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The You Can Cook handbook

This kitchen handbook uses plain language and simple, nutritious recipes, tips and kitchen information. It is our way of helping people feel good about cooking and being able to have healthy meals.

To view the handbook, we offer you two options.

1. Choose the sections you want from the Table of Contents below and download them one by one.

To go straight to the Table of Contents:
Part A: Kitchen Tips and Information  (Click here).
Part B: Recipes  (Click here).

OR

2. Download the whole handbook at once.

CAUTION: the handbook is over 200 pages (7.5 MB) and includes pictures. The download process may take a few minutes depending on your computer and connection speed.

When you download You Can Cook, please consider making a donation to Nanaimo Community Kitchens. With your support, we can continue our work in the community. Send donations c/o Anita, Executive Director, Nanaimo Community Kitchens, 271 Pine Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 2B7

To download the complete handbook:  (Click here).

PART A - Kitchen Tips and Information:

TABLE OF CONTENTS View
Recipe photograph pages View
Introduction View
• History of Nanaimo Community Kitchens ...........................................
    1
• Story of You Can Cook ......................................................................
    2
• Partners of You Can Cook .................................................................
    4
Kitchen Tools View
• Knives ...............................................................................................
• Cooking Tools You Will Need .............................................................
• Stove-top Pots ..................................................................................
• Oven or Baking Pans You Will Need ..................................................
• Useful Electric Tools ..........................................................................
• Microwave Ovens ..............................................................................
    7
    8
  11
  12
  14
  15
Measuring Tips View
• The Right Tools .................................................................................
• How to Measure................................................................................
• Ingredients That Need Different Ways
   of Measuring .....................................................................................
• Measuring Short Forms .....................................................................
• How to Work Measurements Out ......................................................
• Most Often Used Metric Measurements ............................................
• Weights and Measurements .............................................................
  16
  17
 
  18
  19
  19
  20
  20
Oven Temperature Guide View
Baking Tips View

Cooking Ingredients
What The Words Mean and How To Do It.

View
  23
Slicing, Dicing and more View
Shopping Tips To Save You Money View
How to Read Nutrition Labels View
Basic Foods To Have On Hand View
Keeping Food Safe View
• Best Before Date, Storage Times ......................................................
• Handling Fresh Fruits & Vegetables...................................................
• Danger Zone .....................................................................................
• Safe Handling of Meats .....................................................................
• Wash Your Hands Often ...................................................................
  35
  36
  37
  38
  39
Healthy Living View
• Healthy Foods ...................................................................................
• Ideas for Healthy Living ....................................................................
• Tips for Feeding Infants and Toddlers...............................................
• Canada's Food Guide.........................................................................
  40
  41
  43
  45
Seasonings View
• Herbs and Spices...............................................................................
• Garlic and Ginger...............................................................................
  46
  50
Fats View
Substitutions (Instead of) View
Where To Find Other Information & Recipes View

Back to Top

PART B - Recipes:

How To Read Recipes  (in this handbook) View
Main Dish View
• Cooking Meat, Poultry and Fish
  59
• Cooking Rice
  62
• Cooking Pasta
  63
Beef View
• Making a Pot Roast Beef Dinner and Gravy........................................
• Cooking a Tender Roast of Beef .......................................................
• Beef and Vegetable Chili ...................................................................
• Beef Stew .........................................................................................
• Beef Stir Fry (Sukiyaki).......................................................................
• Cabbage Roll Casserole ....................................................................
• Crusty Italian Casserole ...................................................................
• Dan’s Stroganoff ...............................................................................
• Goulash ............................................................................................
• Meat Loaf ..........................................................................................
• Porcupines (Meatballs with Rice) ......................................................
• Quick Cheeseburger Bake ................................................................
• Tamale Pie ........................................................................................
• Tillicum Tacos ....................................................................................
• Yorkshire Beef Casserole ..................................................................
  65
  67
  68
  69
  70
  71
  72
  73
  74
  75
  76
  77
  78
  79
  81
Fish View
• Salmon Burgers ................................................................................
• Salmon Macaroni Supper ..................................................................
• Salmon Pie ........................................................................................
• Tuna Casserole .................................................................................
  83
  84
  85
  86
Pork View
• Country Pork Stew ............................................................................
• Ham and Potato Skillet Supper (Gorshki) ..........................................
• Macaroni Dinner with Ham and Peas ................................................
• Oven Ribs .........................................................................................
  88
  89
  90
  91
Poultry View
• Roasting Poultry and Gravy ..............................................................
• Cooking Times For Whole Birds ........................................................
• Stuffing .............................................................................................
• Add What You Want Rice Dish ..........................................................
• Chicken Macaroni Casserole .............................................................
• Curried Chicken ................................................................................
• Ginger Chicken Stir Fry .....................................................................
• Mexican Chicken ...............................................................................
• Mid Eastern Chicken Stew ................................................................
• Skillet Italian Dinner .........................................................................
• Sweet and Sour Chicken ..................................................................
• Turkey Tetrazzini ..............................................................................
  93
  95
  96
  97
  98
  99
100
101
102
103
104
105
Vegetarian View
• Barley, Green Pepper, and Tomato Casserole ..................................
• Cauliflower and Cheese Pie ..............................................................
• Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Casserole .............................................
• Curried Onion Pie ..............................................................................
• Macaroni and Cheese .......................................................................
• Western Baked Beans ......................................................................
107
108
109
110
111
112
Slow Cooking with a Crock Pot View
• Using a Crock Pot .............................................................................
• Chuckwagon Stew ............................................................................
• Vegetable Beef Soup ........................................................................
114
115
116
Soups View
• Soup Stock ........................................................................................
• Celery Cream Soup ...........................................................................
• Clam Chowder ..................................................................................
• Hamburger Lentil Soup .....................................................................
• Minestrone Shell Soup ......................................................................
• Potato Leek Soup .............................................................................
• Split Pea Soup ..................................................................................
• Yummy Bean Soup ............................................................................
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
Sauces View
• Low Fat Alfredo Sauce ......................................................................
• Spaghetti Sauce ...............................................................................
• White Sauce and Variations ..............................................................
127
128
129
Salads View
• Bean Salad .......................................................................................
• Broccoli Salad ...................................................................................
• Caesar Salad ....................................................................................
• Carrot Broccoli Salad ........................................................................
• Coleslaw ..........................................................................................
• Lentil and Rice Salad ........................................................................
• Macaroni Salad .................................................................................
• Marinated Tomatoes ........................................................................
• Pasta Salad ......................................................................................
• Pineapple Black Bean Salad .............................................................
• Potato Salad ....................................................................................
• Tangy Italian Salad Dressing ............................................................
• Tossed Green Salad .........................................................................
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
Vegetables View
• Cooking Fresh Vegetables ................................................................
• Cooking Potatoes:
   - Baked and Stuffed ..........................................................................
   - Boiled and Microwave .....................................................................
   - Mashed ..........................................................................................
   - Scalloped ........................................................................................
   - Oven Baked Fries ...........................................................................
   - Roasted Potatoes ..........................................................................
• Potato Pancakes ...............................................................................
• Roasted Vegetables .........................................................................
• Sesame Broccoli ................................................................................
• Turnips and Apples ...........................................................................
145

148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
Baked Goods and Desserts View
• Baking Mix .........................................................................................
   - Apple Coffee Cake ..........................................................................
   - Apple Oatmeal Muffins ....................................................................
   - Roll-Ups ..........................................................................................
   - Scones ...........................................................................................
   - White Cake ....................................................................................
• Apple Pudding ...................................................................................
• Baked Bannock .................................................................................
• Banana Bread ...................................................................................
• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins ........................................................
• Biscuits..............................................................................................
• Carrot Cake ......................................................................................
• Chocolate Cake ................................................................................
• Chocolate Chip Cookies ....................................................................
• Cornbread ........................................................................................
• Crispy Rice Cereal Fruit Squares .......................................................
• Crumb Crust Pie ................................................................................
• Fruit Crisp .........................................................................................
• Hermits .............................................................................................
• Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies ......................................................
• Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars .............................................................
• Oatmeal Date Cake ..........................................................................
• Mocha Icing .......................................................................................
• Peanut Butter Cookies ......................................................................
• Peanut Butter Granola Bars ..............................................................
• Pear Topped Gingerbread Cake ........................................................
• Vanilla Pudding .................................................................................
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
Extras View
• Chicken Pita Pockets .........................................................................
• French Toast .....................................................................................
• Hummus ............................................................................................
• Pancakes ..........................................................................................
• Smoothie ..........................................................................................
• Tuna Melts ........................................................................................
187
188
189
190
191
192

Back to Top

 

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You Can
Cook

Project Focus Group
Focus Group

Plain language

Helpful
Kitchen Tips

Temperature Guides

Food
Safety

Healthy Living

Canada's
Food Guide

Simple,
easy, nutritious

Recipes

Tillicum Tacos
Main Dish Beef

Tillicum Tacos, Beef

Dan's Stroganoff
Main Dish Beef

Dan's Stroganoff, Beef

Macaroni Dinner
with Ham & Peas

Main Dish Pork

Macaroni Dinner with Ham & Peas,  Pork

Sweet & Sour Chicken
Main Dish Poultry

Sweet & Sour Chicken, Poultry

Cheesy Broccoli & Potato Casserole
Main Dish Vegetarian

Cheesy Broccoli & Potato Casserole, Vegetarian

Macaroni Salad
Salads

Macaroni Salad, Salads

Pasta Salad
with Tuna

Salads

Pasta Salad with Tuna, Salads

Oven Baked Fries
Vegetables

Oven Baked Fries, Vegetables

Roll Ups & Scones
Baked Goods

Roll ups & Scones, Baked Goods

Banana Chocolate
Chip Muffins

Baked Goods

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, Baked Goods

Fruit (apple) Crisp
Baked Goods

Apple Crisp, Baked Goods

Nanaimo Community Kitchens is at
271 Pine St., Nanaimo, BC V9R 2B7
Phone: 250.753.7470

Anita.nck@shaw.ca

nanaimocommunitykitchens.org
© NCK 2004-2008.
Maintained by NCK