The basic rule is heat it until it changes color. :-)

Seriously, here is a link that has all kinds of tutorials on it. http://busycooks.about.com/od/cookinglessons/a/cookinglessons.htm

There's also http://www.beginningcooking.com , which has all kinds of tips and tutorials, from setting up your kitchen to shopping to techniques. I mean, if you're going to replace your CPU or the serpentine belt on your car, you need the right tools, right? Same thing in the kitchen. You don't want to be halfway through a recipe and have it start to burn while you're hunting for a substitute for a tool you don't have!

Any of the cookbooks on this page are a good bet. They are written for children, but since they sell around the world, there are interesting contemporary recipes in their books, for everything from ratatouille and pizza margherita to crepes and kabobs and porkchops. EVERYTHING is spelled out. They don't assume you don't know a "saucepan" is what most people call a pot! And there are pictures of every single step, so you really can't go wrong.

http://www.ubah.com/ecommerce/results.asp?sid=Z0670&gid=76245820

Another good option is to subscribe to Thyme for Cooking. Katie Zeller is great at giving you fabulous recipes, with a linked weekly menu and shopping list, that teach you exactly what to do. You'll want to print everything out, but when you're still online, if the word "dice" is used in a recipe, it's actually a link to a tutorial. Her service runs about $7 a month, but it's quite an education on classical cooking techniques. Her recipes are to die for--like the food served at places you'd take a romantic date. They've stood the test of time, and you'll find yourself making things you never knew you were craving!

Also, a terrific site is http://www.cookingforengineers.com/ , which explains the "why" as well as the "how". Alton Brown and Harold McGee's books (separate authors) are also excellent resources for this--fascinating.

Here is a very simple, very good recipe. It's easiest in the crock pot, but you can make it in a large pot if you're going to be home to watch it.

Simple Italian Pork Roast

1 boneless pork roast, about 4-6 lbs. (doesn't really matter)
1 package dry Italian dressing mix
1 c. broth
4 turnips
1 onion
about 2 T. olive oil (enough to coat the pan)

Scrub the turnips with one of those plastic scrubbers, and then cut of the stem end and root end (don't take much--you just need the tough part off). Using a large chef's knife or a meat cleaver, chop into cubes about 2" square.

Peel the onion and slice into large but thin circles. That's what "slice" means when applied to something round.

If you're using a crockpot, you'll need a frying pan for the next step. To save yourself washing an extra dish, you can use your roasting pan for this if you're not using a crockpot to roast the pork:

Put oil in the frying pan or roasting pan. Heat it to medium. Take the packaging and string off the pork roast, and then add to the pot and brown it on all sides. This mean letting it heat until it changes color--but not to black. You want it medium or golden brown. This adds both flavor and texture. You can also add the onion, heating it until it turns sort of transparent and a little golden. You don't have to saute' the onion, though.

Put the pork roast into the crock pot or roasting pan/pot. Scatter the onions and turnip around it. Open the package of dressing and sprinkle it over everything, and then pour the cup of broth (use a measuring cup, not a teacup) over it all.

If using a crock pot, set it to "low" for 6-8 hours. Programmable crock pots are great!

If using a pot, put it in the oven at 325F for 30 minutes per pound. You'll want to make sure your pot has oven-safe handles before you do this! Most good brands do.

Hope this helps!
Source(s):
http://www.ubah.com/ecommerce/results.asp?sid=Z0670&gid=76245820

http://www.thymeforcooking.com

Ran a gourmet market, catered my way through grad school, and have so far taught two kids to cook

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