Help with dinner ideas, please--very inexperienced,clueless 16 year old "cook"?

dinnerware sets italian image

bigxdollxe

Im 16,and I recently moved in with my dad over the summer and his girlfriend always cooked for us and well, they broke up so basically me and my dad have been living off fast-food so I really need some quick,easy,healthy meal ideas for me and him. I personally have very little cooking experience and honestly this will all be a learning experience so please nothing incredibly complicated.
Thank you
*preferably no pasta
*also we're really big on chinese and really asian inspired dishes
other than that I'm really pretty open to anything just as long as it's easy to make because I have school all day and honestly I'm tired and don't want waste like an hour cooking a dish
*also our cooking utensils are kind of limited so nothing that requires alot of different pots,pans,etc

sorry so many details =[

Answer
Great ideas here! Here are some of my own:

1. Time for both of you to go shopping! Every person should have the ability to cook some basic things and have the tools to do it with. Here's a basic list:
1. A couple of really good sharp knives
2. Can and bottle openers
3. Grater
4. Peeler
5. Set of dinnerware
6. Set of silverware
7. Serving spoons, forks
8. Tongs
9. Platter and serving bowls
10. Pancake turner, whisk, and hand mixer

2. Get a really good basic cookbook. The new Betty Crocker cookbook has some asian-inspired and vegetarian recipes that you'll probably enjoy. Also, as you stand in the check-out line in most grocery stores, you'll also find mini-cookbooks by Taste of Home, Betty Crocker and Pillsbury that are fairly inexpensive and have some wonderful recipes!

3. Stock up on some basic spices: cinnamon, salt, pepper, garlic, seasoned salt, thyme, basil, oregano. They also have some great spice blends you might enjoy like Italian Blend, Steak Seasoning, Lemon Pepper etc.

4. Get some good olive oil and vege oil. I love Bariano Virgin Olive Oil, but you can use any kind.

5. Purchase some Krusteez or Bisquick Pancake mix. Ton's of stuff you can do with these!

6. Keep on hand: soup mixes and canned cream of something soups, broth, frozen veges, potatos, pasta, artichoke hearts, olives, tomato sauce, diced tomatos, cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, salsa, milk, sour cream, yogurt, fresh fruit and any other veges and fruits you like. When you have a full pantry, you have the makings of some great food!

7. Meat, cheese, fish, chicken,eggs, bread, tortillas, etc.

8. Start small and expand as your skills improve.

Chicken Stir-Fry:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 4 boneless, skinlesss thighs, seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic. Cut into bite sized pieces
1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, cleaned and cut into chunks
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup Cauliflower or Brocolli florets
1 cup fresh or canned (drained) pineapple chunks or sliced fresh plums
1 cup bean sprouts
3 T vege oil
1 package Stir-fry Seasoning
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1 T Kikoman Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
Juice of 1 lime

Heat oil in large saute pan or wok. Add brocolli, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring frequently until veges begin to soften. Add chicken and cook thru. Mix up seasoning packet and set aside (use your pineapple juice as the liquid to add flavor). Add soy sauce, sugar, lime and vinegar. Add celery,pineapple and bean sprouts. Cook for additional 3 minutes. Stir in sauce and cook until thickened. Serve over rice.

10 points for the best answers. please answer the couple question there! 10 points?

Rachel B

Im having a sweet 16 party in late Nov or early Dec. Im thinking about having a Snow Princess as my theme.
Now Can i pick the color i want the people to wear?
I was think bout Light Blue, Sliver And white for the colors:
+ Im do options incase people dont have the money: As black pants & Sliver top-- for girls: for boys: Black pants and light blue shirt
I would wear the white dress
Have the girls wear Sliver dress or black pants and sliver top
Have the guys wear black with a light blue tie.
Is that good so for for the theme? and the colors??

Do i need a grand entrance? If so is coming in a limo good?

Do you know how i can decorate the room with this theme that would look really pretty???

Im thinking about having a DJ also. Is that good?
What kind of games should we play?
what kind of food should we have?
Please give me ideas to make this sweet 16 the best!

---10 points for best answer----

Answer
Hope this gives you some ideas....
Personally if you can find a horse drawn carriage or sled in the area, check into that.....that would be an entrance...

The announcement of the party was a creative flash presentation e-mailed to family and friends that caught their attention and set the tone for the entire evening.

Scroll invitations were hand-delivered to nearby guests, delivered on a silk pillow.

The decor idea was simple and unique. Silver tablecloths are sprinkled with white and silver glitter and then covered by a clear tablecloth (to prevent your guests being covered in sparkles).

White votive candles are displayed on the table. Green ivy is sprayed with artificial snow. Whole fruits are dipped in syrup and then rolled in granulated sugar to create edible, frozen fruit. The fruit and ivy become a unique and inexpensive centerpiece for your Sweet 16 party.

White twinkle lights can be used to decorate the trees and surrounding foliage and canned snow can be used to add to the frozen effect.

White balloons with wireless iridescent blue lights inside can cover a pool and give the effect of ice, or can be placed around the venue to add to the theme.

An ice sculpture or an ice bar can be a unique touch to your Sweet 16 party theme and can be a focal point for your party as guests are naturally drawn to ice sculptures and bars.

Frozen drinks are in order for a Sweet 16 - virgin drinks for minors, of course. As each guest arrives you can consider handing them a great frozen drink and welcoming them to the Ice Princess' court. Ice cube lights (wireless cubes that light up in liquid)can add a nice touch of elegance to a drink.

Ask a bartender to create a unique signature drink that you name after the guest of honor so people remember the wonderful party and the name of that great drink they had.

Sweet 16 parties need a favor, consider customized poems rolled up as scrolls, candles that fit a regal theme, perhaps tiaras for the ladies and crowns for the men upon arrival.

Speaking of arrivals. For your Sweet 16 birthday party with the Ice Princess theme, do not forget either a red or white carpet runner for the grand entrance. A white carpet runner with more "frozen ivy" and "frozen roses" can be a wonderful touch.

There is plastic dinnerware that looks like expensive china, and plastic utensils that look like real silverware that is becoming easier to find. Using these great looking and inexpensive dinnerware and utensils can help save your budget while also setting your Sweet 16 apart.

Bite-sized foods go well with a princess theme. Snowball cookies or cupcakes can fit the theme, snow cones, shaved ices and Italian ices are all great dessert choices to go along with the cake.

The highlight of any Sweet 16 birthday party is the guest of honor, of course, and you want to make sure she truly shines on her special night.

Many young ladies celebrating their Sweet 16 have found that they can rent a beautiful gown from a costume rental store, especially those that cater to the movie, television and theater industries. Your entrance into your party can be regal with the right sparkle make-up on your face and a gorgeous rented gown.

For a little tongue-in-cheek moment your prince can arrive to entertain the crowd - a real-life Prince impersonator (the artist formally known as Prince that is).

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Title Post: Help with dinner ideas, please--very inexperienced,clueless 16 year old "cook"?
Rating: 93% based on 9658 ratings. 4 user reviews.
Author: Unknown

Thanks For Coming To My Blog