Learning to cook

When I say I'm a beginning cook, I really mean it.  I barely know my way around the kitchen.  My husband does almost all the cooking in our house.  He returns home from work before me, so he usually has supper almost done when I get home.  And he's a really good cook.

Most of my cooking attempts are subpar.  I like to try new recipes to learn, but most of them are failures.  Usually, my husband has to step in to "rescue" a recipe by adding a dash of this or that.

But I would love to give my husband a break from the kitchen on the weekends.  So I've decided to stick to the basics and try to learn to cook a few of my favorite meals that aren't in his regular weeknight rotation because they take more than 30 minutes or so to prepare.

When I was growing up, my favorite dish was chicken and rice.  You just throw together white rice, cream of mushroom soup, a little water and onion soup mix together, top with chicken pieces, cover with foil and bake for about an hour.  

I recently prepared this recipe along with my one of my favorite salad recipes, another retro classic from my grandmother.  First, heat crushed pineapple to a boil, then add your favorite jello flavor. Refrigerate until it gels, then mix in cottage cheese and Cool Whip.  No, it's not the fanciest, healthiest salad.  But I always think of my grandmother when I make it.  And she will also be my favorite cooking role model.