Simple Steps to Begin Cooking Homemade: Soups, Sauces, and Simple Dinners

By Brandy, Contributing Writer

Putting together fresh, homemade meals becomes easier once you’ve got a few basic recipes for soups, sauces, and simple dinners under your belt.

Make Your Own Stock

Many recipes begin with a simple beef or chicken stock. You can learn how to make these nourishing, simple soup bases by reading this tutorial.

If a recipe calls for a cream soup, here’s a simple recipe for making that from scratch, too.

From these stocks and cream soups, you can create the most delicious meals from light chicken broth to hearty chicken and rice casserole, and many other delicious dinners!

Make Your Own Soups

Did you know that even the soups with “healthy” labels are often packed in BPA-laden cans? Not to mention the sodium and unwanted other ingredients? When possible, it’s best to make your own soups from scratch. I promise, they’re tastier, too!

Here are a few easy, nutritious soup recipes:

Make Your Own Sauce

One simple pasta sauce can become your best friend as it will serve for limitless pasta dishes. Ladle over your favorite noodles and serve simply, or layer into lasagnas or baked ziti or spaghetti and top with fresh mozzarella.

Once you make this simple pasta sauce, you’ll never want to buy canned or jarred sauce again. It’s just that good. And with the irresistible aroma of fresh garlic and olive oil wafting through your house, you’ll never be lonely in the kitchen again.

Make Your Own Seasoning Mixes

No need to buy taco seasoning packets that are loaded with MSG and ingredients you can’t pronounce any longer. Simply mix up your own using a few pantry staple herbs and spices. Here’s an easy recipe for taco seasoning that works great for ground meat, as well as shredded chicken. (Click here for quick tip for easily shredding chicken.)

Again, no need to buy a packet. Make your own chili by simply browning meat, draining grease, and then adding spices from your pantry.

Some Simple, Easy Dinner Ideas

Red Beans and Rice
Simple Roast Chicken
Baked Salmon
Crock-pot Chicken and Vegetables
Crock-pot Roast with Potatoes, Onions, and Carrots
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Home-style Chicken and Rice

Simple Sides

steamed brown rice
simple quinoa
sauteed vegetables
baked sweet potatoes
savory oven fries
raw vegetables and hummus
black bean hummus
guacamole
garlic mashed cauliflower

It’s not hard once you get the hang of a few basics. And really, once you start cooking your favorite things, you develop a deeper sense of taste and preference for those foods, which motivates you to explore even more.