When you cook, do you like to get ideas from cookbooks or make up your own recipes?

[pw_1016]

I have really had an interest in cooking for the last couple of years. Sometimes I will see recipes in magazines or books that I will try from time to time. Sometimes, cooking can be expensive , especially if the recipe calls for several spices that are not commonly used that you would just have laying around in the cabinet, lol.

[kehlis]

Re: When you cook, do you like to get ideas from cookbooks or make up your own recipe

Cool thread idea.

If it is something I have no idea how to make, I will use a recipe as a starter, but I still just throw things in as I see fit.

I like making my own meals. My problem is I never right anything down so when something turns out great I have to remember what I did which doesn't happen often.

[pw_1016]

Re: When you cook, do you like to get ideas from cookbooks or make up your own recipe

Cool thread idea.

If it is something I have no idea how to make, I will use a recipe as a starter, but I still just throw things in as I see fit.

I like making my own meals. My problem is I never right anything down so when something turns out great I have to remember what I did which doesn't happen often.

Thanks!

Sounds like a good idea to just use the recipe as a starter but add your own touch to it.

Some things are meant to be made a bunch of different ways, anyhow....like meatloaf..some people use oats in theirs, some use bread crumbs...there are several ways to make that dish.I have never tried to make it, though

[Chrisksaint]

Re: When you cook, do you like to get ideas from cookbooks or make up your own recipe

Yeah i'm gonna be honest I've yet to try a random recipe, I have done some stuff with chicken but it's not anything too out there. Most of the stuff I cook I learned from my mom who I believe got some stuff from a combination of her mom, messing around, and Emeril/other Cajun recipe books.

[AUChase]

Re: When you cook, do you like to get ideas from cookbooks or make up your own recipe

It may seem weird to some, but me and a one of my buddies like to cook random dishes, when we're bored. We tried some random "Hamburger Pie" recipe and made some slight changes.

I know this isn't necessarily a recipe thread, but I wanted to give an example of how I use pre written recipes, but make my own adjustments.

The recipe calls for fried hamburger meat, mixed with ketchup, mustard, and cream of mushroom soup. In a seperate dish, you make mac-n-cheese and mix it with fried bacon. Place the mixed meat mixture in a pie crust. On top of that, put the mac-n-cheese w/ bacon. For the top layer, you put the all ready cooked fried onions and then bake it in the over for 30-35 minutes.

I make my own adjustments, now. I use Cream of Broccoli soup, instead of Mushroom. I don't use a pie crust. It's okay, but I'm not crazy about the sweet taste. Instead, I put it in a casserole pan. Since there's no crust to cook, I only cook it for 25 minutes usually. It turns out great every time, especially if you change up the noodles and the type of pre-fried onions.

[Aggies7]

Re: When you cook, do you like to get ideas from cookbooks or make up your own recipe

I usually use family recipes that have been passed down through the family.

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: When you cook, do you like to get ideas from cookbooks or make up your own recipe

I love random recipes........Like I watch Man vs Food a lot and sometimes come away with some great recipes and ideas from that show.

[Hova57]

Re: When you cook, do you like to get ideas from cookbooks or make up your own recipe

I use a recipe for guidance but the meal ends up a creation of my own. Recipes I do use were from my mom and great grandmom. I still put my own twist on it though. My mother in law always think I have sometype of secret ingredient but I don't its just skills and proper seasoning

[kingkilla56]

Re: When you cook, do you like to get ideas from cookbooks or make up your own recipe

I usually just wing it, with mild influence from what i've seen done before. Im not much of a follower of recipes.

[areobee401]

Re: When you cook, do you like to get ideas from cookbooks or make up your own recipe

When I first started out cooking I would follow recipes. But over the years I've put my own twists on thing or came up with my own ideas. I think it has to do with my taste pallet expanding. I grew up in a house with a mother who didn't believe in spices at all. Very typical Irish meat and potato cooking going on growing up.

Cooking is fun to me because of being able to experiment. Sometimes you miss but when you hit it's a good feeling.

[JohnnytheSkin]

Re: When you cook, do you like to get ideas from cookbooks or make up your own recipe

I use a mix of both. I'll look at one of my wife's many cookbooks, at Food Network, etc. and then tweak things. I did use the recipes to the letter from the Sopranos cookbook and those worked great.

However, for marinades and my pasta sauces, I just wing it, and way more often than not, they turn out great. I've had a few that weren't the best, but usually it's something like being too salty, or too spicy, which is the risk of not using a recipe...one tends to be overzealous with the kosher salt and red pepper flakes, LOL.

[mgoblue]

Re: When you cook, do you like to get ideas from cookbooks or make up your own recipe

My GF will tinker a bit with her own marinades and whatnot, but we'll check out cookbooks for inspiration.

I'm definitely more of a cookbook guy, which makes sense given that I'm very logical (and a programmer). When I cook I measure everything and want to get it right, whereas real chefs can just do a lot by eye (especially for spices) while I'd always worry I'd screw something up lol

[Chef Matt]

Re: When you cook, do you like to get ideas from cookbooks or make up your own recipe

Create my own

Spoiler

I do use magazines and whatnot for ideas though..

[Hova57]

Re: When you cook, do you like to get ideas from cookbooks or make up your own recipe

When I first started out cooking I would follow recipes. But over the years I've put my own twists on thing or came up with my own ideas. I think it has to do with my taste pallet expanding. I grew up in a house with a mother who didn't believe in spices at all. Very typical Irish meat and potato cooking going on growing up.

Cooking is fun to me because of being able to experiment. Sometimes you miss but when you hit it's a good feeling.

True but don't you hate when you miss and its something you can't fix. Too much salt or pepper.