Cooking Lessons for Dad

Cooking Lessons for Beginners

Scrambled Egg Surprise

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Scrambled Egg Surprise

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons milk or water (optional)
  • Cooking spray
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

(about 2 – 5 tablespoons total)

  • Onions, diced
  • Bell peppers (any color), diced
  • Protein foods, cooked and diced
  • Meats, diced (fully cook before adding eggs)
  • Mushrooms, sliced
  • Garlic, minced
  • Zucchini, sliced thin or shredded
  • Cheese, any variety
  • Cottage cheese

Instructions

  1. Break the eggs into a mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the milk or water if desired. Whisk together until well blended.
  2. Chop additional ingredients (onions, peppers…) and set aside.
  3. Spray a sauté pan with cooking spray. Heat pan over medium heat until it is hot enough to sizzle a drop of water.
  4. Sauté your choice of additional ingredients in the pan before adding the eggs. You could also add extra ingredients (like cheese or herbs) to the eggs just before the cooking is complete.
  5. Pour egg mixture into the pan.
  6. As the eggs begin to set on the bottom and sides, slowly stir the mixture with a spatula. Lift cooked portions to allow the thin, uncooked portion to flow to underneath. Do not constantly stir.
  7. Cook just until eggs are thickened throughout, but are still shiny and moist.
  8. Remove from the pan and serve right away. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Notes

Use 2 eggs per serving. You can adjust this recipe for the number of servings you would like.
You can substitute soy, rice, or almond milk for the regular milk. You can also use water or not add any liquid to the eggs.

I listed some choices of additional ingredients you could add to the eggs, but I am sure there are many others.

Instead of cooking spray you could melt a small amount of butter in the pan over low heat before adding the additional ingredients and eggs (less healthy).

© Karen Breyer

 

Spaghetti

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Yield: 4 servings

Spaghetti

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound spaghetti
  • 4 quarts water
  • 1 teaspoon salt (for pasta water)

[b]Possible toppings:[/b]

  • Pasta/spaghetti sauce
  • Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

  1. Bring water and 1 teaspoon salt to a rolling boil. Add spaghetti and stir it around a little to keep from sticking. Return to a boil, then boil uncovered until al dente.
  2. Start checking the spaghetti for doneness at about 6 minutes. See package instructions for cooking time guidelines.
  3. When the spaghetti is finished cooking, drain it and return it to the pan.
  4. Top spaghetti with desired sauce and/or grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Notes

Spaghetti is a long, thin type of pasta.

Spaghetti is al dente when it is firm to the bite and loses it’s raw taste. It will have a slight resistance when bitten into. It is not soft or overdone.

You may want to serve this spaghetti with a salad, bread, and steamed vegetable.

Garlic or garlic-cheese bread is a delicious addition to the spaghetti.

See a cooking demonstration of this Spaghetti recipe on the Cooking Lessons for Dad YouTube channel.

© Karen Breyer

 

Crockpot Italian Pasta Sauce

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Yield: 12 servings

Crockpot Italian Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

  • 3 - 14.5 ounce cans tomatoes, diced with their juice
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 - 6 ounce cans tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon basil, dried
  • 2 teaspoons marjoram, dried
  • 1 tablespoon oregano, dried

Instructions

  1. Mix the following in the crockpot (slow cooker): tomatoes, water, tomato paste, olive oil, honey, and salt.
  2. Cook on high for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
  3. After cooking, add onion powder, garlic, basil, marjoram, oregano and stir.
  4. Cook sauce an additional 30 to 60 minutes on high and it will be ready to serve.
  5. Serve this sauce over pasta or use it in other recipes.

Notes

If you use fresh herbs, use 3 times more.

This sauce is great in lasagna and other Italian recipes.

I use this pasta sauce on pizzas whenever I have it on hand. It tastes amazing!

See a cooking demonstration of Crockpot Italian Pasta Sauce on the Cooking Lessons for Dad YouTube channel.

© Karen Breyer

 

Quesadilla

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Yield: Varies

Quesadilla

Ingredients

  • Tortillas, whole wheat, flour, or corn
  • 1/4 - 1/3 cup Colby - Jack cheese, shredded
  • Non-stick cooking spray

[b]2 - 3 tablespoons of additional ingredients such as:[/b]

  • Green onions, sliced
  • Black beans, canned, rinsed and drained
  • Whole corn, canned and drained or frozen and thawed
  • Black olives, sliced or diced
  • Mushrooms, sliced and sautéed
  • Cooked meats like chicken or beef, chopped
  • Green chilies, canned, diced
  • Bell pepper, diced and sautéed
  • Onion, chopped, raw or sautéed

[b]Possible toppings:[/b]

  • Salsa
  • Sour cream
  • Guacamole
  • Cilantro
  • Tomatoes, diced

Instructions

  1. Prepare ingredients and set aside.
  2. Spray skillet with cooking spray.
  3. Heat skillet on medium-high heat.
  4. Place tortilla in the skillet.
  5. Quickly sprinkle cheese over tortilla almost to the edges.
  6. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of additional ingredients over 1/2 of the tortilla.
  7. When the cheese starts to melt, fold the cheese side of the tortilla over the other half of the tortilla.
  8. Turn the tortilla over and cook about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown.
  9. When the quesadilla is finished, transfer it to a cutting board and cut it into wedges and serve.
  10. Serve the quesadilla with salsa, sour cream, guacamole and/or other choice toppings if desired.

Notes

If you use a corn tortilla that is small, use less ingredients so you don’t overstuff it.

You could use other types of cheese like pepper jack, cheddar, or Monterey Jack.

You can probably think of other additional ingredients to put in and on your quesadilla. You can be creative and experiment!

See a cooking demonstration of this Quesadilla recipe on the Cooking Lessons for Dad YouTube channel.

© Karen Breyer

 

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