Joanna Saltz - The Delish Kids (Super-Awesome, Crazy-Fun, Best-Ever) Cookbook: 100+ Amazing Recipes

My mom taught me that. To be clear, she was not someone who spent her weekends baking or teaching me the culinary basics.

She worked full-time running her own company, which was a lot to jugglebut every night, she would come home late after a long day, walk straight into the kitchen, and whip up some kind of dinner using whatever she could find in the house. I need a show called Cooking in My Coat, she would joke.

Not everything came out great oftentimes her recipes were a work in progress. But even as a little girl, I was always amazed by watching her ingenuity, like using a jar of marinara sauce as a shortcut base for tomato soup. Little did I know, it would start me on a path to creating Delish. I may never have learned how to properly cut an onion, but she instilled in me this relaxed feeling that cooking doesnt have to be perfector stressfulor precious. The point was to get in there and tryand its what I tell my own kids now.

Thats what I hope this book teaches you: confidence. It doesnt matter if you chop like a pro or know what sous vide means (a list of words worth knowing starts on ). Use our directions, take a leap, and make a thing. You can do this, and we can help you. Lets get started. (Not mushy!) BBeat To vigorously stir a mixture, such as whisking eggs with a fork to make scrambled eggs or using a stand mixer or hand mixer to combine the butter and sugar for cookie dough. Bloom To heat dry spices with a fat (butter or oil) to make them more flavorful and aromatic.

Boil To heat a liquid until it bubbles rapidly. Boil To heat a liquid until it bubbles rapidly.

You cook pasta in boiling water (which is 212F). Broil To cook food under direct, intense heat. Every oven has a broiler! Its located at either the top or bottom of the appliance. CChop To cut food into smaller, similarly sized pieces (about the size of peas) so that everything cooks at the same rate. Core To remove seeds and tough centers from fruits (apples, pears) and vegetables (bell peppers).

Cream To beat together butter and sugar until well combined and lighter in color.

Its an important step for a fluffy cake. Cross-contamination When bacteria from one food is transferred to another object often from raw meat. This can cause you to get sick, which is why its extra important to wash your hands and keep kitchen tools clean. (See .) DDeglaze To unstick food on a hot pan by pouring liquid into it and scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. (Well-cooked, stuck-to-the-bottom bits of food = loaded with delicious flavor.) Divided When an ingredient amount is followed by divided, it means that youre using some of the ingredient at different stages of the recipe. Double boiler Equipment used to gently cook, or heat food without the risk of burning.

To set up a double boiler, nestle a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water.

Drizzle To pour a thin stream of a liquid ingredient (like olive oil, hot sauce, or melted chocolate) back and forth over a dish. Its usually a finishing touch that looks fancy. EEmulsify To mix together two liquids that usually dont combine easilylike oil and vinegar to make dressing. FFold To very gently mix ingredients into a batter or dough, usually with a silicone spatula. HHangry A state of anger caused by hunger. HHangry A state of anger caused by hunger.

Which is why breakfast is so important! Skipping it can make you extra hangry.

Hors doeuvres The French term to describe appetizers, or small savory bites, typically finger foods. IIcebox cake A no-bake dessert composed of layers of cookies and whipped cream that spends a lot of time in the refrigerator. While it chills, the crunchy cookies soften to become cake-like in texture. (See .) JJulienne A fancy way to describe cutting foods into thin strips about 2 inches long.