to cook a liquid on the stove top at a low heat so that only tiny bubbles ripple across the liquid’s surface
Bake: to cook food such as cakes and casseroles in an uncovered pan in the oven; baking usually browns the surface of the food
Roast: like baking, except roasting refers to meats or vegetables
Stir: to mix ingredients together with a slow, circular motion
Whisk: to mix ingredients very quickly with a whisk— a special tool made of loops—until the mixture is thick and creamy or light and frothy
Beat: to mix ingredients with a fast motion, using either an electric mixer or a cooking spoon
Skillet: a shallow pan used to cook or fry food on the stove top; many have lids
Roasting pan: a wide metal pan used for roasting large pieces of meat in the oven; some come with a rack or a lid
Saucepan: a deeper pan used to cook food on the stove top; they come in many sizes and usually have lids
Baking dish: a ceramic or glass pan used for baking all kinds of foods in the oven; they come in different sizes and may have lids
Baking sheet: a flat metal pan with shallow or no sides, used for baking many kinds of foods, such as cookies or pizza, in the oven
Nonstick pan: a pan made with a coating that helps keep food from sticking to it
planning a meal
for example:
Total the time you’ll need to
peel, grate, chop, and cook:
1 hour
Add extra time to be safe
(depending on your experience):
+ 30 minutes
Total these times:
1½ hours
When do you want the meal
to be served?
6:00 p.m.
Deduct the amount of time needed
from when you want to serve:
– 1½ hours
This is when you want to start cooking!
4:30 p.m.
If a dish is new for you or a bit complicated, make easy side dishes,
such as a green salad or plain vegetable. Prepare what you can ahead
of time. And ask for help—friends and family can set the table, toss
the salad, or pour the drinks. It’s more fun that way!
Voilà!
If you’ve read this introduction,
you have everything it takes to be a
great cook—enthusiasm, patience,
and a yearning to learn something
new. Cooking is creating! Once
you know the rules and get some
practice, you’ll be able to impro-
vise your own dishes, too. As the
French say, “voilà!” There it is!
breakfast
& brunch
bitty berry
pancakes
These sweet pancakes aren’t just for breakfast! Try them for dinner,
slumber parties, and Mother’s or Father’s Day. For variety, replace the
blueberries with equal amounts of other fruits or chocolate chips.
Makes about twenty 3-inch pancakes
Unsalted butter 4 tablespoons
All-purpose flour 1 cup
Granulated sugar 1 tablespoon
Baking soda 1 teaspoon
Salt ½ teaspoon
Egg 1 large
Buttermilk 1¼ cups
Vegetable-oil spray
Blueberries 2 cups
Toppings such as fruit, syrup, butter, jam, applesauce, yogurt, or powdered sugar
Ask an adult to help with the stove.
1. Prep the ingredients. Wash and drain the berries; set them aside. Melt the butter in a small saucepan on the stove, using low heat.
2. Mix the ingredients. In a medium-size bowl, use a whisk to mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a separate, large bowl, crack and thoroughly whisk the egg; then whisk in the buttermilk and melted butter. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in the large bowl, and whisk together until just mixed. It’s fine to have some small lumps.
3. Pour batter onto the pan. Coat a skillet or griddle with vegetable- oil spray, set it on the stove, and turn the burner to medium heat. When the pan is hot, dip into the batter with a ¼-cup measuring cup and pour it onto the pan. Space the pancakes so they don’t touch—try only one or two at first.
4. Add the berries. Immediately drop 6 blueberries (or a different addition) onto each pancake, and lightly press them into the bat- ter with the spatula tip. When bubbles have formed in the pan- cake, test it with the spatula to see if it’s firm enough to flip.
5. Flip the pancakes. When ready, flip the pancake over and let it cook 1 minute on the second side. Slip the spatula tip into the center of the pancake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Cook the remaining batter, following steps 3–5.
6. Finish with the toppings. Serve the pancakes hot with an assortment of favorite toppings.
summer frittata