Hey going to school at WNEC in Springfield MA and it my junioryear and would like to better my cooking skills. So far I can cook

At home
make homescratch cookies.

At school

I grill 90% lean burgers in a pan will spices . It comes out great. I have access to a cooking top in a small kitchen but thats it .

it good for cooking spagehthei and such.


what else can i cook can ya give me idea please

When I was in school, more years ago than I care to remember, my "kitchen" consisted of a 2-ring gas burner and a fridge.

With that I was able to do almost anything except baking. And I even bought one of those ovens designed for camp stoves, to let me sort of do some of that.

I think, soon as you get a chance, you should let us know some of the things you like to eat. Not necessarily what you've cooked in the past, you underestand. And it would be good to know what you have available in terms of cookware---pots pans & skillets; knives; etc.

But, just to get you started. If you can do burgers in a pan, then you can do any sort of grilled sandwich. Grilled cheese, for starters. Built on that by ringing the changes: different kinds of cheese, adding in other proteins (sliced ham, for instance), etc.

Go on to do Reuben sandwhiches. Preferably on rye bread, put a slice of
Swiss cheese, then some corned beef, then sourkraut. Top with some Thousand Island dressing, more corned beef, another slice of Swiss. Then grill that in a little butter until the bread toasts and the cheese melts. Flip and repeat on the other side.

Again, if you can do burgers you certainly can do pan-fried chicken breasts. And when it comes to running changes on that the sky is the limit.

Start by learning the three-plate method of breading. Line up three shallow bowls. In one put seasoned flour (flour with salt & pepper mixed in). In the second an egg wash; beat an egg with a little water or milk. In the third goes your breading mixture---which we'll talk about in a moment.

It's best to slightly flatten the breast by beating it with a special mallet, or the bottom of a skillet. Idea is to even up the thickness so that the breast cooks evenly.

Once beaten, dredge the breast in the flour. Shake off any excess. Then dip in the egg wash. Then into the breading, making sure to cover all surfaces.

Heat the skillet, add a little oil, butter, or combination. Cook the breast until browned and crisp on one side, flip, repeat.

Things you can use for breading are unlimited, and range from bread crumbs, crushed cookies, crackers, and chips; ground nuts; crushed cereal. Etc. Each will lend a different flavor to the chicken.

You can also vary the flavors by the herbs and spices you mix into each of the bowls (try, for instance, thinning the egg wash with hot sauce instead of water). And you can substitute other things for the eggs. Coat the chicken with a mixture of Dijon mustard and white wine, for instance, and then into the breading.

And, of course, you can add addiitional flavor layers by saucing the chicken.

OK, what else can you cook?

Understand I'm trying to inspire you to try other things, not just give you specific recipes.

You say you do spaghetti. That's fine. But it also means you can do virtually any pasta; 90% of them are cooked the same, with only the sauces varying. For for a change, try rottini, say, or fusili, or any of the small shapes. Vary the sauces. If you have marinara one time, try a white sauce the next.

Look what we've done. We've created almost a meal: pan fried chicken with pasta. All you need is a veggie to balance it out.

Meanwhile, start exploring other grains, all of which can be cooked on the stovetop. There is couscous (which is actually a pasta, but we won't tell), and rice, and quinoa, and bulghar, and millet, and barley. Each of which provides a different flavor layer to accompany your chicken.

Surely you can do mashed potatoes, and all the variations on that--garlic mashed, and bacon mashed, and cheese mashed. Explore other roots and use them instead of, or half and half with, the potatoes. Turnips, and rutabaga, and parsnips.

Of course, pretty soon you'll tire of eating chicken and burgers all the time. So move on. Pork chops can be cooked in the same skillet as the chicken breast. Chops can be breaded or not, as your tastes dictate. Steaks, too, can be made in the skillet. If there's anything better than a skillet-grilled rib eye with a simple cabernet/blue-cheese sauce I don't know what it is.

And, while we're using the skillet, don't neglect the world of seafood. Anything from breaded and deep fried filets, to sauteed shrimp can easily be done on the stovetop.

The easiest stovetop cooking consists of one-pot meals. Once you've prepped everything they virtually cook themselves.

I know you have a pot, cuz you cook pasta. The easiest one-pot meal is meatballs. Start with the same ground beef you use for burgers. Mix in salt, pepper, maybe a little oregano. Add some chopped onion, an egg, and a handful of breadcrumbs. Form the mixture into small balls, the size of walnuts.

You can either prefry them or not. Frying adds an extra flavor layer, but, obviously, requires more time and a second pot. Merely roll the balls in seasoned flour and pan fry until browned on all sides. Then add them to sauce (homemade or from a jar, your choice) that's been heated in the pot. Cover, lower the flame, and let simmer slowly until the meatballs are cooked through.

Other one-pot meals: the whole range of stews, ragouts, and similar dishes. Don't limit your thinking. Stews usually cannot meat that's cut up small. But you can also stew whole cuts, like a chicken, or rather large pieces. The classic Coq au vin (chicken in wine) is nothing more than a chicken, broken down, and poached in wine. And even a whole roast can be done on the stovetop (why do you think it's called pot roast?).

Don't neglect soups, particularly now that cooler weather will soon be upon us. BTW, the only substantial difference between a soup and a stew is the amount of liquid.

I really hope you're getting the idea. Your opportunities are only limited by your imagination and the amount of time you want to spend cooking.

wow thanks

im taking note. Mom cooks gourmet like food every day. Crazy so im familiar with some things.

I can get meat from stop & shop. pork and apple sauces would be yummy. Do you have salmon recipes.

I can get oranges, aplles and nannas at school. i can get the appropriate cokking utensils.

Im thinking of cooking twice a week. There is a cafe. and paid mealplan im on but. I would enjoin cooking more.

I eat any thing except mushroom dont know why .

is there a way i can make a pizza like tortea bake on a pan??

if you havent noticed im more of a hands on guy. I like to build cars and figure stuff out