i'm starting a new project and need some advise?

Try baking first. Line a baking tray with foil. Put some spices (onion, garlic, Cajun spice, etc) on pork chops or chicken and bake in a preheated oven at 350-400 degrees until done (about 20-30 minutes). Never salt until after cooking is done. The advantage is that while the meat is cooking, she can do other things like make pasta and prepare the vegetables. Teach her to judge done by cutting or by using meat thermometer.

Pasta is easy to do, a tablespoon of olive oil, and water adequate to cover the pasta. Boil water and add pasta. Cook until al dente or done, drain and spray with cold water to prevent sticking. Add spaghetti sauce (optional, stir into pot of pasta--warming the sauce and pasta together). You can separately heat the sauce in a sauce pan, if you like.

For vegetables, I prefer broccoli steamed. Cut the brocoli into spears put into a steamer. Or boil about an inch of water in a pot, add broccoli once water is at a high boil. Steam for 1-3 minutes. Should still be crispy and healthy. You can do beans the same way, just make sure they get 3-6 minutes or until done.

Hi,

I recommend starting with comfort foods.

I think the main thing that needs to be learned is not how to follow a recipe, but the techniques that you are using to create your dishes.

I would try and create dishes that showcase these techniques.

Once you learn Steaming, Blanching, Boiling, Sauteing, Grilling, Broiling, Roasting, and Deep Frying, Pan Frying, Stewing, and Braising, you can do just about anything.

I would try and get her interested in flavor combinations, I think kids need to develop a sense of excitement and curiosity in the kitchen. I often look at recipes just to see the flavor profile, and then do it in my own style.

There are some great books that are great for flavor combos. Culinary Artistry is a good book, because you can look up any ingredient and see what flavors go well with it, it is probably a bit dated now, I'm sure a search on Amazon would help you find a flavor thesaurus.

If you want to introduce ingredients that she is unfamiliar with a great book is The food Lovers Companion, you can look up any ingredient and find out information about what it is and where it is possible to get it, cooking techniques, history, ect.

I would not worry to much about being able to teach her, if she has the right attitude that will go a long way.

Knife skills are important, make sure she is involved in every step and that she fully understands what you are doing and gets a chance to take part in every step and you'll both get a lot out of the experience.

Have fun.

Doc, I have no experience teaching kids either, but if it were me I'd go for the basic staples she'll be more likely to cook often.

Teach her how to cook eggs without burning them, but still making sure they're cooked through for starters. Explain the cooking process and show her how/why it works the way it works (ie: medium low heat will cook as well as high heat, but less likely to scorch, etc.)

Get her understanding the need to fully cook meats, the concept of thinner slices cooking better, and the basic way to tell fully-cooked chicken or pork from underdone.

I'd say eggs, chicken breasts, then maybe pork chops or meat loaf. All basic dishes, but all of which require her to know when it's too hot or not hot enough and to judge by color, blood, or temperature.

Then get her into the flavoring and combinations of spices after that.

I've read a lot of your answers over the years here, and I know you've got a good head on your shoulders, so you will do better at this than you think you will.

12 is a great age lucky you, your going to enjoy this. First off she is a girl and I have two of them. Homemade pizzas, let her pick her favorite topping and pay attention to her choices of veggies make sure she gets enough. Knowing what she likes in the veggie department is important to her health and life long habits, so find ways to make her favorite veggies and get them on the table at least 2xs everyday.Veggie omelet's are fun to make and very yummy. I also would stick with organic everything if you can, but mostly in dairy and meats. Hormones in these products are bad for her development and can make her moody and depressed and possibly overweight or underweight, she doesn't need added hormones she has enough of her own. Teach her that organic producers are gentle to the livestock and they have very happy cows they are free range and hormonal free. Teach her to use roasting bags very easy to use and you can throw her carrots and potatoes right inside with any roast and it will come out perfect.Fish is over priced and full of mercury but the family needs the omegas ,very important. Look for ways to get omegas through flax seed.Some laying hens are fed flax seed and are sold as omega eggs they can be found at any food store. If it was me I would just buy a bottle of flax oil capsules and tell everyone to take one everyday the lazy way. Teach her that if she balances her foods she will grow to have beautiful hair teeth eyes and skin.I think at her age you need to keep it simple yet exciting. Teach her to bake bread this is invaluable at $4-$6 per loaf on the shelf for the good stuff, so why not, it could save her hundreds a year besides bread making is rewarding and satisfying.I tend to stay away from fruit because they ferment so quickly and if you don't eat it right off the tree you are eating part fermented food,but kids love fruit and some say its good for you so I guess the fresher the better.Pasta and rice dishes are fun to make try a few of those and stur-fry, use olive oil or canola. Have fun with it, I could go on forever, but I really think at12 you have a rare opportunity to teach her in a fun way the food basics and their importance to her and her families health. You are about to give her a real gift that she will remember for a very long time. I hope this helps. Good job Doc

teach her how to make egg dishes. thats so important.

then how to cook pasta and rice and bread and potatoes etc.

a variety of vegetables. and things like pasta sauces, casseroles, stirfries, sauteing things, meat cooking methods.