Basic Cooking Skills

Basic Pans to have: 10 inch Cast Iron Skillet, 8 and 10 inch nonstick skillet, stockpot, roasting pan, and cookie sheet.

Basic knives to have:
Clever and boning knife (not really necessary unless you like butchering meat), Pairing Knife, vegetable peeler, 8" Chef's knife, and a Steel for the chef's knife. The Chef's knife is the go to knife for any kind of chopping. You want it to be sharp and you must use the steel on it everyday. Don't go cheap on this one. My Henkle was $90. Be careful of the Henkle's, the best one is made in Zwillisch, Germany. Don't get the ones made in China or America. Make sure its forged steel. Never put it it in the dishwasher.

This is not Garlic powder, but its my house seasoning. This is what I put on all my meat and cooked vegetables. Paula Dean only puts garlic powder, salt, and pepper in her's. Mine has garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin (that makes mine have a smokey Mexican taste)

Chicken Stock: Chicken carcass, onions, carrots, rosmary, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaves.

Yams, beats, parsnips, chicken, rosmary, garlic, onion, and house seasoning.