An iGen Cookbook for the Unskilled

By Lavinia M. Hughes

Since schools have eliminated home economics courses, young Americans have been left to their own devices. Despite today's iGen self-absorbed behaviors and their parents' over-approvals, when it comes to preparing young adults for their future culinary lives, they are prepared only for the economically unsustainable UberEats or DoorDash pricey take-out.

 

An iGen Cookbook for the Unskilled – A Delicious Crash Course provides a condensed introduction to the world of cooking with a short chapter on kitchen tools, cookware, and food safety, and explanations throughout that tell the cook why we follow certain procedures. Through trying out the logically laid-out recipes, which cover everything from appetizers to desserts to party food, the students will sharpen their organizational skills and begin their adult lives by feeding themselves well.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Waquoit Wordsmith Press
• Release date: Nov 18, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201086091

Lavinia M. Hughes

Lavinia M. Hughes is the author of Enter Through the Alleyway, her 3rd book of paranormal short stories, which follows Enter Through the Bulkhead, and her first book entitled Enter Through the Crawlspace. The Twilight Zone and the Alfred Hitchcock Hour are her inspirations for these mystical stories that feature drama and a human nature twist. Her other books include An iGen Cookbook for the Unskilled, an instructional cookbook. A native New Englander, she has also co-authored three novels—Newtucket Island, Training Ship, and Cape Car Blues. She lives and writes with her husband and co-author Richard Hughes at their Cape Cod home in the seaside village of Waquoit, Massachusetts.

Book preview

My definition of man is a cooking animal. The beasts have memory, judgment, and the faculties and passions of our minds in a certain degree; but no beast is a cook.

― James Boswell, The Journals, 1762-95

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION – WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR

COOKWARE AND TOOLS

FOOD SAFETY

Foodborne Illness

Cross Contamination

Things the Cook Can Control

Potentially Hazardous Foods

GETTING STARTED – A FEW BASIC RULES

Substitutions

Handy Kitchen Measurements chart

APPETIZERS

Crabbies - EASY

Guacamole – RIDICULOUSLY EASY

Nachos - EASY

Hot Artichoke Dip – MODERATELY EASY

Sausage Cheese Balls - EASY

Mix-Up Stuff- EASY

Spinach Appetizers- EASY

Paté - EASY

Zucchini Puffs – MODERATELY EASY

BEVERAGES

Spicy Fruit Punch – MODERATELY EASY

Ocean-Spray® Holiday Punch with Holiday Ring - ADVANCED

Lemonberry Punch - EASY

Homemade Hot Cocoa – MODERATELY EASY

BREADS & MUFFINS

Frittata – EASY

Honey Puff Pancake – MODERATELY EASY

Kathy’s Crisp Waffles – EASY

Blueberry Muffins – MODERATELY EASY

Poppy Seed Muffins – MODERATELY EASY

Cranberry-Orange Nut Bread – MODERATELY EASY

Greta’s Cornbread – EASY

Oatmeal Datenut Bread – EASY

Pumpkin Bread – EASY

Parmesan Breadstick Candy Canes – MODERATELY EASY

Mrs. Humphries Scones – MODERATELY EASY

CASSEROLES

Sausage, Potato & Vegetable Casserole – EASY

Cajun Casserole – MODERATELY EASY

Cheryl’s Chicken Stuffing Casserole – MODERATELY EASY

Vinnie’s Impossible Turkey Pie – MODERATELY EASY

Aunt Ruth’s Baked Eggs & Cheese – EASY

Moussaka – ADVANCED

Béchamel Sauce for Moussaka – MODERATELY EASY

SALADS

Greek Salad – EASY

Arugula, Apple & Goat Cheese Salad – MODERATELY EASY

Spinach Salad – EASY

Cucumber Salad – EASY

Macaroni Salad – MODERATELY EASY

Potato Salad Vinaigrette – EASY

SALAD DRESSINGS & MORE

Celery Seed Dressing – EASY

Greek Dressing – EASY

Caesar Dressing – EASY

Blue Cheese Dressing – EASY

Whopper Sauce – EASY

MEAT

New Hampshire Roast Beef Pie – ADVANCED

Orange Beef – ADVANCED

Salisbury Steak – MODERATELY EASY

Meat Loaf Teriyaki – EASY

Jeanne’s Meat Loaf - EASY

Meat Loaf Minis – EASY

Applesauce Meatballs – EASY

Spiced Lamb Meatballs – EASY

Pork Balls Cantonese – ADVANCED

Sweet & Sour Sauce for Pork Balls Cantonese – ADVANCED

Scandinavian Meatballs – EASY

Swedish Meatballs – ADVANCED

Sombrero Dip or Entrée – MODERATELY EASY

Shoulder Lamb Chops with Mandarin Oranges – RIDICULOUSLY EASY

Ham in Mustard Sauce – EASY

POULTRY

Mary’s Chicken Croquettes – ADVANCED

Chicken Parmesan – MODERATELY EASY

Chicken Piccata – MODERATELY EASY

Chicken Cacciatore – MODERATELY EASY

Chicken Tarragon – EASY

Honey-Lemon Chicken – EASY

Country Style Chicken Kiev – MODERATELY EASY

Chief Engineer McAndrew’s Oven Fried Chicken – MODERATELY EASY

Chicken Shortcake – MODERATELY EASY

Ginger Lime Chicken – EASY

FISH

Easy Scampi – EASY

Crab & Cheddar Casserole – EASY

Real Cajun Crabmeat Au Gratin – EASY

Sautéed Scallops  – EASY

Debbie O’s Coquille St. Jacques Mornay – ADVANCED

Maple Salmon – RIDICULOUSLY EASY

Linda’s Salmon Patties – EASY

Scallops Piccata – EASY

Fried Fish – MODERATELY EASY

PASTA & SAUCES

Introduction to Pasta

Alfredo Sauce – EASY

Tomato Sauce – EASY

Lisa’s Vodka Sauce – EASY

Herb Butter – EASY

Quick Cheddar Cheese Sauce – RIDICULOUSLY EASY

MISCELLANEOUS SAUCES

Pineapple-Raisin Sauce for Ham or Pork – MODERATELY EASY

Philly Cream Cheese Chive Sauce – EASY

Oriental Marinade – EASY

Velouté Sauce for Chicken – EASY

Yogurt Sauce – EASY

STARCH – RICE & POTATOES

Roast Potatoes – RIDICULOUSLY EASY

Day Before Mashed Potatoes – MODERATELY EASY

Ricky’s French Fries – MODERATELY EASY

Delmonico Potatoes – ADVANCED

Coconut Rice – EASY

Spring Green Risotto – ADVANCED

Brown Rice Risotto – MODERATELY EASY

Dad’s Pignoli-Nut Lemon Rice – EASY

Lobster Macaroni & Cheese – MODERATELY EASY

VEGETABLES

Mary’s Fried Zucchini – EASY

Alice’s Stuffed Zucchini – MODERATELY EASY

Zucchini Casserole – EASY

Lin’s Ratatouille – EASY

Brandied Sweet Potatoes – MODERATELY EASY

Butterscotch Yams – EASY

Zippy Green Beans – RIDICULOUSLY EASY

3-Bean Salad – RIDICULOUSLY EASY

Oven-Roasted Vegetables – EASY

Comfort Carrots – MODERATELY EASY

Roasted Carrots – RIDICULOUSLY EASY

Cauliflower Risotto – EASY

Mushrooms in Sour Cream – EASY

Mrs. Stone’s Stuffed Mushrooms – MODERATELY EASY

Memphis Dry-Rub Mushrooms – EASY

Scalloped Corn Supreme – EASY

Sweet Bourbon Corn Pudding – EASY

Cheese Corn Mexicali – EASY

Creamy Corn Italiano – EASY

SOUPS, STEWS, & CHOWDERS

Turkey Crockpot Chili – EASY

Creamy Tomato-Basil Soup – EASY

Pammy’s Split Green Pea Soup with Ham – ADVANCED

Cream of Carrot Soup – EASY

Broccoli-Cheese Soup – EASY

Vineyard Clam Chowder – MODERATELY EASY

Corn & Crab Chowder – MODERATELY EASY

Ham-Vegetable Chowder – EASY

Andouille Chowder – EASY

Quick Chicken-Corn Chowder – EASY

Zucchini Soup – EASY

Mushroom Mustard Soup – EASY

Hungarian Mushroom Soup – MODERATELY EASY

Hearty Gumbo – MODERATELY EASY

Butternut Squash Soup – RIDICULOUSLY EASY

Sweet Potato Soup – MODERATELY EASY

Moroccan Lamb Stew – ADVANCED

Nancy’s Vegetable Minestrone Soup – EASY

MISCELLANEOUS

Quiche – EASY

Dill Soufflés – EASY

Grown-up Mac & Cheese – MODERATELY EASY

Baked Beans – EASY

Peanutty Chicken Pasta – EASY

Pizza – EASY

Cajun Red Beans & Rice – MODERATELY EASY

Jambalaya – MODERATELY EASY

Hummus – EASY

BLT – EASY

Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich – EASY

Packet Potatoes – EASY

Packet Veggies – EASY

DESSERTS

Vinnie’s Raspberry Tartlets

Cathedral Candy – EASY

Frank’s Apple Brown Betty – EASY

Naked Apple Pie – EASY

Chocolate Banana Pudding Pie – EASY

10-minute German Sweet Chocolate Pie – EASY

Rose’s Ricotta Pie – RIDICULOUSLY EASY

Deborah Lou’s Éclair Ring – ADVANCED

Watergate Cake – EASY

Louise’s Carrot Cake – EASY

Christina’s Trifle – EASY

Viennese Almond Bars – MODERATELY EASY

Puffy Stuff – EASY

Chocolate Pudding – EASY

Indian Pudding – EASY

Banana Bread Pudding – MODERATELY EASY

Vanilla Custard Cups – EASY

Maple Pumpkin Custards – MODERATELY EASY

Hot Water Gingerbread – EASY

Lemon Pudding Cake – EASY

Microwave Baked Apples – EASY

Poached Pears – EASY

DESSERT SAUCES & FROSTINGS

Peanut Butter Frosting – RIDICULOUSLY EASY

Cream Cheese Icing – RIDICULOUSLY EASY

Chocolate Ganache – RIDICULOUSLY EASY

Tangy Lemon Dessert Sauce – EASY

Bailey’s Hot Fudge Sauce – MODERATELY EASY

Salted Caramel Ice Cream Topping – EASY

Whipped Cream – MODERATELY EASY

COOKIES

Sweet Dream Chocolate Chip Cookies – MODERATELY EASY

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – MODERATELY EASY

OSV Molasses Coconut Chews – MODERATELY EASY

Magnificent Mocha Brownies – MODERATELY EASY

Kid Again Brownies – MODERATELY EASY

Mom’s Graham Cracker Squares  – RIDICULOUSLY EASY

PARTY TIPS

Easy Ideas for Summer and Winter

Open House

Italian, Cajun, Greek combos

Dinner Party

Place Setting Chart

Kitchen Protocols

★

INTRODUCTION

THIS COOKBOOK IS FOR:

Teenagers

Young adults

A person of any age who never learned to cook

A person of any age looking for inspiration

Those looking for easy-to-follow recipes that don’t have 700 ingredients or 3 pages of directions

People looking for handy hints on entertaining

Greetings, potential chefs. Chef is a big word, but after you master the basics of cooking and move onto some of my advanced recipes (just a few, I promise), you will feel like a chef.

Why learn to cook? Can’t you just let someone else do it—your significant other, parent, sibling, roommate? Sure, if you want to stoke resentment in these relationships. Do they notice that you always eat, but are never part of the party when it comes to food preparation? Oh, yeah, they do.

Why not just eat convenience foods? I love a good TV dinner now and then. But they’re not exactly health foods, instead, usually heavily processed with too many calories and too much sodium.

Why not just eat out every meal? Is your last name Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, or Kardashian? If it is, you are free to eat every meal at a restaurant or rely on your personal chef to whip up something nice at your mansion. If it’s not your last name and you’re broke from regularly paying $9.95 for a grilled cheese sandwich, you need to learn how to cook. I am not disparaging a restaurant from charging almost $10 for a simple grilled cheese sandwich, by the way. They have operating expenses added to their food cost, so they have to charge a premium. But FYI, the cost of making a grilled cheese sandwich at home is only about 49 cents. My recipe for making the perfect grilled cheese sandwich is found later on in this book in the Miscellaneous section. In my experience, only one restaurant in my town of Falmouth, Massachusetts, makes it better than I do. It’s called Country Fare and it’s awesome.

Cooking allows you to be creative and put your own personal stamp on it, as they always say in those ubiquitous home renovation shows.

Make something delicious, learn new things, entertain family and friends, and eat better. Every recipe you try is a learning experience. The technique you learn in one recipe can be applied to other recipes.

I’ll start with a section on cookware and tools, follow up with a section on food safety, then there will be a chapter on each category of food. Each recipe will be clearly laid out with ingredients, instructional steps, a few cooking terms, what bowls and pans you should set out, and notes and tips. Sometimes it helps to know why you have to do a certain thing.

I encourage you to organize your own cooking efforts with a recipe box or 3-ring binder. Try the recipe exactly as written. If, after trying it the first time, you prefer to do it another way or use different ingredients, make a note on the recipe.

I don’t like fresh garlic and I never use it. Occasionally I will put in a dash of garlic powder. That’s my preference. If you like fresh garlic, feel free to add it.

It should also be noted here that you can make many changes in a recipe for main or savory dishes and it won’t necessarily affect the outcome. But sauces and baked goods usually need to be made in the exact amounts of the recipe or they won’t be right. Until you have more experience, this is a good rule to follow.

★

COOKWARE AND TOOLS

HERE IS A LIST OF BASIC items you should have in your kitchen. If you’re living at home, have a spouse, or a roommate, you probably have a lot of these things. Having the right tool does make food preparation easier, faster, and more fun. I just got an immersion blender for a gift and I love it. A thrift store has many of these items, often in excellent condition, for an affordable price.

It helps to have multiples of things like measuring cups and spatulas. You’ll use them.

If you buy a typical full set of pots and pans, it will have:

›  Large frying pan with cover

›  Small frying pan with cover

›  Large saucepan with cover (3 quart). Capacity is usually stamped on the bottom

›  Small saucepan with cover – 1-1/2 quart

›  Dutch oven – a kind of squat stockpot OR

›  Stockpot – 8 quart. High sides for boiling lobsters, making large amounts of soup

Other items you’ll want:

Au gratin pan – metal pan used for putting under broiler

Non-stick pan for omelettes

Casserole dishes with cover - in several sizes

Set of various-sized mixing bowls

13 x 9 baking dish in glass and one in metal

Cookie sheets in several sizes (aka sheet pans)

Two round cake pans 8 or 9

Two square cake pans 8 or 9 (aka brownie pan)

Two pie plates

Metal racks for roasting and wire racks for cooling

Two sets of measuring spoons

Two sets of measuring cups

Glass measuring cups in various sizes

Several cutting boards, one for vegetables, one for poultry, etc.

Two loaf pans

Muffin tins of various sizes (also buy paper liners to fit)

Strainers in various sizes

Airtight canisters for flour, sugar, pancake mix, dried peas, etc.

Oven mitts

Utensils:

❖  Wire whisks

❖  Lemon zester

❖  Vegetable peeler

❖  Silicone brush

❖  Flipper for pancakes, burgers, etc.

❖  Tongs

❖  Pasta fork for serving

❖  Rubber spatulas

❖