Handbook

The You Can Cook handbook uses plain language and contains 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.

If you download this handbook, please consider making a donation to Nanaimo Community Kitchens. With your support, we can continue our work in the community.

Monetary donations may be mailed to:
Nanaimo Community Kitchens Society
271 Pine Street
Nanaimo, BC V9R 2B7

Or, donate online through CanadaHelps.org

To download, you can either:

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

    OR
     
  2. Download the complete handbook. CAUTION: the handbook is over 200 pages (6.5 MB) and includes pictures. The download process may take a few minutes depending on your computer and connection speed.

Corrections to the handbook (Please note, the Food Safety Info Line no longer exists)

You Can Cook Handbook: Table of Contents

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

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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