A mini-cookbook will help guys in the kitchen | The Sacramento Bee

OK, guys, we all know the most convenient way to feed ourselves is at restaurants. Dine in or get it to go, grab a sack ‘o’ tacos at Jimboy’s or grab a table at Sutter Street Steak House.

Low end or high end, dining out precludes us from being in the kitchen, expanding and refining our culinary skill sets. More importantly, we’re missing the chance to cook for her, which most women agree is one of the most romantic things a man can do. Oh, and it’s cheaper to eat at home than at restaurants. Get it?

So now what? Let’s begin by opening a helpful little guide in the “Pocket Companions” series, titled “Recipes Every Man Should Know” by Susan Russo and Brett Cohen (Quirk, $10, 144 pages). We start with glossaries of basic kitchen tools and cooking terms, along with tips, then segue into short chapters: “Hearty Breakfast Classics,” “Sandwiches, Burgers & Snacks,” “Meat & Potatoes,” “Beer, Bacon & Bar Food” and “Desserts.”

Soon, you’ll be turning out breakfast burritos, meaty macaroni, beef stew and bacon guacamole. If that’s moving too fast for you, the guide slows it down with chicken nuggets, 10-minute tortilla pizza and “better-than-IHOP” pancakes.

After you “graduate,” the next stop could be “The Joy of Cooking” or “Larousse Gastronomique.” But first things first.