The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cooking for Guys Book

Part 1	Starting Line Basics	1
1	Ingredients, Tools, and Ground Rules	3
	Rules of the Game	3
	Cookware: Now You're Cooking	5
	Hand Tools: For the Kitchen, Not the Garage	7
	Kitchen Patrol: Appliances and Power Tools That Love Guys ... and Vice Versa	9
	Crack the Code: The Recipe Is the Key to Edible Success	9
	Now for the Fun Part: Favorite Ingredients	11
2	The Appeal of the Meal: Seasoning, Secret Sauces, ... and Secret Weapons	15
	Herbs and Spices and Everything Nice	16
	Secret Weapons	17
	The Secret Sauce	19
	That's the Rub	25
3	Need-to-Know Recipe Basics	27
	You "Can-Do" These Tasty Dishes	27
	Homemade Never Looked So Good	33
4	The Great Pasta Sauce Competition	39
	The Sauce Doctor Is In!	39
	Quick and Easy Homemade Sauces	45
	Pasta e Fagioli	49
Part 2	Method and Madness	51
5	A License to Grill	53
	Meat on the Grill	54
	Grilled Seafood	61
	Grilled Veggies	64
6	Stove Top 101	67
	Fast and Flavorful	67
	Stove Top Classics	73
7	You Can Stand the Heat: Microwave, Oven, and Broiler 101	77
	Microwave Menu Mania	78
	The Oven Is Too Easy	83
	Tan Your Food Under the Broiler	86
8	Thick as Pea Soup: Soups, Stews, Chowders, and Slow Cooker Recipes	89
	Soups, Stews, and Chowders	90
	Slow Cooker Recipes	96
9	Eat Your Vegetables	101
	A Salad Is a Raw Deal	101
	Cooked Veggies	108
10	Desserts Even a Guy Can Make	113
	Fast and Easy	113
	Fruit Frenzy	117
	Cakes-at Least in Name	121
Part 3	Survival Rations	125
11	Weeknight Food: Jump-Start the Meal	127
	Shake Your Tail Feathers	128
	Steak Yum: Beef-Based Dinner Recipes	131
	Other Easy Meat and Seafood Recipes	133
	Dinner with Vegetables	137
12	Leftover Living	139
	Pasta	140
	Rice	143
	Meats	145
13	Food Your Kids Will Eat	149
	Fast but Good	149
	Classic Kid Favorites	155
	And Don't Forget ...	157
14	Food the Ladies Will Love ... and Hate!	159
	Food the Ladies Will Love	160
	Food the Ladies Will Hate	167
	A Symphony with Musical Fruit	170
15	Mexican-Inspired Dishes	173
	Tortilla 101	174
	Other Must-Try Dishes from the Southwest Trail	182
Part 4	Big Games and Big Themes	185
16	The Big Game	187
Appetizers I	Watch the Game Sitting Next to a Dip	187
Appetizers II	Other Game-Day Starters	191
	Where's the Beef? (and Other Main Courses)	193
17	Firefighter Food	197
	Firehouse Basics	198
	Playing with Fire: Grill Recipes	207
18	Let's Take It Outside: Campground and Picnic Food	211
	Your Handy Campground Kitchen Kit	212
	Assemble at the Picnic Table (with Some Advance Prep)	213
	Make Ahead	216
	Cook the Whole Thing On-Site	221
19	Food for Love (Date Night)	225
	Romantic Food 101	226
	For Starters	227
	Is It the Dish-or the Creamy Sauce?	230
	Romance and Two Skillets	238
	A Sweet Ending	240
20	How Do You Like Your Eggs?	241
	Out of the Frying Pan: Eggs and More	242
	Pancakes	247
	Toast the French Way	249
	Waffles	251
	Muffins and Bread	253
21	Holidays and Dinner Parties	255
	Look Good at the Big Dinner	255
	Appetizers	257
	Meats	261
	Seafood	264
22	Food and Wine	269
	Matching Food with Wine	269
	Food for White Wines	271
	Food for Light Red Wines	274
	Food for Rich Red Wines	275
	Sure Winners: Producers	276
	The Wine Hotlist: Specific Wines to Buy	276
	Appendixes
A	Glossary	283
B	References	297
	Index	304