http://www.amazon.com/Idiots-Guides-Thomas-N-England/dp/1615648194

Cooking is an art and knowing how to master the many skills and techniques that normally only come from years of experience in the kitchen can be tough. However, with the right expert guidance, those skills can come easy, and cooking can be fun. Idiot's Guides: Cooking Basics will help even the most inexperienced novice in the kitchen gain the skills necessary to cook nearly anything the right way. Packed full of step-by-step color photography and step-by-step lessons for over 80 classic recipes, Idiot's Guides: Cooking Basics teaches you all the basic skills required to be successful in the kitchen and learn skills that will last a lifetime.

About the Author

Chef Thom England, as a professional chef, food writer, educator and mentor, has shared his expertise with many aspiring and seasoned chefs for over 20 years. Born and raised in Northern Indiana, Chef England trained in New York at the Culinary Institute of America. He spent much of his professional career in New York as well as Central Indiana. He is an ACF Certified Executive Chef (CEC) and Certified Foodservice Educator (CFSE). He is also well versed in the production and pairing of alcohol, running and consulting for wineries. He is a Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS)
He currently serves as program coordinator at the Ivy Tech Hospitality and Culinary Arts program. Additionally, he is active in the community as a local foods activist as co-founder and president of Dig-IN: a non-profit for the promotion of Indiana Food, Beverage, and Agriculture.
Thom is the author of 3 cookbooks including The Idiots Guide: Grilling (2014), The Idiots Guide: Cooking Basics (2015 release date), and Indiana Harvest (2009).

CONTENTS
the basics . . . . . . . . . . . 3
breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . 35
condiments . . . . . . . . . 59
Sauces and Condiments . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
soups and stews . . . . . 85
salads . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
beef and pork . . . . . . 125
poultry . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
seafood . . . . . . . . . . . 165
pastas and grains . . . 187
fruits and vegetables . . . . . . . . . 227
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258