil in the recipes, know that it means extra virgin olive oil.
As far as kosher salt goes, I prefer it over regular table salt because the crystals are bigger, making it easier to pinch. To me the flavor of kosher salts blends better with foods and tastes more balanced.
I also want to make a case for grinding fresh black pepper versus buying it already ground. Using a pepper mill with fresh peppercorns or cracking peppercorns by hand (see
How-to
) makes a big difference in flavor. On that note, I encourage you to look at your spice rack (if you have one) and consider updating your supply. If your spices have been in your life since the ’90s, it’s time to replace them with new ones.
Chopping your own garlic and using fresh lemons for zest and juice will also produce a higher-quality result for you. Please resist the urge to buy garlic pre-chopped or lemons pre-juiced—the flavor just doesn’t compare. You’ll be ahead of the game if you start off using wholesome, unprocessed ingredients.
Organic is great to buy, but it’s not in everyone’s budget. It’s your choice on where you spend, but if I could put my two cents in, I’d love to see you work with high-quality (i.e., better-tasting) organic ingredients when you can. When you cook with excellent ingredients, you are elevating your potential for making a flavorful, fresh-tasting meal.
