Do you ever feel like you can screw up the simplest of recipes?
Do you underportion and overseason? What does "a pinch" or "a dash" really mean, anyway?
Hey, I feel you. Fortunately for you, so does IKEA.
That's why they came up with idiot-proof recipes, called "The Ikea Easy Recipe Series," a cookbook that comes printed with food-safe ink on cooking parchment paper, where all you need to do is lay your food out on the recipe sheet to measure it, fold it up and bake it. Provided that you stay within the lines, your food should come out just dandy.
"When it comes to cooking, most people are hesitant to break from routine," the Swedish furniture company says in the promotional video (below) they made for the product. "They find new foods and recipes to be intimidating. IKEA wanted to show people that getting creative can be deliciously simple."
Deliciously simple indeed. With this color-by-numbers system that incorporates actual IKEA products to take out the mystery, it couldn't get any easier. If you're a college student, bachelor or anybody else who never really cooks, this might be the ticket for you.
So far, these books are only available in Canada, but cross your fingers that they'll make it worldwide soon.
Check out how simple these "Cooking for Dummies"-type stay-in-the-lines recipes are.
From easy ravioli and meatballs:
To restaurant-quality salmon with lemon and herbs:
It really can't get any easier.
All the portions are drawn out, so there's no mystery whether or not you're using enough pepper.
All you do is fit your ingredients into the pre-measured outlines, spread the seasoning, roll up the parchment and toss it in the oven.
And just like that, dinner is ready!
As I said, these are just about idiot-proof, and they look wonderful for non-cooks.
Since these are sadly not available around the world yet, if you don't live in or near Canada, you might need to sit tight or get started cooking on your own.
Not sure where to start? The Kitchn readers recommend following recipes, googling any questions, starting with simple stuff like stews and using your own common sense to learn from each batch you make to improve it.
Need some simple recipes? You might like these five to 10 minute dinners.