Lost Cooking Skills: Need Help Relearning Basics

[littleoc]

I have brain damage and forget things easily once there's a break in my routine. Once I have that break, it is very stressful to reintroduce activities (due to autism, ADHD, executive dysfunction, multiple processing disorders, problems with memory, etc.).

I had a severe break a couple of years ago lasting into today, and the result is that I've forgotten how to cook and prepare food. It'd causing significant issues in my daily life. I am trying to gain weight (in muscle preferably but I'm not trying to lose weight, is my point).

Things I do remember:
- how to brown butter
- the concept of. what's it called. soaking the meat overnight in a mixture, whatever that's called
- how to microwave veggies. I forgot how to steam though, somehow....? But can use stove top.
- concept of a frying pan
- how to make rice
- how to chop most veggies or how to look it up
- that I used to get produce at a chain store called Kroger after the local butcher shop was shut down
- how to make eggs
- how to toast toast (toaster is currently on a broken circuit)
- how to make yogurt drinks
- how to make quiche, mostly
- how to heat frozen chicken nuggets (I used to make them in a sauce, not sure but might be able to remember how with time)
- how to follow directions for boxed noodles
- that I used to start the day with oatmeal,

Things I'm struggling to remember:
- how to start cooking
- meal times? Meal sizes?
- what do I eat?
- how do I get ingredients for food? Like how do I know what ingredients to get before I know what I need to eat?
- ???

I'm just struggling a lot. If someone who feels like it could send me some tips as if I were right years old, just as you do them or think of them, I'd really appreciate it

There's already a thread for recipes, so if you write out a recipe you can put it there for everyone, because I do see those and I don't want to have hidden secret special recipes in two different threads lol (I can't tell you what to do, though )

Thanks for anything and anyone

 

[Friday]

I quickly found out that this cannot be steak—no Jordan Peterson diet for me—even ground is kind of kicking me in the wallet but I’m hoping that eating this stuff more frequently will pay off in my energy levels and clearing brain fog—we’ll see.

‘Round here it’s incredibly difficult to find corn finished beef. Grass finished (and angry/scared/unhappy stress hormone acrid) is the norm. It is such a tremendous difference when the last few weeks of a cows life are eating candy, no-stress-living, and humanely killed.

There are a few ranches, in state, that make their cattle’s last weeks euphoric for them; but most are just grass fed/finished/abattoir/next!

Back when I had the SUV & DeepFreeze, it was worth driving a few hundred miles into cattle country, and buyin a quarter (or even an eighth, which is still a couple hundred pounds) direct from the ranch. $5 per pound, on average, instead of $9.99 for ground beef, and $15-25 for actual/better cuts at any grocery store. Restaurant Supply (local) kinda/sorta splits the difference; I can buy 40lb of virtually any cut for about $8 per pound. But it means defrosting, cutting, & refreezing. And I’m in someone else’s house, without a deepfreeze, so selling THEM on the savings? Needs more than math. Maybe a miracle. I’ve all but given up that particular fight. Even if it would save them a minimum of 2k per year, and over 5k if they’d let me put an $80 deep freeze in the garage. But they look at the $12 per year in increased electricity, and just ignore how much beef they eat, and say “No! That’s just ridiculous!” (Brick wall. Bang head.).

Shrug.

Picking battles? Priceless.

 

[littleoc]

I want to cook quiche and blueberry banana pancakes today, but unfortunately I could not do it. No energy today. Maybe the pancakes later though -- just, the thought of chopping an onion is overwhelming right now

ETA: gonna garden in a video game and listen to music and see if it helps me be able to prep 1 onion lol

 

[Teasel]

Rooting for you @littleoc
Breaking it down to little steps is a good idea

 

[Friday]

I want to cook quiche and blueberry banana pancakes today, but unfortunately I could not do it. No energy today. Maybe the pancakes later though -- just, the thought of chopping an onion is overwhelming right now

ETA: gonna garden in a video game and listen to music and see if it helps me be able to prep 1 onion lol

Don’t forget… pancakes freeze like a dream, and come back to life in a toaster. Something you cooked 3mo ago, and froze for later? Still cooking for yourself.

Quiche freezes okay-ish IF AND ONLY IF the fat content is reeeeeally high. Whole/heavy cream, lots of cheeses, maybe some fatty meats (bacon/sausage).

I’ve been trying to make pancakes for 3 months. Still haven’t hit the “Yep! I’m doing this!” Used to be able to make them every week, with leftovers for toasters, no worries. Right now? Ain’t happening. Which? Happens.

 

[Teasel]

Pancake day was 12th February, been meaning to make pancakes since, might happen before pancakes day next year, prolly will, we'll see

 

[Freddyt]

I’ve been trying to make pancakes for 3 months.

Big bag of Krusteaz mix. 1-1 with cold water. Also make waffles - which work well in a toaster too. Cook them on a Dash appliances mini griddle. Cooks both sides at the same time for pancakes. Use their mini waffle maker too. And you are right - make a recipe - freeze em.
When your want to, stick em in the toaster and top with ice cream and away you go.....

Strangely the other thing I used to do was wok cooking. Prep everything, put it in prep bowls in order it got added away we go. Prep takes more time than cooking for most of what I make - and you can do the prep all day. Cut this, cut that, just a few minutes at a time.

 

[Rose White]

Thought of this thread because my daughter doesn’t like a lot of seasoning on her meat. I buy a lot of ground beef because it’s cheap and I’m trying to serve us more iron-rich foods.

Anyhoo, steak with just salt is great, but ground beef with just salt is kinda meh. So I’m trying to see what’s the minimum stuff to put on that gives it flavor without overwhelming it. And I think this could be a thread in social but it also goes along with lost cooking skills. The idea is something like “two-flavor combos”.

If this doesn’t derail the thread too much, or OP is on board, I’m curious if anyone has simple flavor combos (not including salt, and no seasoning mixes, just pure ingredients) that take any basic protein or starch from to .

What I did tonight for the ground beef that was easy and delicious was garlic and chili. Literally minced garlic and added chili flakes like what you could get in packets from the pizza place.

And in my head I was like, “Duh, chili and garlic, winner. And so basic and easy.” And could go on pasta, bread, potatoes, chicken, tofu, eggs, veggies, anything!

So I am wondering if anyone has any super basic flavor combos (preferably only 2-3) that you like.

 

[littleoc]

I feel this is on topic, no worries. I'd also like to know

ETA: there is another thread like this also by me in social called "What are you having for dinner today (want to share your recipe?)?" or something like that that you can also try, that one gets posted to pretty regularly and has tons of great ideas. It's turned into a community cook book always let people steal your threads, it's worth it lol

 

[Friday]

Thought of this thread because my daughter doesn’t like a lot of seasoning on her meat. I buy a lot of ground beef because it’s cheap and I’m trying to serve us more iron-rich foods.

Anyhoo, steak with just salt is great, but ground beef with just salt is kinda meh. So I’m trying to see what’s the minimum stuff to put on that gives it flavor without overwhelming it. And I think this could be a thread in social but it also goes along with lost cooking skills. The idea is something like “two-flavor combos”.

If this doesn’t derail the thread too much, or OP is on board, I’m curious if anyone has simple flavor combos (not including salt, and no seasoning mixes, just pure ingredients) that take any basic protein or starch from to .

What I did tonight for the ground beef that was easy and delicious was garlic and chili. Literally minced garlic and added chili flakes like what you could get in packets from the pizza place.

And in my head I was like, “Duh, chili and garlic, winner. And so basic and easy.” And could go on pasta, bread, potatoes, chicken, tofu, eggs, veggies, anything!

So I am wondering if anyone has any super basic flavor combos (preferably only 2-3) that you like.

My mum used to make something she called 'hamburger glop'. IE Groubd beef, garlic salt, & mashed potatoes. AKA beef stroganoff dumbed down to drooling.

It was alright... for a 6yo. Or someone deathly illl. It's utterly gross, otherwise.

Salisbury Steak
Mac'n'Beef
Meatloaf & mash
Cottage pie

... are the NOT horrible versions

 

[Freddyt]

Thought of this thread because my daughter doesn’t like a lot of seasoning on her meat. I buy a lot of ground beef because it’s cheap and I’m trying to serve us more iron-rich foods.

Seasoning salt? I usually find a little goes a long way. If you have it Montreal Steak Spice works well too - even on ground beef.

Simmering in a little broth (chicken broth for beef and beef for chicken) adds some richness and flavour without much seasoning.....

 

[Rose White]

Good ideas @Freddyt !

 

[Friday]

So I think I totally crossed my wires with basic flavor combos & went all nostalgia in my head to "kid version vs adult version"... instead of what's just wicked GOOD together? >.< Oops!

When I'm looking at the same ingredients and want to oomph it up? I usually think "Where in the world is Carmen San Diego?"

Beef & Rice
- Mexican (salsas!)
- Cuban / Caribbean
- Mediterranean (gyro/schwarma)
- Japanese (teriyaki)

Beef & Noodles
- Italy (tomato basil)
- Russia (stroganoff/ creamy)
- SE Asian (soups & stir fry)

A quick google search of my core ingredients + the region jumpstarts my brain / puts those flavor combos to pictures / the couple extra key ingredients I would need to meet my mood