Cooking is a skill that can be learned! Let us help you. Download recipes, cooking tips and shopping guidelines. Let us help get you started.  

Basic Equipment for Your Kitchen

If your kitchen is missing any of these items, buy it now (or ask for it as a gift) and you’ll be equipped to cook just about anything:

Cooking equipment

• Stove or hotplate
• Large nonstick skillet (fry-pan)
• Large saucepan with cover

Measuring tools

• 2-cup measuring cup
• Set of measuring spoons

Cutting tools

• Sharp knife
• Vegetable peeler
• Grater
• Plastic cutting board
• Can opener

Other essentials

• Large mixing bowl
• Colander or strainer
• Large mixing/serving spoon
• Dishtowel(s)
• Potholder(s)

A very few recipes require more equipment

• Microwave oven
• Toaster oven or oven
• Blender wand or blender
• Colander
• 3 quart pan
• Mixing bowls
• A good knife (see demo above)
• Basic cookbook, such as Good Eats for College Students 

Ingredients for stocking your kitchen:

Cooking is easier when you have most basic ingredients on hand. Most of the basics on this list keep indefinitely, so you buy everything once, then just replace as needed.

Keep a list on the refrigerator. When anything above runs low, jot it down on the list. About once a week, buy replacements, perishable foods and special ingredients for specific recipes, such as:

• Fresh fruit
• Fresh vegetables
• Chicken, .sh or meat
• Bread and rolls
• Eggs
• Cheese
• Recipe-specific ingredients

* Better than Bouillon is a concentrated broth paste in a jar, available in vegetable or chicken .avor. Many recipes, including rice, bulgur and soups, are tastier when made with broth. Keeping a jar of Better than Bouillon in the fridge is easier and cheaper than buying can after can of broth.

Shopping Tips

• Shopping list one and two
• Shopping tips for shopping trips (handout)

How to Cook Safely in Your Kitchen 

Raw Foods Can Harbor Nasty Bacteria

Nasty bacteria like e. coli and salmonella are found in many raw foods. So:

• Don't let cooked foods touch the same surface as raw foods (especially raw meat, eggs, chicken). Wash everything that touches raw meat or eggs carefully in hot soapy water (or a dishwasher) before you use it again.
• Don't thaw raw meats in the sink or on your counter; thaw in the refrigerator or microwave. Once raw meat has begun to thaw, do not re-freeze it.
• Store raw, uncooked meat wrapped in something (such as a plastic bag) to avoid raw juices from contaminating other foods in your refrigerator.
• Don't eat foods containing raw egg. This includes cookie dough and authentic Caesar salads made with raw egg!
• Cook meats, pork and poultry well. You can purchase large roasts and meat-cuts with meat thermometers in them. Oth-erwise buy a meat thermometer and pay particular attention to the correct internal temperature of meat, to prevent food-borne illnesses.
• Marinate meats in the fridge, not on the counter. Don't use uncooked, used marinade as a sauce on cooked meat.

Protect Yourself from Burns

• Don't put metal in the microwave - not even aluminum, gold-rimmed dishes or twist ties. You could start a fire.
• When heating liquids in the microwave, cover container with plastic wrap, but poke a few holes in the wrap so steam can escape.
• If a fire starts, put a lid on the pan immediately to starve the fire of oxygen. Douse fires with an ABC fire extinguisher or baking soda (keep handy near stove). Never use flour to put out a fire. If in doubt, call the fire department.

When in Doubt, Throw it Out

Bacteria can easily grow on leftovers and even in canned goods. Don't take chances; retching all over your date or getting your stomach pumped isn't fun.

• Don't use canned goods with bulged-out ends.
• Pay attention to "sell-by" dates. It is generally safe to eat food for a day or two past the sell-by date. Pay attention to how a food looks and smells.
• Meats should be cooked within two days of purchasing. Freeze any meat you won't eat within two days.
• Refrigerate leftover foods quickly - always in less than two hours. If it's hot, or food is outside in the sun, even sooner is better.
• If you are food shopping on a warm day, don't leave perish-able items in your car. Head right home after you shop, or bring a cooler with ice packs in the car.
• Re-heat leftovers thoroughly, to kill any bacteria that may have started growing in the fridge.
• Don't eat foods containing mold - unless they're SUPPOSED to contain mold (i.e. blue cheese, gorgonzola).

Scrub a Dub

• Wash your hands well in hot, soapy water before you start cooking or handling food.
• Keep food-prep surfaces clean and wash sponges and dish-cloths daily.
• Always wash sharp knives separately. Don't throw them into a sink full of dirty dishes where they can lurk and surprise you.
• Scrub fruits and vegetables well with a clean brush - even ones like melons where you won't eat the peel. (Bacteria on the surface can sneak inside on your knife when you cut them.) Wash non-scrubbable fruits (like berries) and vegetables (like mushrooms) with rapidly running water