MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (2024)

In case you missed them, these are the ones everyone loved. (With a special section of editor's choice superlatives.)

by buzzfeedfoodBuzzFeed Staff

1. 34 Insanely Simple Two-Ingredient Recipes

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (4)

UPDATE! Turns out that some British guys with an adorable YouTube cooking show put us to the test and were pleased with the results. Score one for the Internet. Go to post.

2. 27 Ways To Make Your Groceries Last As Long As Possible

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (5)

Because fact: A trip to the grocery store is so effing exhausting that you're not going to have the energy to get off the couch for many many days. Go to post.

3. 38 Clever Christmas Food Hacks That Will Make Your Life So Much Easier

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (6)

Look, all you gotta do is tell someone how to make a Christmas tree out of a waffle cone, some icing and some M&Ms and the world is a better place. Go to post.

4. How To Make Delicious Caramel-Apple Jello Shots

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (7)

Sure, there are some Jello shot haters out there. But these taste AWESOME—they actually do. And they are clever. AND they will get you drunk. So just take one and everybody chill out. Go to post.

5. 11 Essential DIY Pumpkin-Carving Hacks

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (8)

Pumpkin carving always sounds SO FUN in theory. It lures us in with a promise of twinkling lights and creepy faces. But if you're not careful, pumpkin carving quickly becomes a messy pain the ass. Everyone know this, and so this post was very popular. Go to post.

6. 33 Surprising Kitchen Gifts

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (9)

There is no end to the useless crap you can find on the Internet. Take a battery-powered spaghetti-twirling fork, for instance. No one really likes receiving these gifts—they are dumb and take up storage space in the kitchen. But giving them to someone else? Delightful and fun. Go to post.

7. 11 Food Trends That Need to Die in 2013

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (10)

This post is good because it takes simple observations and makes them funny. (We have reached "peak pickle.") What makes it great is that it takes insightful observations and makes them funny, too. Go to post.

8. 38 Best DIY Food Gifts

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (11)

Even when you're not trying to save money during the holidays, there is something wildly charming about a DIY food gift. And boy, does the Internet have a lot of them to offer. Go to post.

9. 23 Unexpected Flavor Combos That Taste Amazing

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (12)

You know that scene in Aladdin where the prince takes Jasmine on a magic carpet ride to show her a whole new world? WELL eating one of these flavor combinations is just like that. Go to post.

10. 49 Things That Taste Like Christmas

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (13)

There are many, many ways to incorporate peppermint into your diet holiday hibernation binge fest and here they are.

Go to post.

THE OTHER 10 SUPERLATIVES

Worth revisiting for one reason or another.

11. MOST CONTROVERSIAL: 24 Reasons Brunch Is the Absolute Worst

WIthin an hour after this post went up, the author was IRL accosted by three pancake- and mimosa-loving coworkers. Usually our fights stay on Twitter becuase we are nerds. But people CARE about brunch. Go to post.

12. MOST IMPORTANT: 31 Of The World's Best Doughnuts

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (14)

I have no words. Go to post.

13. BEST ORIGINAL DESIGN: 24 Best Quotes Ever About Food

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (15)

Quotes about food (when they are funny, not when they are annoying and earnest) = hey cool fine. Quotes about food that are turned into graphics = pin it, reblog it, print it out and put it in your cubicle. Go to post.

14. MOST USEFUL: How to Make 5 Perfect Dinners for $10 Each

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (16)

This was BuzzFeed Food editor Emily Fleischaker's first attempt at food styling and recipe development, so it holds a special place in at least one heart. Comes with a grocery list to make your life very easy. Go to post.

15. BIGGEST STATEMENT: If You Only Own One Kitchen Thing It Should Be This

The backstory here is that one of our editors needed to buy her first Le Creuset. We did some research, braised some stuff, stared at each other, argued, kicked a couple of pots around the office, and voila. Go to post.

16. BIGGEST WAKE-UP CALL: Hungry New York Families Dig Food Out Of Dumpsters After Sandy

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (17)

Two months later, families and small business are still suffering from this crazy storm. BuzzFeed has pledged $40,000 to the American Red Cross and we are 77% of the way to our goal. Even $10 helps. Here's how you can donate. Go to post.

17. MOST WTF: 22 Flavored Liquors That Will Make You Angry

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (18)

There is just absolutely no reason that these should exist and we're sorry but we had to bring them to your attention. Go to post.

18. BEST ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHY: How to Do Thanksgiving On a $50 Budget

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (19)

Thanksgiving came quickly after the September launch of BuzzFeed Food; next year we hope to bring you even more how-tos and step by steps. BUT for now, we'd like never to see a turkey again. Go to post.

19. DARKEST HORSE: The 34 Hottest Trends Of 2012, As Presented By Cookies

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (20)

The popularity of this post shouldn't be confusing because a) COOKIES and b) OTHER STUFF PEOPLE ARE OBSESSED WITH but it's still been surprisingly popular. Important detail: One commenter found some 50 Shades of Gray cookies that we overlooked. Go to post.

20. MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (21)

Our partner food52 provided these great recipes. Cook them and focus on the notes made in this post. It's going to be great! Email us if you have questions. Go to post.

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER COOK: The Only 9 Recipes You Need To Master (2024)

FAQs

What makes you a better cook? ›

Practice Makes Perfect

That's how to be a better cook, by repeating recipes until you've cracked them. Practice really does make perfect.

How many recipes should a home cook know? ›

So we're looking at something like 25-30 recipes mastered (which means you've done it pretty well two or three times) in order to be able to call yourself, in good faith, a Competent Home Chef.

What is the most important thing to remember when following a recipe? ›

How to Read & Follow a Recipe
  • Read the recipe. Take a good look at the recipe. ...
  • Know the assumptions. ...
  • Figure out the timing. ...
  • Plan ahead. ...
  • Bone up on new techniques. ...
  • Mise en place is your friend. ...
  • Lay out your tools, too. ...
  • Make notes or highlight.

What is the most important step in following a recipe and why? ›

The first step in following a recipe is to be sure to read through the ingredients needed as well as the instructions for what you will be doing before you ever begin mixing your batters or doughs. (This is one of the first steps in Mise En Place.)

Do recipes make a better cook? ›

Good cooks rely on recipes—to a point. In a professional kitchen, recipes are essential to creating consistent food, so that everyone takes the same path to the same place. But cooks who rely only on strictly codified formulas miss out on what is really important.

What is the most important skill in cooking? ›

Knife Skills

This is the first and foremost skill set that you learn in culinary school. It will also be one of the most tested skills during the trade test of a job interview.

What is the number one rule of cooking? ›

1. Read the recipe. Of all the important advice out there about cooking, this by far has to be the number 1 rule of cooking: read your recipe completely before getting started. This may seem like a mundane task (especially when you're excited dive in!), but you'll be so thankful you took the time to do it!

Are you a good cook if you follow recipes? ›

Becoming a cook is just a matter of practice, which develops knowledge, which brings confidence. All cooks start out as recipe followers. Even established home cooks will rely on a recipe from time to time to try a new cuisine.

What are the 5 things a recipe will tell you? ›

  • Yield. The yield tells the number and size of servings the recipe will make.
  • List of Ingredients & Amounts.
  • Step By Step Directions for Mixing & Handling.
  • Equipment (Container Size & Type)
  • Temperature & Time.

What is the most important part of a recipe? ›

The ingredient list is one of the most important parts of a recipe. It lays out all the ingredients that a reader will need to recreate the recipe at home. It should contain the amount of the ingredient needed, as well as the name of the ingredient.

What are the 7 things needed to be found on a standardized recipe? ›

Here are the main components of a standardized recipe:
  1. Name of the menu item.
  2. Total Yield or Portions and Portion Size created by producing the recipe.
  3. List of all measured ingredients.
  4. Step-by-step instructions on how to prepare, cook, and assemble the recipe.
  5. Plating instructions and garnishes.

What is the first step to every recipe? ›

At its most basic, mise en place means to set out all of your ingredients before you start to cook. Measure out what you will need, chop the vegetables that will need to be chopped, and have everything ready on the counter or in small bowls on a tray.

What are the two important parts of a recipe? ›

A good recipe has two parts
  1. A list of ingredients with the amounts required.
  2. The directions for mixing the ingredients.

How can I become a better professional cook? ›

What Are the Qualities of a Good Chef?
  1. STRONG TEAM PLAYER. Your role as chef includes working shoulder to shoulder with everyone in the kitchen. ...
  2. LEVEL-HEADED MANAGER. You keep your crew on track with a firm hand and professional respect. ...
  3. GOOD BUSINESS SENSE. Basic accounting isn't a challenge. ...
  4. DEDICATION TO YOUR WORK.
Jun 29, 2023

What is the secret of good cooking? ›

Add a small pinch of salt every time a new ingredient is added to the dish, so that flavors have time to build. The earlier you start seasoning, the deeper and more concentrated the flavors will become in the final product. When cooking meats, make sure to salt and tenderize with a fork the night before.

How do you describe a person who is good at cooking? ›

Good cooks are adventurous, daring, and enthusiastic. They're not afraid to try new dishes or flavors, and then incorporate those flavors into dishes they already prepare. They put ingredients together that are out of the box and no one else has tried. They love to share their food and feed peole.

How do I become a confident cook? ›

Here are our top 7 tips to help you cook more (and keep it up)
  1. Learn basic skills: start small and easy (and give yourself time)
  2. Don't be scared to fail: cause failure is actually just learning how to improve.
  3. Tweak your favourite recipes.
  4. Try ingredient boxes or ask a friend.

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