So what are you cooking

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LadyGeek
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by LadyGeek »

A variation of an Italian classic: Creamy Pasta With Smoked Bacon and Peas

Instead of a large skillet, I used my wok. After the bacon was browned, I scooped out all the bacon fat with a large spoon.

It's not all that creamy in spite of using nearly 6 ounces of heavy cream. The lemon and fresh mint makes this dish. I wouldn't call it a fan favorite, but it's a nice change of pace.
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tooluser
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by tooluser »

I made my first ever London Broil (a flat cut of Top Round beef) on the Weber kettle. Marinated overnight in Chaka's Zesty Mmm Sauce. Indirect heat for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Seared both sides over the coals for a reverse sear. It came out good, very tender, but compared to a tri-tip roast or most steaks it has very little beef flavor.

Leftovers for the next few days. I'm thinking a stir-fry, a Philly-style steak sandwich, and what I call twice-cooked beef (coat thin slices in mild Middle-Eastern or Indian spices and pan-fry until crispy in some olive oil). I can use the same peppers and onions for the first two, and put them in a side salad for the third. Frugal!
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tooluser
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by tooluser »

tooluser wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:15 pm I made my first ever London Broil (a flat cut of Top Round beef) on the Weber kettle. Marinated overnight in Chaka's Zesty Mmm Sauce. Indirect heat for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Seared both sides over the coals for a reverse sear. It came out good, very tender, but compared to a tri-tip roast or most steaks it has very little beef flavor.

Leftovers for the next few days. I'm thinking a stir-fry, a Philly-style steak sandwich, and what I call twice-cooked beef (coat thin slices in mild Middle-Eastern or Indian spices and pan-fry until crispy in some olive oil). I can use the same peppers and onions for the first two, and put them in a side salad for the third. Frugal!
All those dishes from leftovers turned out great! I am very proud of myself for the moment. :D

But tonight I had no beef left. The local grocery store had a free offer for their store brand plant based patties (PBPs), "made with pea protein", so I picked them up for dinner. Normally $3.99 for two 4 oz patties, that seems a bit steep to me, since good ground beef is nowhere near that expensive. I also did not care for some of the ingredients in it, or that it's "factory-produced food", but I am always willing to try something new. At a nutritional macro level they are about equivalent to beef.

So I cooked one up in a frying pan the same way I would cook a beef hamburger. The PBP smelled just like Underwood Deviled Ham from a can, and felt like it too. Not the best start. Per package directions I cooked the PBP to 165 degF internal, which would overcook a burger for most people. It remained pink inside though. It did not shrink much at all. No bun or fixings, just side dabs of ketchup, mustard and black pepper.

Eating: A strong hit of fake char flavor, chewing texture a bit loose for most hamburgers, yet sturdy on the fork. You could fool yourself for a bite that maybe it's a high quality char-grilled beef burger. If I was told it was beef, I would think it was adulterated with breadcrumbs or something, slightly over to the meatloaf side of things. Not enough beefiness. But better than an unadulterated turkey burger, or most pre-formed frozen beef patties I have ever had. I ate the whole thing and it never got cloying like some of the fake meat. It paired well with mustard, ketchup, and black pepper.

Overall, if a good quality beef burger is an A, I would give this stuff a B+. If served it I would enjoy it and not complain, but would know it's not the real thing. I have another one left and I will almost certainly eat it tomorrow.
Like good comrades to the utmost of their strength, we shall go on to the end. -- Winston Churchill
chris319
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by chris319 »

Here in Southern California we have a fast-food chain called "Original Tommy's". It was founded in 1946 by Tommy Koulax and has remained a fixture in Southern California ever since.

Tommy's is renowned for its world-famous chili. The chili is very popular and is a wonderful accompaniment to hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries. The actual recipe for Original Tommy's chili is top secret and remains so to this day.

There are several copycat recipes for imitation Tommy's chili on the web. They generally require a finely grated carrot (!), a pound of ground beef and seasonings including chili powder, paprika, onion powder and others. Corn flour, or masa harina, is used as a thickener. Tommy's chili contains no tomatoes or tomato products and no beans.

I have never been able to get any of these copycat recipes to turn out just right, and they involve a fair amount of prep. I have attempted to rectify this situation by coming up with my own version of imitation Tommy's chili. What it lacks in authenticity it makes up for in convenience and ease of preparation. The recipe couldn't be simpler:

1 can beef chili, NO BEANS. I have been using Hormel chili but other brands such as Dennison's will probably work.

1/2 tsp cumin

The cumin does something wonderful to the chili. This may or may not be the best imitation of Original Tommy's but I find it more than satisfying. Oddly, the copycat recipes I have seen do not call for cumin, but I think it is present in the genuine Tommy's chili.

If you are familiar with Original Tommy's chili and have suggestions for making a can of chili more like Tommy's, please share.
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tooluser
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by tooluser »

chris319 wrote: Sat Apr 09, 2022 2:02 pm If you are familiar with Original Tommy's chili and have suggestions for making a can of chili more like Tommy's, please share.
Have you tried the Dolores Chili Brick https://dolorescanning.com/ from the freezer section or near the XLNT tamales? It shows up in both places. I am in L.A. but have only had Tommy's once, so am not an expert, but that bizarre thing diluted a bit with water has the flavor I am looking for when eating chili on top of something.

35+ years ago, the canned Hormel chili used to taste the same, but they changed the recipe and made it more tamatoey.
Like good comrades to the utmost of their strength, we shall go on to the end. -- Winston Churchill
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by chris319 »

Have you tried the Dolores Chili Brick https://dolorescanning.com/ from the freezer section or near the XLNT tamales?
I'll look for it. I like the XLNT tamales.
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by LadyGeek »

Last week, I was in the mood for ham and made this Ham, Broccoli and Orzo Casserole.

I skipped the french-fried onions.

Not bad. I had leftovers for a week.
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by LadyGeek »

I was in the mood for shrimp and decided to make Shrimp Fried Rice.

I wanted this to last a week, so I increased quantities by 50% (4 servings to 6 serving size).

This is a recipe that's easy to do, but takes a ton of prep work - not to mention cleanup. 15 minutes? Try close to 2 hours from start to finish.

A lot of time was spent shelling and deveining 2 pounds of shrimp. That's more than 50%, but there's some waste from the shells and I wanted a lot of shrimp.

I used fresh ginger root and garlic.

The recipe uses several vegetables that are finely chopped. A hand-held vegetable chopper works fine.

This is a complete meal that hits the spot. Not bad.
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tooluser
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by tooluser »

Cabbage, peppers, and sausage. This is easy to make and hardly needs a recipe to be decent. It's either eastern European or southern American, depending on which Youtube videos you watch.

Saute cabbage, bell peppers, and onions (chopped any way you like) in some olive oil over medium-high heat. Try to scorch it a bit for better flavor. Add salt and pepper, then some garlic. When partially cooked, add pieces of smoked sausage (which typically comes pre-cooked). Stir and saute, maybe cover it for 10 minutes or so if its not going fast enough for you, until the cabbage is cooked but still has some firmness, and the sausage is warmed through.

Add or subtract practically anything and it will still be good - butter, a splash of vinegar or lemon, herbs, Cajun spices. Browning the sausage first is a good idea but adds a step and may make an extra dirty dish for what otherwise is a one pot meal. The cabbage cooks down a lot, so a medium head makes about 4 servings.

I remember the good ol' days when a "loop" of smoked sausage (e.g. Hillshire Farms brand) weighed 16 ounces. Then they shrunk it to 15, then 14, and now 13.5 ounces, at twice the price! I ended up adding a 3.5 oz hotlink to it to have enough meat for four servings.
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tooluser
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by tooluser »

Another foray into meat substitutes. This time Lightlife Tempeh Cubes, Southwest flavor. This was free through a grocery store offer, normally $5.99 for what constitutes a fairly small serving of 380 calories.

Very impressive: a fairly short list of only organic ingredients, nothing artificial.

After eating three of the cubes, I threw the rest away. Awful, almost inedible. I do not understand how such good natural ingredients could end up tasting like a straight chemical concoction of bitter metal. I don't think the manufacturer has ever tasted what they are producing. I'm very glad it was free. No more of that brand for me.

As a result I ate all of the side dish I made - fresh corn off the cob, red onions and green peppers diced to about corn-kernel size, sauteed on low-medium heat in butter with salt and pepper, until lightly cooked/crisp tender. Now that's good eating.
Like good comrades to the utmost of their strength, we shall go on to the end. -- Winston Churchill
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by homebuyer6426 »

This year I have made a lentil dish about 20 times so far.

Olive oil to completely cover bottom of cooking vessel
French Green Lentils 2-3 cups
Water to cover lentils plus an inch or so
Bay leaves 1-2
Allspice spheres 2-4
Garlic powder 2 tablespoons
3 pinches of coarse sea salt

Bring to boil on medium then turn down to low and cover, 50 minutes for green lentils, 30 minutes if they are a smaller variety like black.

Healthy, delicious and easy - even better if you have some leftover beef or chicken to add. Cheers
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heartwood
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by heartwood »

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/102 ... p-egg-rice

Gyeran bap, a Korean egg and rice meal, with toasted sesame oil and soy sauce. Good anytime! Real comfort food that I eat often. I leave out the seaweed. Rice can be fresh or reheated.

Add eggs to browned butter, top with sesame oil and soy sauce, fry. Top warm rice with the eggs and pan drippings.
chris319
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by chris319 »

Quick quesadilla:

Take a flour tortilla.

Put cheddar cheese on it and fold it in half.

1 minute in the microwave.

Pièce de résistance: drown it in lime juice.

Mexican restaurants use Monterey jack cheese but I like cheddar.
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RANkiDEr
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by RANkiDEr »

Starting to eat more vegetarian and vegan meals and recently came across vegan tacos using marinated mushrooms in place of meat. I was really surprised how good it was. I also made corn salad which was also really good.

VEGAN TACOS FOR SUMMER | tacos three ways
https://youtu.be/9Pu7plAdIUA
59Gibson
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by 59Gibson »

Spaghetti Os for dinner.
chris319
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by chris319 »

59Gibson wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 9:24 pm Spaghetti Os for dinner.
Try adding a small amount of oregano to your Spaghetti O's.
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tooluser
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by tooluser »

I heated up two of The Original Boca Burger All American Veggie Burgers in a frying pan with a little oil. Sides of ketchup and yellow mustard. Not bad. They use a lot of textured vegetable protein, and also cheese, and are not as good as the newer fake meat formulations, but I would not turn them down if offered. A solid B. A factory food, but unlike the newer fake meats, these are actually far lower in saturated fat and calories than the real thing.

I also made biscuits and gravy for a different meal, but the place I shopped at did not have pork breakfast sausage, only ground pork. So I spiced that up and let it sit in the fridge overnight to blend flavors. I cannot recreate the spices and quantities I used, just eyeballed some internet recipes and winged it with what I have on hand. It turned out well, though a little heavy on ground clove, which gave it an Old World flavor, reminding me of meals at my grandparents' homes.
Like good comrades to the utmost of their strength, we shall go on to the end. -- Winston Churchill
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by LadyGeek »

I made a modified version of Slow-Cooker Quinoa Chili.

I substituted the fire-roasted tomatoes with fresh diced red bell pepper (what I had on-hand). Also, I used long-grain Carolina rice instead of quinoa.

I added 8 oz of fresh grated cheddar cheese to the crock when there was about 45 minutes left to go. This was not the best idea, as the cheese melted and bound everything together into a block of cheesy chili.

However, it does taste good and was easy to make.
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InMyDreams
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by InMyDreams »

Tried Milk Street's Eetch - an Armenian/Lebanese bulgur salad (not tabbouleh). There used to be a Lebanese deli here, and I loved their "Ich" (spelling variant). Still looking for a recipe that reproduces it.
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by Beensabu »

Pineapple fried rice. Egg, pineapple, bell pepper, raisins, garlic, chives, cashews, leftover rice, soy sauce, pineapple juice, sriracha, lemon juice.
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by 123 »

heartwood wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 9:56 am https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/102 ... p-egg-rice

Gyeran bap, a Korean egg and rice meal, with toasted sesame oil and soy sauce. Good anytime! Real comfort food that I eat often. I leave out the seaweed. Rice can be fresh or reheated.

Add eggs to browned butter, top with sesame oil and soy sauce, fry. Top warm rice with the eggs and pan drippings.
+1 Though I don't indulge the rest of my family is in love with this dish, including the seaweed. It's easy to make and pretty fool-proof (so its safe for me to make in the kitchen). A great breakfast dish when you have leftover rice.
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Beensabu
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by Beensabu »

Sweet (zero heat) curry. Carrots sautéed in oil. Diced onion. Ginger and garlic powder (outta garlic...). Turmeric, Cajun seasoning, cumin, Chinese five spice, black pepper. Canned chickpeas, coconut milk, tomato sauce. Salt.

Rice.

1 hour.
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by fishandgolf »

Going to do another "Beer Can Chicken" on my Traeger pellet grill. Bought another organic whole chicken (5.5 lbs.) from Aldi's.

The recipe on the Traeger website is very good; I do however, modify it slightly. I do like my bird to have some "smokey" flavor, so after the pre-heat, I set the temp at 225 degrees and run the "super smoke" feature for 1.0 hour. I then crank it to 350 for 1.75 hrs., then 450 for the last 10 minutes to get the skin nice and crispy.

I've done this recipe several times and it's always been a family favorite! :sharebeer

https://www.traeger.com/recipes/beer-can-chicken
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by jebmke »

Tonight, spatchcock a whole chicken, dry brine and roast on the grill -- unless it rains.
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by placeholder »

I enjoy a version of chef john's sticky garlic pork chops: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/26352 ... ork-chops/

Differences:

1. I use chops cut from boneless pork roasts.
2. I found that the sugar in the marinade was hard to keep from burning so I skip marinating and just brown the chops then remove them and deglaze the pan with the sauce mixture adding the chops back to glaze them.
3. I put some minced ginger into the sauce and some five spice powder.

Normally I have vegetable fried rice with it.

ps works well with boneless skinless chicken breasts too.
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by placeholder »

Tonight was chicken breasts with a lemon garlic cream sauce backed by rustic herb mashed potatoes and stir fried asparagus.
WhiteMaxima
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by WhiteMaxima »

Costco Rotisserie Chicken meat cooked with bell pepper, brown mushrooms
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tooluser
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by tooluser »

Bean and cheese burritos like you might get from the dollar menu at a "Mexican" fast food place. Warm flour tortilla, hot refried beans from a can, a little shredded cheese, and some taco sauce. I put some chopped raw onions on a few as well. Rolled up nice and professional-like so it can be eaten by hand with no leakage (well, most of them anyways). Easy, cheap, nutritious, and filling. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
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InMyDreams
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by InMyDreams »

Just made ATK's Mac & Cheese. I've been craving a cheesy pasta, and it's simple to do, better than the boxed/powder stuff. One pot, ready in 15ish minutes. Skipped the crumb topping, tho.
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by kabob »

Started practicing St Louie Ribs on Memorial day(RaceDay if ones from Indy) for the 4th of July...
We prefer St louie over BabyBack & Spare - Got a good du & rub for MemDay, gonna have 1 more Practice b4 the 4th.
Better get em soon be they GoUP for the 4th!
ER2023
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by ER2023 »

tooluser wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 9:05 pm I haven't done much cooking worth mentioning this year so far. Just don't seem to have the time. I have made simple and typical meals, which does help hone basic cooking techniques and improve attentiveness to heat and time. Or how to pour cereal into a bowl.

What I did decide to do new, is try several of the vegetarian and meat-alternative items from the freezer and deli sections of the grocery store. This is to satisfy my own curiosity, and so I can speak knowledgeably about them rather than having a knee-jerk response if they ever come up in conversation.

As I suspected, most do not fit my palate or my soul, produced in factories and often of questionable ingredients. The food scientists at these companies really know how to make a quick hit on your palate that is highly evocative of the non-vegetarian standard. My initial bite of almost all of them has been quite good. But those same food scientists have not figured out how to make a pleasant aftertaste, or how to avoid a sense of cloyingness that builds up if you eat more than a few bites in one sitting.

The best I have tried, and which had none of the negatives I just mentioned, are the Dr Praeger's California Veggie Burgers. They are not trying to be anything but a patty of compressed vegetables and spices, and the ingredients are good too. But for much less money you could just get some vegetables and roast them with some spices, or even mash them and form patties if you wanted to.

I still have to get back to making those crumpets.
You should try making these delicious homemade bean burgers from Sally's Baking Addiction: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/best- ... n-burgers/

Just one batch made 11 burgers - simply freeze them in parchment paper/zip lock bag and grill or bake when ready to use. I put pepper jack cheese and Cento spicy hoagie spread on top - absolutely delicious!
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by tooluser »

ER2023 wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 5:36 am You should try making these delicious homemade bean burgers from Sally's Baking Addiction: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/best- ... n-burgers/

Just one batch made 11 burgers - simply freeze them in parchment paper/zip lock bag and grill or bake when ready to use. I put pepper jack cheese and Cento spicy hoagie spread on top - absolutely delicious!
They do look good - bookmarked.
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Volando
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by Volando »

ER2023 wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 5:36 am You should try making these delicious homemade bean burgers from Sally's Baking Addiction: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/best- ... n-burgers/

Just one batch made 11 burgers - simply freeze them in parchment paper/zip lock bag and grill or bake when ready to use. I put pepper jack cheese and Cento spicy hoagie spread on top - absolutely delicious!
These look incredible! Thanks for sharing. I enjoy a good black bean burger and will have to give this recipe a try.
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by doobiedoo »

I make ramen noodles regularly now. I just use the dried instant noodles, either Ichiban or Maruchan. It's very easy.

Boil the water, add the dried noodles, cook for 3 min or so, remove from heat, and add the dried flavored soup base. Stir and let it sit for a couple of minutes. I use 1 noodle package per person.

I also add some fresh ingredients, such as:
-- lots of baby spinach. (You almost can't have too much.)
-- 1 sliced mushroom per person
-- a few scallions
-- some bean sprouts
-- pork belly (bought from Costco). [Canned Spam is a cheaper alternative!]
I add all of these to the boiling water before putting in the dried noodles.

Finally, poach 1 egg per person in a separate pot, (Add some vinegar to the boiling water before adding the egg. That keeps the poached egg compact instead of spreading out.)

It's not as good as the top Japanese ramen restaurants, but it's close enough for me!

P.S. I didn't eat ramen in college. (I don't think it was a thing back then.) So I have no negative associations with it.
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by LadyGeek »

Tapas. From a 1986 cookbook, modified for the microwave:

Sardines in Casserole
  • 2 tins sardines
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 large yellow onions, peeled and chopped
  • 1 small jar (4 ounces) roasted red sweet peppers, cut into strips
1. Rinse sardines in warm water, drain
2. Pour half the olive oil into a small casserole and layer in the onions
3. Cover the onions with the sardines
4. Top with the red peppers and the remaining oil
5. Cover, microwave for 2 minutes

Serve over slices of fresh Italian bread (or any bread that can be dipped in oil). I doubled the recipe simply because it's that good and I wanted it to last a while.

I sliced up enough bread to cover a dinner plate and spread the tapas on top. It was my dinner for a week (with salad).
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tooluser
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by tooluser »

I made a simple blueberry and sliced strawberry fruit salad earlier today, literally just combining the two. The blueberries from my local grocer are often rather tired and sad, but I have found that they rehydrate and plump up if they sit with some moisture in a sealed container for 24 hours. Delicious in the end.
Like good comrades to the utmost of their strength, we shall go on to the end. -- Winston Churchill
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by placeholder »

I got some surprisingly good california strawberries from aldi so I will be making a key lime pie and a cheesecake pie with strawberry topping for the family fourth celebration.
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by doobiedoo »

Fried rice is a regular in my cooking rotation. I don't have/use a recipe, but here's what I do.

Special Ingredients:
Buy some short grain sweet rice. I use Sho-Chiku-Bai, but I buy it at a regional Chinese grocery store called "99 Ranch". Here's an Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Koda-Farms-Sho-C ... 8182030769

Buy some Chinese sausage. I buy Kam Yen Jan from 99 Ranch. Here's the Amazon link.
https://www.amazon.com/Kam-Yen-Jan-Chin ... 5895&psc=1

Buy some dried mushrooms. I also buy the dried mushrooms at the Chinese grocery store.
Soak 4 dried mushrooms in some warm water for 4-8 hours.

Make the Rice:
Use 2 cups of long grain rice (e.g. Mahatma), 1 cup of short grain sweet rice, and 6 cups of water.
[For softer, stickier rice, let the rice and water sit in the pot for a few hours before cooking.]
Use med-hi heat to boil the rice and water.
When it starts boiling, uncover the pot. "Holes" will start appearing in the rice.
When most of the water has evaporated and there is no longer any bubbling water coming from those "holes", cover the pot and simmer for 15-17 min.

Cutting and Prep:
While the rice is cooking (or beforehand if you are slow at cutting/prepping):
Chop some onions. I only use 1/4 of an onion.
Remove the stems from the 4 dried mushrooms. Slice the soggy mushrooms.
Remove the stems from 4 regular mushrooms. Slice the regular mushrooms.
Slice and quarter 1 zuchinni.
Slice 4 Chinese sausages.
Dice 1/3 can of Spam.
Beat 6 eggs (with a little milk added) in a bowl.

Saute:
Saute the onions. Remove from pan.
Saute both types of mushrooms. After a couple of minutes, add the zuchinni and finish saute'ing. Remove from pan.
Saute the diced Spam. After a couple of minutes, add the sliced Chinese sausage and finish saute'ing. Remove from pan.
Scramble the 6 eggs. Remove from pan.
Heat some frozen peas in the microwave.

Wait for the rice to finish (if you were fast at cutting, prepping, and saute'ing). :)
Mix everything together in a big pot. Season as desired. I use Lawry's Seasoned Salt because it's easy.
I also add some soy sauce and a bit of sesame seed oil. (My daughter doesn't like pepper so I don't use it.)

When I started doing this decades ago, I think it took me an hour. But if you are quick and do things in parallel when possible, dinner can be ready in 30 min.

The great thing about fried rice is you can substitute or add just about anything.
Bean sprouts and bok choy work great.
You can also substitute meats. I have even used canned tuna fish!
If you can't find the short grain sweet rice, you can use regular long grain rice instead.
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LadyGeek
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by LadyGeek »

I don't have a recipe either, but I just made cheese-filled tortellini.

- 2 x 13 oz. packs of frozen cheese-filled tortellini
- 1 can of large black olives
- 1/2 lb. or more of fresh mushrooms
- 1 jar of good quality tomato - basil pasta sauce
- Slightly more than 1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook the tortellini per the package instructions, drain.
2. Chop and saute the mushrooms with a bit of olive oil.
3. Chop the black olives.
4. Combine all the ingredients into a large bowl. Mix.
5. Pour into an air-tight storage container, cool to room temperature, then put it in the fridge.

Scoop out what you want to eat and microwave for 2 minutes. Serve with a slice of bread. There's enough here to last a week (1 person).
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Barsoom
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by Barsoom »

Recently, I've been making dog food.

My 13-year-old dachshund suddenly stopped eating his canned food and began losing weight. We took him to the vet and they ran tests, but found nothing really wrong with him (other than his thyroid deficiency and heart murmur that was previously diagnosed and being treated). I decided to make my own food for him, as he eats anything he sees me cook and eat. I found various recipes for adding weight to dogs, and ran them by my vet for confirmation. Here are a few that I came up with that my dog loves (he's put 1.5 lbs back on!). These slow cooker (6 qt) recipes make about eight 1.5-cup (12 oz) mason jars of food, which I vacuum seal and keep in the refrigerator.

Equipment needed:
  • Slow cooker, at least 6 qt.
  • Large skillet
  • Immersion blender
  • Sealable 12 oz mason jars (about 8).
Recipe (with variations):
  1. Choose your protein.
    1. Beef chuck roast, 2.5 to 3 lbs.
      1. Cut off the stringy fat, but keep some of the regular fat (the kind that renders out). Cut the beef into 1/2 inch cubes.
      2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet. Brown the beef in the large skillet until the fat renders out and the beef begins to brown, about 20-30 minutes. It's done when a fond forms on the bottom and begins to get sticky.
        • Variation: Asian style. Use Sesame oil and add grated ginger to the beef while browning.
      3. Transfer browned beef and remaining liquid to a 6 qt slow cooker. Add a little water to the skillet to deglaze the fond on the bottom and add that to the slow cooker as well.
    2. Chicken breasts, about 2.5 lbs (a friend suggested I try thighs for the flavor, but I haven't done that yet).
      1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet. Cook the chicken in the skillet until done, about 20 minutes.
      2. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, and transfer to the slow cooker.
      3. Add some water to the skillet to deglaze, and add to the slow cooker.
  2. Add 1.5 cups brown rice to the slow cooker.
  3. Add one of the following to the slow cooker:
    • Large russet potato, peeled and cut into large chunks.
    • Large sweet potato, peeled and cut into large chunks.
    • Butternut squash, peeled and cut into large chunks. My grocery store sells this already chunked and packaged.
  4. Add 2 or 3 carrots. Clean and trim the ends, but don't peel the carrots (most nutrients are in the outer skin). Cut into 1/2 inch pieces and add to the slow cooker.
  5. Add one of the following vegetables:
    • Broccoli, cut into smaller pieces
    • Green beans, trimmed and cut in half
    • Asparagus, trimmed and cut into smaller pieces
    • Yellow squash and green zucchini (cut into smaller pieces)
  6. Optionally, add one of the following:
    • 1 can dark red kidney beans (and liquid)
    • 3-4 cans sliced water chestnuts (Asian theme)
    • Frozen peas (add in the last hour of cooking
  7. Add water, about 4 cups to cover the food.
Cover, and cook on HIGH for about 6 hours. When done, use the immersion blender to blend the food (still in the slow cooker) into one mixture (it's okay to have it be a little chunky). Carefully ladle the mixture into the mason jars, as it will be hot. Cover the jars with the top and tighten the sealing ring, and put into the refrigerator to cool. The jars will seal during the cooling process (you will hear the "pop" sound when first opening.

I mix up what batch I make, so my dog doesn't get bored with his food.

When I serve the dog food, I've been adding some of his dry food for the added probiotics (there is plenty of nutrients from the ingredients BTW). My dog was picking out the kibble, so I began grinding them to a powder in an old coffee blade grinder (Krups) and adding that to his bowl with a little water to thin it out.

Let me know if you have any ideas for additions to this basic recipe. I'm looking for inexpensive cuts of meat and other dog-safe vegetable and starch choices. I haven't tried pork yet (I want to try a Butterball pre-formed turkey roll, but they're sometimes hard to find out of season). I'm not a seafood eater, so I won't cook any kind of fish.

-B
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by Mudpuppy »

Barsoom wrote: Sun Jul 03, 2022 12:13 pm Let me know if you have any ideas for additions to this basic recipe. I'm looking for inexpensive cuts of meat and other dog-safe vegetable and starch choices. I haven't tried pork yet (I want to try a Butterball pre-formed turkey roll, but they're sometimes hard to find out of season). I'm not a seafood eater, so I won't cook any kind of fish.
Lamb and duck are other popular pet proteins that you can find at the grocery store. Just keep in mind that if you feed one now, it'll make it impossible to switch to that protein for an elimination diet in the future, so discuss that with your veterinarian first. One of my cats was just prescribed an elimination diet, but he's eaten duck canned food in the past, so I have to go with more expensive options (rabbit or hydrolyzed proteins at the moment, since the lamb food is out-of-stock).
PoppyA
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by PoppyA »

Roasted vegetables. Roasted chicken breast

I put them in the fridge & use them to top a salad with yummy thousand island dressing.

I also had shredded cabbage pan fried with olive oil that I add a raw egg or two to. Season with s&p. I love the taste of this scramble & it is pretty healthy.
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by kabob »

For the 3rd, practice & trial for more the 4th...
CountryStyleRibs/rub&sauced,RedPotatoSalid,GardenFreshSlaw, FreshCutFruit on Ice marinated in Sangria/Rum...
Plus MoreThanNuff ICE for AnyAllVariousd Beverages of Choice.
Is 94Degrees++ locally - a little too Hot to eat - the Iced FruitSalid tis the biggest hit so far, till sundown,then 'who knows...
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by michaeljc70 »

I tried making paella for the first time last night. It was not great. Though I cook a lot of different things, I've always thought paella was intimidating. Those thoughts weren't unfounded. Getting every component to cook right is difficult. Getting the crispy bottom from the rice (socorrat) is also tricky. I only made a small one for two (10" pan) as I am no where close to making this for guests. I'll keep trying.
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tooluser
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by tooluser »

A few things experienced, all based on sale prices at the grocery store.

Berries and stonefruit (cherries, nectarines, peaches, etc.) are in-season in California right now, and it's great to have some fruit salad in the fridge for breakfast and desserts. Tomato, cucumber, and onion salad too, with a simple dressing of olive oil, vinegar, and Johnny's seasoning salt. I find that Johnny's goes really well with all vegetables. Lawry's is better for meat.

I am continuing to try some plant-based food substitutes. I have tried a couple of vegan "cheeses". They look like cheese but do not taste much like it. They were free through grocery store offers. It seems that once you buy some of this stuff, they send you offers to try other things. The vegan "cheeses" were both congealed from oil, rather than dairy. In one case with smoke flavor added, which was cloying and offensive after the first bite. In the other case it was basically a mixture of coconut oil and jalapeno peppers trying to imitate pepper jack cheese. It tasted exactly like coconut oil with jalapeno peppers, not at all like cheese. The industry has a lot of work to do here compared to the meat aisle, though these "cheeses" were less offensive than other vegan "cheeses" I have had. Still, into the garbage with them.

Hmm, no actual cooking with any of that. The local national chain grocer continues to have very good loss leaders, so bacon, free range eggs, and organic whole wheat bread have been at a good to decent price, and delicious. Breakfast sausage however has suffered enormous price increases, +30% in price with a 12.5% shrink-ray (7oz vs 8oz pkg), for a whopping 42.5% increase. A month ago there was a sale on one brand and now they don't carry it anymore. I am not understanding the economic mechanism that results in a 33% lower bacon price and a 42.5% higher breakfast sausage price (both from pork) at the same time.
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by Beensabu »

Lentils! I figured out I can get away with this with my family once a month.

For peeps on a lean food budget (or those that like yummy food).

1 lb bag of lentils (the cheapo brown kind is fine)

Rinse, cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Keep boiling for ~10 minutes.

Mince 6 cloves (or so) of peeled garlic and 3 inches (or so) of peeled ginger.

Strain lentils. Mix in pot with 6 tbsp of butter, 2 tsp cajun seasoning (or something that has cayenne pepper in it) and 2 tsp cumin, a few shakes of black pepper, couple pinches of salt, minced garlic and ginger. I also added some tajin because it's good. Edit: I threw some lemon pepper and garlic salt in there too, I forgot lol.

Add a 28oz (the big one) can of crushed (or whatever) tomatoes. Fill that can with water and add that too. Stirrrrrrrrrr.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Put a lid on it. Leave it alone for 45 minutes. Turn off heat. Add a can of evaporated milk. Stirrrrrrrrrrr.

Eat.

This makes a big pot that lasts a few days to a week. Like most soups/stews/etc, it tastes better the longer it stays in the fridge. Costs $5.
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by placeholder »

I picked up some pork tenderloins on sale so I made medallions with a mushroom marsala sauce served with some pasta and pan fried zucchini.
michaeljc70
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by michaeljc70 »

I bought an Anova Precision Oven the other day so I'm experimenting with that. It is a steam oven that can do sous vide and is very app oriented. I'm going to try some bread today to take advantage of the steam features.
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LadyGeek
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by LadyGeek »

tooluser wrote: Sun Apr 24, 2022 8:26 pm Cabbage, peppers, and sausage. This is easy to make and hardly needs a recipe to be decent. It's either eastern European or southern American, depending on which Youtube videos you watch.

Saute cabbage, bell peppers, and onions (chopped any way you like) in some olive oil over medium-high heat. Try to scorch it a bit for better flavor. Add salt and pepper, then some garlic. When partially cooked, add pieces of smoked sausage (which typically comes pre-cooked). Stir and saute, maybe cover it for 10 minutes or so if its not going fast enough for you, until the cabbage is cooked but still has some firmness, and the sausage is warmed through.

Add or subtract practically anything and it will still be good - butter, a splash of vinegar or lemon, herbs, Cajun spices. Browning the sausage first is a good idea but adds a step and may make an extra dirty dish for what otherwise is a one pot meal. The cabbage cooks down a lot, so a medium head makes about 4 servings.

I remember the good ol' days when a "loop" of smoked sausage (e.g. Hillshire Farms brand) weighed 16 ounces. Then they shrunk it to 15, then 14, and now 13.5 ounces, at twice the price! I ended up adding a 3.5 oz hotlink to it to have enough meat for four servings.
I needed a recipe. :) Sausage and Cabbage Skillet Recipe

I was in the mood for sausage and used 2 loops (2 x 13 oz. packages). There was no way I could do this in a skillet and used a large Dutch oven instead. Since it's a large pot, I ended up using the whole box of chicken broth (32 oz.) to cover everything.

I used a large cabbage and it didn't seem to cook down as much as I had hoped.

What I made is more like a soup, but it hit the spot and is good.
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Zeno
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Re: So what are you cooking

Post by Zeno »

Made sausage
Last edited by Zeno on Sun Aug 07, 2022 8:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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