Teaching my maid to cook, recipe ideas? | ExpatWoman.com
 

Teaching my maid to cook, recipe ideas?

2782
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2012 - 15:18

I have a fulltime maid starting next week and a baby due in a month, I chose the maid based on her personality and temperament more than anything and she is not experienced in cooking western dishes. I'd like her to take over all the cooking when the baby arrives and she can read so giving her recipes shouldn't be a problem.

The thing is, at 8 months pregnant I'm having a bit of a mental blank, usually I love cooking but right now I'm not very interested in food at all in the evenings, and tend to just throw something together, or eat an egg and send my husband off for take-aways. I also don't tend to use recipes often myself and just add bits and pieces as I go along.

Any suggestions as to the easiest meals I could teach her, and if your maid is Filipino, does she cook nice filipino dishes? I'd love the names of some of your favourites so I can ask her to make them as I really don't know any filipino food.

All tips appreciated

305
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 26 August 2012 - 17:48
Thr best would be to teach her types of cutting (stys of vegetable cutting)required for your most common dishes.secondly just get her to cook the dishes you guys the most at home. Step 1.explain cutting and ingredients required so she can take them Out. Step.2 get her to do all the steps I know it's frustrating to explain n have thr other person do but be patient n let her find we way thru.ehen she does it she is likely to remember alot more. Ask her to repeat the dish after 2 days n let her do it ll this time. If she can write it might be a nice idea to have her take her notes when u do it the first time. Interns of recipes teach her how to boil rice,make mashed potatoes...chicken pie is a easy starter dish. P.s a new born would be mostly sleeping so ull have plenty of free time to teach her even after the baby arrives
1617
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 August 2012 - 17:31
Give her a copy of Delia and show her the recipes you'd like her to make. You can't go wrong with Delia!
129
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 August 2012 - 17:29
Here is a YUMMY and very easy recipe for her to start with. Spray a long baking dish with cooking spray. Take 4 or 5 Boneless skinless chicken breast and line them right down the middle. Now cut red potatoes in large chunks with skins on, and spread them down one side of the pan. On the other side spread out your fav veggie like fresh green beans or baby carrotts. So now you have a row of veggie, a row of chicken, and a row of potatoes. Sprinkle 1 envelope of onion soup mix ( I bought mine from spinneys) and pour on 1/2 cup of melted butter all over. Cover with foil and bake 200 celcius for 1 hour! BTW join Pinterest, they have a lot of amazing and super easy recipes!
276
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 August 2012 - 16:30
How about easy recipes to start off with like spaghetti bolognaise (or just the sauce) lasagne, different types of quiches, different types of curries, casseroles, stews, pasta bakes, chicken bakes (fillets filled with different things such as pesto, parmesan, parma ham etc), stuffed peppers / tomatoes, fajitas and easy dishes like that (wraps etc), roasts, baked fish dishes, coucous dishes, etc. Most of those are relatively easy to put together so shouldnt be too difficult. I love the BBC Food website as you can just type in a few ingredients and it suggests different dishes based on the ingredients you have to hand....
1050
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 August 2012 - 15:49
Try taste.com.au, they have heaps of recipes that you can print out, with pics. They are in easy step by step format. If my DH can cook a recipe from these and not fail, anyone can.
504
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EW GURU
Latest post on 26 August 2012 - 15:49
I'm not a great cook, but perhaps dishes that freeze well would be a good choice whilst she settles in. That will give her a chance to make larger quantities and help you out more around the house instead of cooking each day, whilst she is learning the ropes. A friend delivered silver foil trays (2 portion size) fill of various pasta bakes and lasagne, along with frozen homemade healthy soups when I delivered. I think it was one of the nicest things a friend has ever done for me. So sweet. Maybe google pasta dishes and find recipes that your family will like and print them out for her to try? I also get mine to make large batches of chicken & veg meatballs, or meat and veg meatballs, and also home made fish fingers, and large batches of homemade pasta sauce and soups. Then They freeze great and my husband and DS both love them. That way if I'm inclined to cook, I can throw a meal together really quickly. I was so useless as a new full time mum (without a maid or family) that I even learned to freeze fried/steamed/brown rice and lentils and porridge. As in the beginning I kept forgetting I was cooking and burnt everything and had to go out and buy new pots.
 
 

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