Cook's Corner: A Recipe Sharing Thread.

[Brayon]

This thread is for Real Life Food Recipes. Post away! The idea was given to me by spool32's posting of recipes in the Politico Forum, and I noticed we didn't have one of these yet.

Pics are nice of dishes, if you have any.

To Start:

Slow Cooker Fruit, Nuts, and Spice Oatmeal
Ingredients
2 cups steel cut oats
2 cups diced apple
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 cups water
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons butter

Directions
1. Combine the oats, apple, cranberries, almonds, pecans, water, milk, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and butter in a slow cooker.
2. Cook on Low overnight or 8 hours.

Original Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooke ... etail.aspx

I have tried variants to it, added different In Season Fruit, and changed a few things. Good stuff.


((can we get someone to sticky this?))

[spool32]

From the politico thread...

By way of explanation, we're super broke 100% of the time now, so I shoot for a maximum of $5.00/serving with every meal I make. Most of them fall into the $2.50/person range, which is pretty reasonable, and kicks fast food prices right in the balls. One caveat - I've been cooking for a long time, so I have a lot of ingredients you may not. Initial investment to stock your kitchen with things like cayenne pepper and balsamic vinegar will be expensive, but they will last you forever. Example: I spent $25.00 on whole black peppercorns for my pepper mill. That might seem like a lot, but the box of peppercorns I bought lasted me almost 3 years of daily usage.

With that said, here's some of how we're eating in the 32 household:

Easy no-bean chili
1.5lbs extra lean ground beef: $5.50
1 large (not GIANT) can fire-roasted crushed tomatos: $2.25
1 small can tomato paste: $0.90
2 bunches green onions: $1.00
1 green bell pepper: $1.00
2 boxes chili seasoning: $3.00
1 block cheddar cheese: $2.50
1 white onion: $0.50
1 head garlic: $0.50
2 bags Fritos optional: $4.00
1 bag whole ancho chilies (optional): $3.00
----
Total: $16.15 ($23.15)

Put the crushed tomatoes and the paste into a large pot. Turn the heat on low. Add 1.5 cans of water. Cover and go play Avlis. Stir every 15 minutes or so for 2 hours. Clean and dice the bell pepper, throw it in. Skin half the garlic (8-10 cloves), smash it and hack it to bits, then throw it in. Stir every fifteen minutes for another hour. By now the tomatoes should be starting to disintegrate. If you're using the ancho chilies, split and de-seed three of them, leaving the stem on. Roast them over your gas burner, turning frequently, until the skin starts to blacken. If you don't have a gas burner, build a fire or buy some pre-roasted! Dice them very fine (discarding the stem!) and throw them in. Add three good shakes of cayenne pepper.

In a separate pan, brown the meat to taste (I use garlic and worcestershire sauce). When it's half done, add one of the packets of chili seasoning to the meat, and the other to the sauce. Chop the green onions - throw one whole bunch in, and the whites of the other. Save the greens from the second bunch for later.

Add the browned meat to the sauce. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste - you should be tasting this frequently, to guard against 'spaghetti sauce' flavor. Cayenne and worcestershire can add darker and more spicy flavor but be careful not to overdo. If it's too thick, add some water. Too thin, turn the heat to medium and cook uncovered until it has the consistency you like.

Dice half the white onion, and grate cheese. Just before preparing the plates, toss the greens from the second bunch into the sauce and stir once more.

Plating: Fritos on bottom, then chili, then onions, then cheese. Feeds 8-10, cost is maximum $2.89/serving.

Tuna Avocado Salad

1 can tuna: $1.25
1 large avocado: $1.50
2 bunch green onions: $1.00
1 Roma tomato: $2.00.
1 can La Choy chow mein noodles: $2.00
---------
Total: $7.75 for 2 servings, or $3.87/serving

Split the avocado in half. Seal the other half in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Peel the avocado half, and dice it. Dice tomato, rough chop both bunches of green onions. Throw it all into a bowl with the can of tuna. Total prep: 15min.

Serve over the chow mein noodles. Makes 2 servings... but you don't want to put the noodles in with the mix or they go soggy, and you'll have to dice the other avocado for the next one, or it goes brown.

Cucumber Salad
Box of cherry tomatos: $3.00
Package of baby cucumbers (4): $2.00
Red onion: $0.80
Romaine lettuce: $1.50 / head
Olive oil: $7.00
Pepper: $1.00
Salt: $0.20.
----------------
Total: $15.50

Slice a cucumber into small ovals. Split a handful of tomatos in half. Cut one ring-width of onion, then dice it. take 2 leaves of lettuce, wash, and tear them into bitesize pieces. 2tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Toss and eat. Makes 4 meals, plus:

Leftovers
90% of the olive oil
Most of the salt and pepper
Half the lettuce
Half the onion
1 serving of tomatos.

The next time you make this salad, it'll only cost you $5.00 for the same 4 meals. So, for $20.50 you have 8 excellent salads ($2.56/serving), and at the end of that you'll still have salt, pepper, and olive oil left. If you're feeling extra peckish, you can spring for a tilapia fillet ($4.00) or substitute a cup of brown rice ($0.90 for 8 servings, or $0.11 for one) for the lettuce.

[Belasco]

The Tuna Avocado thing is a recipe from my grandmother from the 50s, it calls for mayonnaise, but since I don't eat that EVER we don't add it to anything

[dhocott]

For the record, chili should never have beans in it so you should not have to state "no bean" in the title. This comment may be better served in Politico, sorry.

[spool32]

For the record, chili should never have beans in it so you should not have to state "no bean" in the title. This comment may be better served in Politico, sorry.

[Zandel]

by definition your right, but I like beans, otherwise its just a spicy sloppy Joe

[wolfwielder]

Depends on what region of the US you are in.

I would put my recipes up here but you fuckers are crazy if you think Im giving that stuff away. I will say this I have fed me myself and I on less than $20 a week in groceries and had 3 meals a day plus a snack. Its doable you just have to experiment and explore.

[Brayon]

I was once able to score the collected recipes of one of the chef's for Bush Gardens Tampa. Let me see if I can find it, because it had some good stuff in it. However, its for the catering and Crown Colony House, so one recipe could cover 2 people or 2000 people.

All recipes.com is one of my favorite sites I go to for recipes when I feel adventurous. Linky

Another recipe from me:

Easy Slow Cooker French Dip
Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 7 Hrs
Ready In: 7 Hrs 10 Min

Ingredients
4 pounds rump roast
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer {Personal choice is Guiness}
6 French rolls
2 tablespoons butter

Directions
1. Trim excess fat from the rump roast, and place in a slow cooker. Add the beef broth, onion soup and beer. Cook on Low setting for 7 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Split French rolls, and spread with butter. Bake 10 minutes, or until heated through.
4. Slice the meat on the diagonal, and place on the rolls. Serve the sauce for dipping.

Varient I do: replace rump roast with Stew Meat, and cook an extra hour. If using roast, slice before hand, and cooked slice for 7 hrs. Shread the meat when done.

Original source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Slow- ... etail.aspx

Yeah I like Slow cookers. Makes the house smell wonderful.

[Grunt]

With 2 people currently in the household, the grocery bill is usually 55-70 a week, and covers breakfast/dinner/snacks/beverages. I eat pretty basic stuff. 99% lean ground turkey burgers, boneless chicken breast, lean beef etc. I like the occasional big effort meal, but for the most part, if it tastes good and is simple, I'm a happy guy. Generally, just a meat/starch/veg is all I need.

Sunday's dinner, for example:

2 chicken breasts ~ 2/3lb total (1.99lb so 1.40ish)
2 cups Minute Rice brown rice (5.00)
1 Pkg Green Giant mixed vegetables (1.50)
4 oz Seven Seas Red Wine Vinaigrette dressing (1.00ish?)
fresh ground black pepper

Marinade the chicken breasts in the dressing from up to the afternoon before (you can do a quick one, but overnigth is always best). I usually seal it in a tupperware, and flip it over before leaving for work. The chicken is best done on an outdoor grill, getting that great grilled flavor to it. Grill on medium high for about 5 minutes per side. While the first side is going, I prep the vegetables up, and once we're on the 2nd side, I'll do the rice. The good thing is both the vegetables (pouch) and brown rice (ready serve cups) are done in the microwave in 6 minutes and 2 minutes so dinner is ready in about 10 or so. Dish out the brown rice into pasta dishes, mix in the vegetables, slice the grilled chicken into angular strips of ~1/2 inch thickness, and serve on top, with black pepper added to taste.
Total cost: ~3.95 per person. If you went the long way with the rice you could save a bit more, I suppose. The chicken breast was on sale as well. The marinade is pretty good for grilling, and doesn't have garlic in it like many other sauces (I can't eat garlic, part of the reason I eat simple, the other part being watching my caloric intake).

I'll back wolfie up on this too, you can save grocery money easily by buying good basic foods rather than paying extra for convenience (which I like doing for side dishes). One thing that I always looked for was a sale on pasta. A box of pasta can last a while. I drink water, by the gallon, rather than fruit juices and soda. Sure, I still buy the gallons, but 1 gallon at 89c is better than ~1/2 gallon at 1.59 for soda, or more for juices. 6 gallons a week = saving 13.74. I get my fruit juice the old fashioned way, from apples themselves anyway.

[Demue LeBlue]

I'll back wolfie up on this too, you can save grocery money easily by buying good basic foods rather than paying extra for convenience (which I like doing for side dishes). One thing that I always looked for was a sale on pasta. A box of pasta can last a while. I drink water, by the gallon, rather than fruit juices and soda. Sure, I still buy the gallons, but 1 gallon at 89c is better than ~1/2 gallon at 1.59 for soda, or more for juices. 6 gallons a week = saving 13.74. I get my fruit juice the old fashioned way, from apples themselves anyway.

Jambalaya with Shrimp and Ham

Ingredients:

 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
 1 Lg Onion, diced
 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
 2 Cloves Garlic, minced

● ½ Tsp Salt, more or less to taste
● ¼ Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper, more or less to taste
● 1 Tsp Paprika
● ½ Tsp Dried Oregano
● ½ Tsp Dried Thyme
● 1 Bay Leaf
● ¼ Tsp Cayenne Pepper
● 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
● 6 Oz Smoked Ham, diced
● 2 ½ Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
● 1 14 ½ oz can Tomatoes, diced

 1 Cup Long-Grain White Rice, Uncooked
 1 Lb Medium Shrimp, peeled and deveined
 Hot Pepper Sauce, to taste

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the onion, peppers and garlic. Saute until they begin to soften (appx 10 mins). Mix in all but the Rice, Shrimp and Hot Sauce. Bring to a boil, stir in Rice, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for about 20 – 30 minutes or until the rice is done and most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the Shrimp and cook covered for 5 minutes or more, until the Shrimp is cooked through. Season with Salt, and Pepper to taste. Serve with Hot Pepper Sauce.


Remember, Jambalaya is not Gumbo, there should be no liquid sloshing about, think an almost paste-like consistency.

EDIT: The best thing about Jambalaya is that you can substitute just about any meat type if you do not have the Ham or Shrimp. Add any other type of meat where you would add the ham, if you are using any type of shellfish, add it where you would the Shrimp, as it usually needs very little cooking time, if overcooked it becomes rubbery. Mussels or Clams should be added during the Shrimp phase. Caution: I have yet to try the Mussel or Clams, having heard it second hand, attempt at your own risk.

[K'Tomma]

For the record, chili should never have beans in it so you should not have to state "no bean" in the title. This comment may be better served in Politico, sorry.

Did you know that up here in Wisconsin ( I think the neighboring states too ... like that one that sends all the FIB's up here without driving skills and plays home to "Da Bears" ) think of chili as a soup ... complete with a soupy consistancy; beans (kidney) and elbow macarroni/noodles?

[Demue LeBlue]

For the record, chili should never have beans in it so you should not have to state "no bean" in the title. This comment may be better served in Politico, sorry.

Did you know that up here in Wisconsin ( I think the neighboring states too ... like that one that sends all the FIB's up here without driving skills and plays home to "Da Bears" ) think of chili as a soup ... complete with a soupy consistancy; beans (kidney) and elbow macarroni/noodles?

Records were found by Everrette DeGolyer (1886-1956), a Dallas millionaire and a lover of chili, indicating that the first chili mix was concocted around 1850 by Texan adventurers and cowboys as a staple for hard times when traveling to and in the California gold fields and around Texas. Needing hot grub, the trail cooks came up with a sort of stew. They pounded dried beef, fat, pepper, salt, and the chile peppers together into stackable rectangles which could be easily rehydrated with boiling water. This amounted to "brick chili" or "chili bricks" that could be boiled in pots along the trail. DeGolyer said that chili should be called "chili a la Americano" because the term chili is generic in Mexico and simply means a hot pepper. He believed that chili con carne began as the "pemmican of the Southwest."

"Chili concocted outside of Texas is usually a weak, apologetic imitation of the real thing. One of the first things I do when I get home to Texas is to have a bowl of red. There is simply nothing better."
Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the United States

If You Know Beans About Chili, You Know That Chili Has No Beans.

by Ken Finlay, singer, songwriter, and owner of Cheatham Street Warehouse (a music hall in San Marcos), written in 1976.

You burn some mesquite and when the coals get hot, you bunk up some meat and you throw it on a pot.

While some chile pods and garlic and comino and stuff, then you add a little salt till there's just enough.

You can throw in some onions to make it smell good.

You can even add tomatoes, if you feel like you should.

But if you know beans about chili, you know that chili has no beans

If you know beans about chili, you know it didn't come from Mexico.

Chili was God's gift to Texas (or maybe it came from down below).

And chili doesn't go with macaroni, and dammed Yankee's don't go with chili queens;
and if you know beans about chili, you know that chili has no beans

[Demue LeBlue]

Not sure how many fellow coffee lovers there are here, but I ran across this and am sorely tempted to try it.


http://coffeegeek.com/guides/popperroasting

[tizmo]

If there are any other LOVERS of Thai food, I use the recipes and videos on this site:
http://thaifoodtonight.com/thaifoodtonight/recipes.htm

The Chicken Green Curry and Beef Panang Curry I made using that site are better than any I've eaten at a restaurant.. and I'm picky with my restaurants.

Most ingredients are super cheap. Unfortunately, some Thai ingredients can be challenging to find.

Cheers,
Tizmo

[Demue LeBlue]

If there are any other LOVERS of Thai food, I use the recipes and videos on this site:
http://thaifoodtonight.com/thaifoodtonight/recipes.htm

The Chicken Green Curry and Beef Panang Curry I made using that site are better than any I've eaten at a restaurant.. and I'm picky with my restaurants.

Most ingredients are super cheap. Unfortunately, some Thai ingredients can be challenging to find.

Cheers,
Tizmo

Thanks alot Tiz...now I am all hungry and stuff... *goes on the prowl for foodstuffs*

[Brayon]

Not sure how my cousin got this, but:

Neiman-Marcus Cookies
Makes 112 cookies (I advise halving the recipe)


Ingredients
2c. butter
24oz. chocolate chips
4c. flour
2c. brown sugar
2tsp. baking soda
1tsp. salt
2c. sugar
1 8oz. Hershey bar (grated)
5c. blended oatmeal
4 eggs
2tsp. baking powder
2tsp. vanilla
3c. chopped nuts (your choice… I prefer walnuts)

Directions
1) Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder.
2) Cream the butter and both sugars.
3) Add eggs and vanilla.
4) Mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
5) Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar, and nuts.
6) Roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.
7) Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. (I reduced the temperature to 350 degrees and baked for 8 minutes.)

Enjoy!!!

[Demue LeBlue]

Jalapeño Corn Chowder

3 cups frozen whole-kernel corn or 3 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 6–7 ears of corn)
1 14 1/2-oz. can chicken broth
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
1 cup milk, half-and-half, or light cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced strips bottled roasted red pepper
1–2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

In a blender container or food processor bowl combine half of the corn and the chicken broth. Cover and blend or process until nearly smooth. In a large saucepan combine the broth mixture and the remaining corn. (If using fresh corn, bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, 2 to 3 minutes or until corn is crisp-tender.) Stir in cooked chicken, milk, roasted peppers, and jalapeño peppers; heat through. Top each serving with cheese and cilantro. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 315 cal., 9 g fat (4 g sat. fat), 81 mg chol., 681 mg sodium, 32 g carbo., 3 g fiber, 30 g pro.

TRY A NEW QUESO
Top this creamy Southwest-style chowder with crumbly cotija, a Mexican cow’s-milk cheese that’s similar to feta. It’s salty, tangy, and really yummy. Look for it at your local Mexican grocery.

[Brayon]

I'm looking for a good Apple pie recipe. Anyone have a good one?

[JollyOrc]

I'm looking for a good Apple pie recipe. Anyone have a good one?

my grandma used to make a wicked apple pie. Alas, I don't have the recipe at hand.

Instead, here's my Mango-Coconut-Curry, it's simple, tasty and surprisingly filling:


You need (2 servings):

• 2 bell peppers
  2 fresh mangos / one can if you can't get fresh ones
  half an ananas
  one cup basmati rice
  two handfuls of cashews (non-salted)
  one can of coconut milk (~300ml)
  curry powder (much easier than to add in the individual spices seperately)

Cut up the bell peppers, mangos and ananas into small bite sized chunks.

Put the rice into cooking water.

Roast two handful of slightly crushed cashews in a pan.

Add the coconut milk, bring it to a boil, then add the fruits and bell peppers.

Stir, let the coconut milk thicken a bit, add curry powder to taste.

By now, the rice should be cooked, get it out and form a small mound on a plate, then arrange the curry around it - you're done!


Apart from preparation (cutting and dicing, opening up cans, etc.), this is done in about 15 minutes. Works nicely with a Riesling.

[Alexandru Stanicu]

I don't have an apple pie recipe off hand, but I will share a apple pie trick with you:
If you want really crispy apples in your apple pie, use pears instead

My grandmother had a pear tree in her backyard and she used pears instead of apples in her pies.
You can't tell the difference in the taste of the pie, and if you don't know it has pears in it you won't be able to tell.

[Darkfire]

~Sappy Soup~

Late night soup without too much effort to cook. A great snack! I love potato soup. This was the 1st time I made it and here's what I used.


Ingredients:
Unpeeled Potato(es)
White onion
Green onion
Minced garlic
Cheese
Milk
Butter/Margarine
Flour
Salt
Garlic Salt
Rosemary
Parsley


Prep:
Cut up potato(es) into around 18 pieces or so, no need to cut into small chunks. Cut onions thin and about an inch or so long (size may very to preference). If using fresh garlic, mince some up, but dehydrated works just fine and is more suitable for a lazy recipe. Cut green onions into small rings for garnish. Bring water to a boil and then add the potatoes, onions, and minced garlic. Cook until potatoes are soft, then drain.

Add milk and butter/margarine, then begin to mash the potatoes up while bringing to a boil. Chunks are good! Add seasoning: salt, garlic salt, rosemary, and parsley. Be easy with the rosemary. Use flour while stirring to thicken the soup to your preference.

Add shredded cheese to the top and garnish with some green onions (don't go overboard though as they can overpower)

1 potato serves 1 person.

10-15 minutes total prep and cook time.




Tip: Do prep while water is boiling to save time. These are common ingredients that you can generally have stored around. If not, well maybe you should get them! The seasonings are good to have around and last a long time. (another tip, shake your seasoning containers that have closed tops violently before using them to mix them up and keep them from ever clumping if you don't go through them quickly.) You can cut out more work if you have pre-shredded cheese and dehydrated minced garlic.

[Brayon]

Inspired by the Pic I posted for Zar'roc.

Link: http://www.beckybakes.net/2011/01/20/or ... ip-cookies

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

recipe from the fantabulous Jenny of Picky Palate

2 sticks (1 cup) softened butter, unsalted
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
10 oz bag chocolate chips
1 pkg. Oreo cookies, double stuff suggested

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars together with a mixer until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined. Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of an Oreo Cookie. Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo cookie. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo cookie is enclosed with dough. Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Makes about 2 dozen VERY LARGE cookies.

[wolfwielder]

Pork Loin

Preheat Oven to 475F or 250C
1 Tbsp Olive Oil (you can add more if needed)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove (minced)
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Rosemary

Mix the olive oil and worcestershire sauce together first as they do not like each other and will seperate.
Add the spices to the olive oil worcestershire mixture and make a paste. (If you need more of something add it, remember you can always add cannot take away)
Take your pork loin and rub it down with the paste mixture. (You can do this a day ahead of time and stick it back in the fridge if you like or cook it straight away)
Place the spiced up pork loin into a roasting dish with a rack
Cook at 475F or 250C for 15 minutes
Then turn oven down to 275F or 135C and cook for 1 hour (This time may vary based on weight, oven, altitude etc.)
After an hour turn oven off and leave pork loin in the oven for 10-15 minutes before removing
Remove from oven and slice and serve

Leftovers make great sandwiches

[nihprodne]

the OMG WTF CROCK POT recipe

Crock Pot
+
One package of stew beef seared in a pan first
+
Half cup of rice
+
Thick Sliced Carrots
+
Potatos (diced to homefrie size)
+
Crushed Garlic
+
Old Bay Seasoning
+
Half can of Boddingtons
+
Water to just below top of ingredients
+
Time

Feeds one bachelor or an army of hobos, and it's foreal good!

[Cameron Klym]

Whats a ..."Boddington"?