Recipes and Cooking (Giving Instructions)

A Recipe for Mother’s Day

For Mother’s Day, my mother asked my brother, my sister and I to send her our favourite recipes.

I sent her a recipe for “smashed potatoes.”

Question: Can you find my spelling mistakes? There are two!

Question: What part of the recipe did I think was “really important?”
I said, “Don’t forget the parmesan!”

“Don’t forget” is a useful phrase when you’re giving instructions. Here are some others:*

Sequence words:

First, boil some small potatoes

Second, smash them using a small glass
Then, cover them in olive oil, thyme, salt, pepper, butter, and parmesan cheese
Finally, bake them for 15 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit

You can also say “after that” instead of “then” and “firstly” / “secondly” instead of “first” and
“second”.

Extra Helping Words:

When you give instructions, you can help the other person with extra information and advice.

Remember: turn off the oven when you aren’t using it

Be careful not to … (spill any hot water)
Try to … (see if the potatoes are cooked)
Try not to … (touch the hot potatoes with your hands)
You need to … (use a lot of cheese)
It’s important to … (use some olive oil and butter)
It helps to … (smash the potatoes with a small glass)
Be sure to … (use small potatoes)
Always … (make sure the potatoes are soft before you smash them)
Never … (burn the potatoes)

Questions:

1. What is your favourite food to cook?

OR, if you don’t know how to cook,

What is your favourite food that your friends or family can cook?

2. How do you make it? Teach your group!

3. Is there a food you want to learn how to cook? Does anyone else in the group know how to cook
it?

*adapted from English-at-home.com

https://www.english-at-home.com/giving-instructions/