Recipes

[HollywoodBob]

I love to cook, I used to cook every night, until I moved and now live alone(not much point in cooking nice meals every night when I've no one to share with :(). So I've been thinking about creating a thread with some nice recipes and meal menus for those that might like cooking as much as I do.

So my question is would anyone else like this, and if so how often would you like me to post? And I'll even include low cal, low carb, and some vegan menus if you'd like.

-HollywoodBob

[hesdead-dealwithit]

Oooh, great idea. My favorite recipe is this honey-almond cake I love to make. When made well - ohhhh, to die for.

Let me go find it.

[skorpionflicka]

cool..i like this thread :) (mmm..food)...i love to cook, too..but i only have time on sundays..i like to cook italian food...:)
anyways...it would be good to know some vegan recipes..:) and low cal..lol!

[moon shadow]

This is a terrific thread! I love to cook myself! Cooking is fun, especially since I live with a family of five. I don't have any terrifc recipes from the top of my head, but I promised to post them as soon as possible.

[Liselle]

excellent :tu: I like baking deserts a bit more than cooking....brownies, tiramaisu, apple pie, cheesecakes.....mmmmm

(I use the special ingrediant.....chocolate!)

[rotsiepots]

I love cooking. I often say that if I hadn't gone to university I probably would have become a chef. Don't let my aspirations fool you into thinking I'm actually any good at cooking, though -- I just enjoy it. I'm especially fond of baking pastries, cakes and biscuits, so I probably would have become a pastry chef (and become exceptionally fat in the process).

I've got some great recipes lying around. I just ate a new version of spaghetti bolognaise for dinner, so I'll go and fetch that later. No carrots in it, thank goodness. :D

[thinkpink38]

I like cooking as well, eventhough I don't really know anything of the top of my head, I just follow the leader, which is my mom. She's a great cook, yummy, she learned on her own. I do know some recipes for deserts, (I have to ask my mom what the exact recipe is, I don't want to pretend like I know what i'm doing and have you cook some unknown specimen) You've got to try the Baqlawa (it's to die for), or the Kanafa, delecious! These are foriegn deserts, specifically Lebanese pastrys.

[rotsiepots]

Is Baqlawa similar to Baklava, the Greek dessert? The spellings and pronunciation look rather similar, that's all. :)

[leenielou]

Mmm I love cooking. I tend to just make up my own things as I go along. My favourite at the minute is making my own sauces, I discovered a very nice cherry tomato and chilli sauce that goes really nicely with steak.

Never attempted pastry though....not its biggest fan :shrug: Curries etc are good to make though :)

[dumbleedore]

I love cooking- I cook a mean chicken dish- you have to try it to believe it :D

[Liselle]

mmm curry :)
I must poke out some of my recipes actually...and I'll post them

[Tane]

Cooking is something I do most times and one of my favorite recipes is Squidgy Chocolate Mousse Cake, though you would have to like chocolate orange to enjoy this one. I enjoy making recipes up as I go along, especially with savory cooking; its the test and taste method.

[leenielou]

I love cooking- I cook a mean chicken dish- you have to try it to believe it

What's in it? I can do a chicken in cheese sauce. It doesn't sound amazing, but it's got wine in and it's made with REALLY CHEESEY cheese and it's drool worthy :D

[EmilyRose]

I'm still hunting my good friend, who's this lovely older lady from Germany who fully believes that any time a guest comes there should be a six course meal. She has this amazing marsala recipe, which she did with a pork roast. I've always been a big chicken marsala fan, but this was just delicious.

Oh. I cook. It's probably the greatest stress reducer on earth.

[jasper]

so, is anyone posting recipes here? Or are they somewhere else. Hollywood Bob, is this the thread or just a thread about starting the thread eh?

Here's the only ecipe I can write off the top of my head.
Flourless Peanut Butter cookies:
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix up. roll into small balls. place on cookie sheet, then smash balls slightly with the back of a fork. bake at about 325 degrees (F) for, I don't know, 10 minutes-- watch and see how done they look.

if chocolate matters to you, press an unwrapped chocolate kiss onto each cookie after you take them out of the oven.


Now, this isn't the best cookie ever, but it might be the easiest recipe to remember ever.

[Nycade]

I love cooking- I cook a mean chicken dish- you have to try it to believe it :D

Post the recipe... I'll try it and believe it :elaugh:. And leenielou, I'd love to see yours, too.

[leenielou]

I never use weights, so I don't know them - add by instinct!

2 chicken breasts
Creme Fraiche
Chicken stock
Red Leicester cheese
White wine
Leeks
Onion
Little butter

Sautee the onions and leeks in butter. Add the chicken stock and wine once onions are transparent and then place the chicken breasts in the liquid, cooking them in the oven within the liquid until done.
When the chicken is done, melt the creme fraiche and cheese into a saucepan. Remove the chicken from the liquid it was cooked in, and add that liquid to the cheese and creme fraiche. You need enough cheese and creme fraiche to create a thick sauce, which you can then pour over the chicken breasts and serve with veg.

It's very, very nice :)

[dumbleedore]

What's in it? I can do a chicken in cheese sauce. It doesn't sound amazing, but it's got wine in and it's made with REALLY CHEESEY cheese and it's drool worthy :D
Jen's Secret Chicken Meal

Serves 4

4 X chicken breast
1 X tub of natural yogurt
Garlic granules
Lemon pepper seasoning
Cumin powder
1 X bag of plain chips

On a plate, mix together the yogurt, garlic, lemon pepper and cumin. Coat the chicken in the yogurt mix. Then, crush the chips onto a plate and coat the chicken in the chips. Cook in the oven, set to 200 degrees C, for around 40 minutes.

For the potatoes

Peel 5 meduim size potatoes and cut. Heat up a pan of oil in the oven. Place potatoes in oil and using a pastery brush, brush a mixture of melted butter, garlic granules and lemon pepper. Cook until golden brown.

For the carrots

Cook the carrots as normal. Once cooked, drain and place in a new dish. Pour about 3 tablespoons of honey on top and then sprinkle seaseme seeds on top. Stir through and serve.

And cook whatever other vegi's you want- it's the best dinner in the world.

If you want, serve the chicken on a bed of mashed sweet potatoe.

With the spices- just put a heap in. The flavours all combined are beautiful and it's never too strong mixed into the yogurt. Use less on the potatoes but.

[LadySummer]

HI! Heres a good, easy one thats great for parties!

2 links of kielbasa
1 lb. box of light brown sugar

cut the kielbasa in bite size pieces and put in a crock pot. dump the brown sugar over the meat. Cook on high until the sugar starts to melt. Stir the sugar and meat together and then cover and continue to cook on high for about an hour to an hour and a half. Stir again and serve still in the crock pot.

I thought this was a little weird at first when my mom gave me this recipe but its unbelievably tasty and unbelievably easy.

[Nycade]

Thanks, everyone! I have to get to the grocery store... I have so many recipes to try! They sound good... can't wait to partake and find out for real! Yummm... I'm a pasta person myself, but chicken's another favorite.

I'll let you know how my family likes it!

[dumbleedore]

2 links of kielbasa

Which is...

[Nycade]

According to dictionary.com, kielbasa is "A spicy smoked Polish sausage". With brown sugar... sounds good.

I wondered about that, too, Jen... :lol: I wonder where one buys kielbasa. I might like to try the recipe. Can you find it at any supermarket, LadySummer?

[dumbleedore]

It sounds a little exotic for me- but if I'm entertaining I'll try it :D

[Nycade]

Yeah, I agree... I love to cook, but it'd be fun to try. My brother loves meat, so I figure he'll probably go for it. And my mother'll eat anything. I think I'll try the chicken, first, though... seems less complicated and more to my taste.

[~oSiRiS~]

I am looking for a great spaghetti sauce recipe. Does anyone have one?
I have tried about every bottled one in the stores and I do not like any one them.

[HollywoodBob]

Holy Ressurrected Threads Batman!
I am looking for a great spaghetti sauce recipe. Does anyone have one?
I have tried about every bottled one in the stores and I do not like any one them.Red or White?

I have yet to find a red sauce recipe that I liked, usually I just get some Ragu, and doctor it up with some meat, mushrooms, and a touch of cornstarch (I hate watery sauce.)

As for white sauce.

1 cup cream cheese
1 cup milk
½ cup butter (for those 3 feel free to use non fat or low fat, they don't seem to affect taste much)
1 cup shredded paramessan reggiano (that's the stuff in a chunk, not an icky green can)
2 cups you favorite cooked seafood (I've used halibut, shrimp, crab, and scallops)
white pepper to taste
basil or oregano (if you like either, but best not to use both)

Combine cream cheese, milk and butter in a sauce pan over medium heat, stirring constanly. Once combined, keep stirring and bring to a simmer. Slowly add in shredded parmessan. Add seafood and seasonings and heat through. Quick, easy, and everyone thinks it was really hard for you to do. :)

-HollywoodBob

[mirandam]

I love to cook too. I will have to try some of these recipes. I love kielbasa and I will have to try that one. For those who asked you should be able to find kielbasa in the supermarkets. I can only think of 1 recipe off the top of my head. It is a greek dish, that has been passed down from my grandparents, but I don't know the greek name for it.

Lemon and Cinnamon Chicken with pasta and sauce
Depending on how much you want. I usually make a double recipe so here goes
8 skinned and deboned chicken breast (you can use whatever i prefer the breast)
fresh lemons
cinnamon
2 large cans of tomatoe juice
dried pasta

cover chicken with lemon and cinnamon-to your taste
brown in pan with butter
place chicken in tomatoe juice-bring to a boil and simmer until juice thickens. This does take some time-I will usually remove the chicken after about a hour and cook down the juice. Then add it back shortly before I serve. You can add more lemon and cinnamon to juice.
cook pasta

Serve as a pasta dish with the chicken on the side or cut up into the sauce. You have to like lemon and cinnamon to really enjoy this recipe, but your house will smell great all day when you try this one. A good bread will also go great with this.

[dumbleedore]

That sounds so yum!!! (says she eating KFC :lol:)

Next time we have people over I might cook that :D

Another great way to do chicken is to fry it like so:

Spread plain flour over a plate and mix in herbs and spices to taste. Cut the chicken into strips and coat in the flour and then fry in a layer of oil in a frypan. Serve on a bed of lettuce with a side salad.

Yummo.

[leenielou]

Mmmm Jen, your recipe sounds gorge! I'm really going to have to try that :)

I am looking for a great spaghetti sauce recipe. Does anyone have one?
I have tried about every bottled one in the stores and I do not like any one them.

I found a reasonably nice one.

Loads of cherry tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 large onion
Tbsp or so (however much you want really :D) of Worcester, Soy and Tomato Sauce.

Just mash the cherry tomatoes to a pulp, fry the onions with the garlic (chopped of course!), then add the tomatoes and sauces. I never know measurements, as stated previously, as I just make it up as I go, so try that :D It's very sweet and sour at the same time.

[Doggy]

You're all making me drool....

Personally, I love baking cakes and pies. When we have guests I often make the desserts, and I love the way all my parents friends compliment my mom on the cakes and then find out I was the one who made them... :)

[Honeydukes]

Here's a nice, easy biscuit recipe:

Ingredients
.250g plain/wholemeal/ brown flour
.100g butter/margarine
.100g caster/icing/brown sugar
.1 egg
+ About 100g of chocolate chips or raisins or cherries or whatever.

Method
.Preheat oven to 180 degrees or gas mark 4.
.Lightly grease two baking trays.
.Put the sugar and butter into a bowl and whisk until they're creamy.
.Whilst continuing to whisk add beaten egg, a little at a time.
.Pour flour and optional additions into the bowl whith the butter mix and fold in using a metal spoon.
.Roll into a dough and roll out over clean surface.
.Cut into shapes and bake for 12 - 15 minutes.

[EmilyRose]

I'm trying to decide which of my collection to post here. I collect recipes from everywhere, since I'm an army brat, so I've got a fairly ethnic collection. I'm rather partial to Korean food, but I'm not certain if it's an acquired taste.

Kielbasa is... easy to find. It's polish sausage. Peppridge Farm makes it... so do other major brands, and you can pick it up at many grocery stores. It's sausage. Good sausage, and tasty just as a snack if you have some crackers and cheese.

[Jean913]

I love to bake!!! I made apple cake last night. YUM YUM YUM!!! It is really easy to make and only takes 30 mins to bake,

[Magda Quadle]

Here's my recipe for frezer pork chops, all though it works well with boneless, skin less chicken breast as well. They are great for hurry up meals and for when the stores put meat on sale....

softened butter (1 table spoon for every 4 chops)
fresh garlic (2 small cloves, minced, for every table spoon of butter)
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
chops
egg
dried bread crumbs
oil

Combine garlic and butter. Beat egg in a dish, adding a tad of water to thin it out. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper, and rub with garlic butter. Dip chops in egg water and then into crumbs. Heat one table spoon of oil in a nonstick skillet. Fry chops for 5 minutes on each side, or just until browned. Remove from pan. (note: they aren't done so if you plan to eat them now, you'll have to cook them longer.) Cool completely on a bakers rack. When cooled wrap each chop in saran wrap and place in a freezer bag and freeze.

To eat chops remove from wrapings and cook in oven at 400 f on a broiler pan until they are nice and hot (10-15 min).

These are really yummy and moist and they taste like you just fried them. My family loves them.

Mags

[dumbleedore]

Mmmm Jen, your recipe sounds gorge! I'm really going to have to try that

I will give a warning but- the first few times you cook it you might find that you either can't taste it or you can taste too much of something- now that I've cooked it so much, I know just how much to put in the yogurt, but those first few times it's a bit iffy.

I've got to find the recipe first, but I have this recipe for killer cherry choc chip cookies- I want some right now actually :lol:

[thinkpink38]

Is Baqlawa similar to Baklava, the Greek dessert? The spellings and pronunciation look rather similar, that's all. :)

Yeah, they are similar. It probably is, I did'nt know it was Greek. Have you ever tasted it?

[~oSiRiS~]

Thanks for the recipes. I will try both.
I am a HUGH fan of pastas and Italian food. :drool:

[jasper]

I'm trying to think of another recipe I can type off the top of my head without having to look it up. This is for roasted garlic soup.

The basic recipe is to roast two heads of garlic (when it's cooled off you squeeze out the cloves, and then you peel one head of raw garlic to go with it. In your soup pot, you saute about 2 or 2 1/2 cups chopped onion with some thyme in butter until the onion is soft, toss in all the garlic and saute for a couple more minutes, then cover everything with chicken broth, or chicken broth and water, and simmer it 20 minutes or so. Then you blend it up.
That soup calls for cream stirred in at the end, but I've skipped that ingredient because last time I made it, it didn't seem that cream added additional creaminess. It was creamy already.

To eat it, grate some parmesan into your bowl, ladle in your soup and give it a squeeze of lemon juice on top.

[~oSiRiS~]

wow that sounds yummy.
I am going to run to the store tomorrow so I can try that.

[Jenni The Hurja]

Now that it's Vappu, I think it's time for me to provide you all with a couple traditional Vappu recipes. Though I have to say that I'll be very surprised if anyone of you will try them. These aren't my own recipes - as I'm too lazy to translate them - but taken from here http://www.scandinavica.com/culture/tradition/vappu.htm (there's some info on Vappu in there as well).

Recipe for Sima (24 servings)

Ingredients:
2 lemons
10 litres of water
500 grams brown sugar
500 grams white sugar
1/2 tea spoon of dry yeast
Two dozen raisins

Instructions:
1. Thinly shave the yellow peel from the lemons and place them aside.
2. Cut away the bitter white membranes and discard them. Slice the lemons into very thin pieces.
3. Place lemon peels, slices and sugars in a sufficiently large container.
3. Bring the water to the boil and pour it over the lemon peels, slices and the sugars. Stir and leave to stand covered for a while.
4. Add the yeast when the sugars have dissolved and the liquid is lukewarm. Stir in.
5. Allow to ferment, uncovered, at room temperature (25 'C) for 12 hours.
6. To Bottle:
- Put first 1 teaspoon of white sugar and 2/3 raisins each 1 litre clean bottle.
- Pour the Sima into the bottles, straining through a sieve to remove the lemon. Seal loosely as it needs room to ferment a bit longer.
- Let stand for a 2-5 of days. The Sima will be ready to drink when the raisins rise to the surface.
Serve it well chilled. You can also add hops for flavour, and use honey instead of sugar.

Recipe for Tippaleivät (May Day biscuits)

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanillin
2 dl milk
4 dl flour

Instructions:
1. Mix the eggs and sugar, but don't beat them.
2. Add the other ingredients and stir into a smooth batter.
3. Put the batter into a paper cone or a pastry bag fitted with a small-holed nozzle.
4. Squeeze the batter in a thin band into the hot vegetable oil. Use a spiral motion to form nest-like biscuits. Ideally, you would use a metal ring in the pot to keep the biscuits in shape.
5. Remove and drain the golden brown biscuits on paper towels.
7. Dust the cold biscuits with powdered sugar.


I'm fighting the urge to give you a recipe for mämmi :eyebrows: .

No mites on suomalaiset, oletteko tekin jo kietoutuneet serpenttiiniin?

[dumbleedore]

Alright- I'm cooking mothers day lunch next week- and I need something to cook. I welcome suggestions- something easy and that an 80 year old woman would eat. I need a dessert as well :D

[Magda Quadle]

Why not do something easy like little chicken or ham salad sandwiches, tossed salad and strawberry shortcake? All of these items are easy to cook and easy for an 80 year old grandmother to chew.

Ham Salad
1 1/2 cups finely chopped, fully cooked, ham
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 hardcooked eggs, chopped
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon prepared mayonaise

Mix all ingredients and serve over leaf lettuce, on sandwiches, or in a hollowed out tomato.

[Charmed]

Alright- I'm cooking mothers day lunch next week- and I need something to cook. I welcome suggestions- something easy and that an 80 year old woman would eat. I need a dessert as well :D

For a dessert you really can't go past Pavlova. With lashings of cream and fresh fruit. Or Pineapple Passionfruit Cheesecake-
125g scotch finger biscuits
1/2 cup condensed milk
2oz butter
910gm tin crushed pineapple
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 passionfruit
Filling
1 tablespoon gelatin
250gm Cream Cheese
1 1/2 cups cream
125gm Cottage cheese
1 Passionfruit extra

Base Crush biscuits, add cinnamon, mix well, add melted butter, mix well, press into a pan and refrigerate.
Filling Drain pineapple, reserve 1 cup syrup. Put syrup into saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over, stir on low heat until gelatin is dissolved. Refrigerate until almost set. Beat cream cheese, sieved cottage cheese, condensed milk until soft and creamy, gradually add thickened syrup. Fold in pineapple and passionfruit. Beat 1/2 cream fold into mixture and pour over base-refrigerate. Decorate with remainder of cream and passionfruit.

[mirandam]

I know someone was looking for a good red sauce for pasta. This is a basic recipe and you can add what you like. My husband is Italian and I do cook for a lot of Italians and they love it, so maybe it is okay.

for a single recipe
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves minced
1- 8 ounce can tom. sauce
1- 6 ounce can tom. paste
1- 8 ounce can tom. cut up
2 tspn dried basil
1 tspn dried oregano
you can add 12 ounces of meat to this if you want a meat sauce.
I just start with this and add to my taste of course I usually make 4 times this, but it is simple enough to start and then add what you like
Also, I do have to say the better the ingredient, the better the sauce.

you brown meat and add in onion and garlic
add in tom paste, sauce, and tomatoes
add in basil and oregano and salt and pepper to taste

I usually make this without the meat and make meatballs and add sliced up italian sausage to the sauce. Just alter it to what taste you like the most.

Little hint-when you double or triple the recipe you don't always have to double or triple the spices. example- If double try 3 tspn of basil first

[dumbleedore]

Mmm... all sounds good- however the salad isn't really appropriate at this time of year (it's about minus 200 outside right now), my grandma wouldn't eat the pavlova unless she made it and I was looking at a chicken dish or maybe chops...

And I have 7 days in which to think of something :lol:

[leenielou]

Maybe do something with fish - a nice fish pie is always great :) If you just find some nice fish, you can make a milky parsley sauce to cook it in, then cover the top with seasoned mashed potato and top with cheese. You can even add some sliced boiled egg to the pie if you want, it's yummy.

[dumbleedore]

I would- but I don't much like fish :lol:

I'm gonna run your chicken dish past the head chef but Lou- I reckon it sounds delish :D

Edit: Mum just said it sounds nice- we both just have 1 question- what exactly is creme fraiche and would we be able to get it in Australia? :p

[leenielou]

Creme fraiche is a sort of creme - it's really, really thick, almost solid. They should sell it in Aus, alongside cream products. If not, just used super dooper thick cream instead :D

[dumbleedore]

Hmm... me thinks I will need a trip to the supermarket to research... should go now in my PJ's :rotfl:

And the Red Leicester cheese- I don't know if I could get that either- would Cheeder or Tasty suffice?

[leenielou]

It's got to have a really specific taste really....dead cheesey, but not sharp, creamy, so....I don't know much about cheeses :lol: Try and find the orangiest cheese you can! The only risk is if you get cheese that is too mature it might be a little bitter and nasty.

I'm so chuffed your using my recipe! :D:D

[dumbleedore]

A smoked cheese? I know this really nice one 'Applebox Smoked'. It's really cheesy and yum

[leenielou]

That should be nice, loads of flavour :D

[dumbleedore]

Awesome- if there's one thing my family likes, it's flavour :D

I'm thinking of adding lemon pepper to the cheese sauce too, just for that extra 'zing'. I add it to everything- including tacos and stroganoff :lol:.

[Liselle]

cheese cake anyone?

I have a chocolate marbelled cheese cake recipe that is (if I say so myself fairly yum!)

top
3 packets of plain philadelphia
2 eggs
Cream (ordinary pouring cream, about 150/200mls)
Sugar
large bar of chocolate

base
biscuits (I have used various varieties and it really comes down to preference, chocolate chip are good as are bourbons...what ever you like really)
Butter
Pinch of Cinnamon (honsetly it makes it!)
~if you're using a sweet-ish biscuit you don't need sugar for the base but if you're using digestives then a little bit is good to sweeten it up!

method(base)
Crush the biscuits, add melted butter and Cinnamon. Press into base of tin. Make a thick or thin as you want....

method(top)
Cream the philadelphia in a bowl until well creamy :lol:
add sugar (as much as you need to sweeten it)
beat the eggs
add eggs and cream to the philadephia and sugar mixture. Again blend until creamy and smooth. Take about a cup full of the mixture and hold it aside. Pour remaining mixture over the base.

Melt chocolate and allow to cool (not fully though) and mix with the cup full of mixture which was held back. Now for the really fun part! pour the cup of chocolate mix onto the cheesecake and swirl it around with a sharp knife or spoon etc.

Bake in a moderate oven for about 40 mins (or until baked, may need 10 mins either way)and allow to cool.

Eat! Seriously yummie and I've received many many compliments on it, word or warning though its heavy but you won't mind though :)

[dumbleedore]

:drool: that sounds delish Liselle :D

[leenielou]

:drool:

[dumbleedore]

Great minds think alike Lou :lol:

I'm trying out the chicken tomorrow night, just to see if I can cook it and whether the cheese I'm thinking of tastes any good. I will let you know ASAP how it turns out :D

[Liselle]

Thanks!

Question, does anyone have a nice recipe for peppercorn sauce like you'd have with steak?

[leenielou]

I'm trying out the chicken tomorrow night, just to see if I can cook it and whether the cheese I'm thinking of tastes any good. I will let you know ASAP how it turns out

Yay! :D If the cheese tastes as good as it sounds, it'll be gorge :D

As for the peppercorn sauce, I've no idea, sorry :)

[dumbleedore]

It's called buy it in a packet from the supermarket :lol:

I do have one- I'll go get all my recipe stuff now :D

Edit: Ok, I found the one :D great flavours in this one.

Sliced Pepper Steak

Serves 4

Thin cut steak strips
3 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small green capsicum cut into strips
1 red capsicum
1 yellow capsicum
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped spring onions

For the marinade:

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon finely ground pepper

To prepare the marinade,c ombine the soy sauce, sherry, garlic, ginger and pepper in a bowl. Set aside 1/4 cup of the mixture. Add steak and refrigerate for 10 min. Drain the beef and discard the marinade from the dish. In a large oiled pan cook beef for 3-4 minutes and transfer onto a plate. Add capsicums, celery and spring onion into the pan and cook for about 4 mins. Stir in the last of the marinade and then return beef to pan for approx 1 minute and then serve.

[Liselle]

:drool: sounds taste-tastic

[dumbleedore]

There's another one in the 'box' where we keep our recipes- a sirlion steak one, but it's actually a roast. And doesn't sound terribly nice.

Another steak dish thats nice is 'Baked Steak'. Get steak that has a huge chunk of fat down the side and place in a baking dish lined with foil. Sprinkle a packet of french onion soup over the top and bake for 40 mins in a 200 degree C oven. The steak is tender and the soup gives it a great flavour. Serve with vegies.

[jasper]

Edit: Mum just said it sounds nice- we both just have 1 question- what exactly is creme fraiche and would we be able to get it in Australia? :p


you can make it yourself if it's not in your stores. you use buttermilk. surely that isn't too exotic for Aus? You leave the buttermilk out over night and it turns into creme fraiche. I don
't think you have to add anything to it. . . it's something with the live culture in the buttermilk.


Someone will correct me on this if I'm completely wrong, I guess. :p


edit: okay,
i just looked this up and it's a little more clear here--


In a nonreactive container (glass or stainless), stir together 3 parts heavy cream and 1 part plain yogurt or buttermilk. For a half-pint container of cream, that means a couple of good spoonfulls of yogurt.
Mix well, cover, and put someplace warm. If you have an old gas stove with standing pilot lights, set the container on it over the pilots. Otherwise, the top of the refrigerator or anyplace where it will stay warm is okay.

Let it sit overnight or at least 12 hours. When it looks thick, put it in the refrigerator; it will keep for at least a week or two.

[dumbleedore]

I'm gonna try it tonight with regular cream and see how it goes.

Liselle- I just ran your cheesecake past the head chef and we're going to cook that next weekend as well :D

[jasper]

how was it?

[Elena_Berezhnaya]

you know those good girlscout cookies... well I have the recipe and am willing to share it. Just send me a PM and I'll give it to you.

[Liselle]

Liselle- I just ran your cheesecake past the head chef and we're going to cook that next weekend as well :D


Excellent!!! :tu: make sure the chocolate isn't piping hot when you mix it though....Let me know how it goes!

[dumbleedore]

I sure will- I tried out Lou's chicken- :drool:. I'm still drooling- it was so yum... can't wait to cook it again :D

[Liselle]

Flapjacks

Oats
Butter
Golden Syrup (you could use maple syrup or treacle but the taste is not the same as they're both much stronger than golden syrup....honey is another alternative)
sugar
Rice krispies
raisins, dried fruit, chocolate pieces, marshmallows etc if desired

Method
Melt the butter, sugar, golden syrup, oats and krispies. I don't give measurements for this as it depends on how many you want to make and how sweet etc you like them. The mix at this point shouldn't be too buttery as there should be enough dry ingredients to absorb it.

Mix in any additions chosen to the mixture.

Mix well

Press into greased /lined tin or glass tray

Bake in moderate oven until golden brown (about 20 mins or so)

Allow to cool so they turn crispy

Yummie :)

[dumbleedore]

Liselle: if they are as nice as your cheesecake then we're in flavour country :D

Yes- I cooked the cheesecake yesterday. :drool:. I could eat an entire one myself.

I just forgot to do one thing... *cough* I forgot to swirl it... it was plain cheesecake with a choc top... *cough*

[Liselle]

I'm so glad it worked :)

It doesn't matter if you swirl it or not, it could be a two-tone cheese cake!

[dumbleedore]

My mum helped me make it- she was just a little thrown by the fact you have to bake it- but I said, and confused her a bit, just to trust Liselle, she knows what she's doing :p

[Liselle]

:rotfl: Its a good idea with the eggs to bake it! I'm delighted it worked! I was a bit worried that it wouldn't :)

[dumbleedore]

You were worried! I was panicking! The only problem was creaming the cheese- it wouldn't cream too well, it kept clogging up the beaters... every 2 secs I had to spoon it off...

[Liselle]

yeah its a little thick actually....there's no real easy way of doing it either which is a bit of a pain......work off the cheesecake calories before you eat it by creaming the cheese by hand :lol:

[dumbleedore]

*tries to imagine herself creaming the cheese by hand*

My mother almost washed my mouth out trying to do it with electricity- I think she'd murder me :p

One of the boys at work had a good point- I took it in for taste tests today. He wanted to know why I had to cream the cream cheese :p

[Liselle]

soften it?? I mean *ahem* break up the cheese to allow the flavour of the chocolate and cream to permiate it to the fullest extent

[dumbleedore]

But it just sounds funny- creaming something that's already creamed :lol:.

[Liselle]

ah but its all in good cause :lol:

[jasper]

I just had the best Thai salad at a retaurant and I want to know how to make that dressing! It's a salad that has strips of beef, tomatoes and cucumbers and onions with lettuce or lettuce and chinese cabage.

All I know for sure about the dressing is it has lime. It's spicy, hot, and sour.

Anyone know how to make it?

[leenielou]

Possibly is lime zest, ginger and pressed chilli juice with a bit of garlic. Thai...*thinks* Don't know much about Thai, but I might have some ancient spices somewhere *goes off to look*

I had to do some Thai dishes once for my food practicals, so unless my mother has thrown them away I could fit some of them in as well :)

[Barbara Kennedy]

It is a lot easier to cream your creamed cheese if you let it warm a bit to soften. (Or zap it in the microwave for a few seconds - about 15 to 20 will do.)

[Queen of Wise]

By any chance does anyone know how to make a mexican tortilla dip? I need to make something mexican for extra credit in my spanish class, and I figure a dip would be the most simple thing to make, but every recipe i have found online has alot of strange ingredients in it! :)

[leenielou]

The easiest to make would be salsa :D Chopped chillies, onions, garlic and perhaps some peppercorns, cooked a little until soft-ish, and then mixed in with some mashed tomatoes tomato puree. Add a little water, and perhaps a little flour if it's too thin.

[Barbara Kennedy]

Do you want a cheesy dip, a beany dip a creamy dip, hot, cold, mild, spicy?
There are a lot of mexican-style dips, from guacamole to 7-layer dip.

A simple pico de gallo (spelling?) consists of seeded tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and cilantro all diced and mixed together.

EDIT: jasper's recipe (next post) reminded me I forgot to add lime juice.

[jasper]

Make Pico!
Pico De Gallo would be really easy and you can get points for translating the name! chop up onions, tomatoes, jalapenos and toss it all together with lime juice and some chopped cilantro. chill for an hour or so.

If cilantro is a weird ingredient just use some parsley.

[PrtVeela]

hrmmm my favourite desert in the world... okay or at least one that I can make that is edible is this:

take one quart lemon sherbert
one quart rasberry sherbert
honey grahmcinnamon pie crust (buy it in the store unless you're the martha steuart type)
white chocolate
fresh rasberry's

let the sherbert de-thaw a little bit so it is easier to move around in the pie crust, put the rasberry on the bottom, then put that in the freezer to harden up a bit, then put the lemon on top, array the rasberry's in any way you like. Let that set up in the freezer for a bit

break up some white chocolate and place it in a bowl, if you want to get all technical I suppose you could use a double boiler, I much prefer the microwave

place the white choclate in the microwave until it is melted, don't boil it though

take your rasberry sherberty pie out of the freezer and drizzle white chocolate on top. The best way to do that is to take a fork and dip it into the white chocloate. (I tried to pour it on once. . .that failed horribly)

Any way its super simple (despite the semi-long directions) and really good, not to mention it looks like you spent a lot of time on it. mwahahahahaha.

[Queen of Wise]

Thanks for the ideas everyone, but ive found a recipe thanks to HollywoodBob:)

[lilbittv]

Holy Ressurrected Threads Batman!
Red or White?

I have yet to find a red sauce recipe that I liked, usually I just get some Ragu, and doctor it up with some meat, mushrooms, and a touch of cornstarch (I hate watery sauce.)
-HollywoodBob


Hey HB, you may want to try adding some tomato paste to that sauce instead of the corn starch, but you have to be sure it its tomato paste and not tomato sauce or purree, that will thicken it up nicely, you can also use a bit of parmesan cheese.

[jasper]

Who's cooking for Thanksgiving?

I'm going to try making pie crusts-- so I need advice.

[lilbittv]

What kind of pies are you making? There are lots of pie crust options, graham craker crust, oreo cookie crust, vanilla wafer crust, and the more traditional type.

The vanilla wafer crust is good for a no-bake pie. I put pudding in mine with Cool Whip topping and some strawberry or banana slices on top (add the fruit just before slicing), it really depends what flavor pudding I use. Vanilla or banana pudding go well with the strawberries, and both chocolate and vanilla go well with bananas. I have been wanting to try butterscotch pudding and a little chocolate sauce instead of fruit, but haven't gotten around to it. Hope this helps!

Vanilla Wafer Pie Crust[B]
NILLA Wafers, finely crushed
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
2 Tbsp. sugar

MIX all ingredients in a bowl until blended.
PRESS mixture into pie plate.

[Liselle]

What kind of pie are you doing??

*I'm glad to see this thread brought back from the dead!*

[Uterope]

I'm very excited because i just decided on a christmas menu.
I really feel like doing something different this year and since it's nice and warm in CPT I decided on a theme: a pineapple x-mas. Basically i'm going to use pineapple in at least one dish per course and I'm making a 5 course meal.

I think my favourite is going to be the starter pancakes filled with ham, cheese and pineapple, decorated with cream, celery and flowers made out of carrots. I always outdo myself so by the time I get to sit down and eat I'm too tired to enjoy the food.

[jasper]

I'm making a savory tart thing for an appetizer and I'm making an apple pie. I am going to make the roll-it-out kind of crusts, which I've always failed at. Mine come out tough.

[Uterope]

I'm making a savory tart thing for an appetizer and I'm making an apple pie. I am going to make the roll-it-out kind of crusts, which I've always failed at. Mine come out tough.

add more butter. there's also a nice soda water recipe which makes a wonderful crust specially for savouries!

[dumbleedore]

You gotta love threads being bought back from the dead :D

I'm looking at doing a special dinner for my dad for his birthday and want something new to cook... suggestions??? Something light and summery cause his birthday is the 4th of Dec and it's usually a scourcher of a day...

[Liselle]

I'm making a savory tart thing for an appetizer and I'm making an apple pie. I am going to make the roll-it-out kind of crusts, which I've always failed at. Mine come out tough.

I'm never good at pasteries either, give me dough or cakes anyday! I think that the trick with pasteries is not to handle them too much!

Savoury pastry/ raised pie crust pastry

half pound of flour
3 oz butter/marg
quarter pint of water
pinch salt/pepper

Sieve flour and salt together in a bowl
Bring butter and water slowly to the boil
Make a well in the flour and salt and add liquid
Make a stiff paste
Knead on lightly floured surface
Roll

or Rough puff pastry
5 oz flour
3 oz butter/marg
1 teaspoon lemon juice
cold water
pinch salt

Sieve flour and salt into a bowl. Put in butter cut into small pieces. Mix well/rub together (until it looks like breakcrumbs.....I find mashing it toghether with a fork helpful).
Mix to a paste with cold water and lemon juice (be careful not to add too much liquid!)
Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead.
Roll with rolling pin.


A good tip for sweet pastry is the addition of icing sugar to the mix, it gives a nice taste and texture. Also if you're making a deep dish pie make sure that the pastry is blind baked for enough time!

[Uterope]

I find chicken or fish best on warm days.

a variety of salads will complement most meat dishes. let you imagination run wild.

maybe try to make a fruitbowl out of a watermellon for dessert, it looks beautiful and tastes great. Cut the watermelon in half. One half scoop the "meat" out and roll into small balls stick them in the basket with toothpicks. the other half you use to make the basket's handle and more balls. To add some colour try making melon balls as well.

make it too beautiful to eat.

[Liselle]

You gotta love threads being bought back from the dead :D

I'm looking at doing a special dinner for my dad for his birthday and want something new to cook... suggestions??? Something light and summery cause his birthday is the 4th of Dec and it's usually a scourcher of a day...

:lol:
I know its a long time since we swapped things in this thread! I'm not sure what you could make for hot days (lets face it we don't get too many of them here), you could try a light soup or sea food as Uterope suggested. Or savoury pancakes stuffed with something tasty.....

[Uterope]

I love being in the kitchen so here's another idea for 4 Dec (I'll be making this for dinner tonight.)

Ribs - secret to perfect ribs is to boil them until they're soft then marinade them and braai or grill them.

Skewers with garlic potatoes wrapped in Bacon, pati-pans, musrooms and any other veggies you like.

eggplant stuffed with cheese, garlic, peppers, parsley with tomato slices on top

coalslaw with raisons in (doesn't compliment all the other food but my daughter loves this)

[jasper]

Boiling water in the pastry dough? I thought it was supposed to be ice water. *confused*

It should be cold when it goes in the oven, right?

[lilbittv]

Cold water for pie crust............yes that's right and I believe it was .............
Boil Ribs in water before grilling..........

I like to use a dry rub on ribs, then I wrap them in foil and put right on the BBQ grill for about 45 minutes, after that remove the foil and pour the juices right on top of the ribs and grill on both sides till brown, you can add your favorite BBQ sauce during the last few minutes of grilling, or enjoy them without. This way I don't have to wash a big pot, and the meat really picks up the flavor of your seasonings.

Dry Rub
salt
black pepper
brown sugar
garlic powder
onion powder
cayenne pepper
oregano
bay leaves
cumin

Mix all ingredients
slice a little less than half way between each rib (that makes it easier to pull them apart when it is time to eat)
Rub mixture onto ribs on both sides
Wrap in foil and put in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight
Place on hot BBQ grill for about 45 minutes, after that remove the foil and pour the juices right on top of the ribs and grill on both sides till brown, you can add your favorite BBQ sauce during the last few minutes of grilling, or enjoy them without.

The dry rub can be made and kept in a sugar shaker if you BBQ often enough.

:drool: Now I am hungry, gotta go.

[jasper]

Possibly this is just dumb. . . .
Roasting a turkey?

It's easy with the Help Desk Open Source Pan Roasting Method!

1. When cooking in your own domain. Don’t be afraid to be a little sasi!
2. Power on oven. Upgrade to 325 megahertz. (If Plug and Play compatible, ok to upgrade to 350
megahertz)
3. If oven does not have Windows, Apples will be necessary
4. Place turkey on desktop. If turkey not compatible, substitute spam.
5. Remove giblets from Unix shell
6. Seat turkey on a server rack in a shallow pan software side up
7. Rub skin with oil to prevent from becoming electrostatically charged
8. RAM meat thermometer into the lower part of the thigh.
9. If the turkey bios is upgraded with stuffing, align thermometer to center of stuffing for stuffing
temperature
10. Place turkey in the Super Upgraded Version 325 megahertz oven. (Cooking times may vary according to processor speed)
11. When the turkey is about 66 megahertz done, loosely cover with aluminum case to prevent overheating of the CPU. (Attach an internal fan if necessary)
12. Heat until 180°F as an anti-virus measure
13. Juices should be clear when thigh muscle is pierced. Reddish pink indicates that the virus has not been thoroughly destroyed.
14. Before carving, let turkey stand 15 minutes to allow desktop to be rebuilt and stuffing temperature to rise to 165°F. (Spray with Canned Air if necessary)
15. Serve on Motherboard
16. Serves up to 10 Clients.

Good to the last BYTE!!
Okay, sorry!

you can add your favorite BBQ sauce during the last few minutes of grilling, or enjoy them without.

I say don't add the sauce on the grill. It'll just burn/ blacken. Serve it on the side.

[dumbleedore]

Cooking a turkey is easy... it's a handy thing called 'mum' and it cooks the turkey automatically on December 24!!!

I'm thinking of doing kebabs on the bbq with salad and mum's tomato salsa that mum and dad love- might make it a potato salad cause it's yummy. Then cook Liselle's delicious cheesecake for dessert :D

[Wep]

My favourite thing to cook for others is a warm lamb salad....impresses people every time :D

[Liselle]

Cooking a turkey is easy... it's a handy thing called 'mum' and it cooks the turkey automatically on December 24!!!

I'm thinking of doing kebabs on the bbq with salad and mum's tomato salsa that mum and dad love- might make it a potato salad cause it's yummy. Then cook Liselle's delicious cheesecake for dessert :D

Kebabs on the bbq would be nice, and you can tailor them to whatever your dad likes best. I'm craving potato salad right about now :drool:

Yup I highly recommend my cheese cake!

[askani]

Mudpie Cookies. YUM.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup coconut
1 tsp vanilla

Add butter to a saucepan and melt. Then add the sugar, cocoa and milk.
Bring to a boil stirring all of the time to prevent burning. Add rolled
oats, vanilla and coconut. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and drop the
cookies by the spoonfull onto the sheet. Refrigerate.

[lilbittv]

Sorry I don't have exact measurements, but I thought I'd like to share this since I ate at Baja Fresh today and it reminded me how badly most restaurants make Spanish Rice.

My Spanish Rice Recipe

uncooked long grain rice (white)
a little vegetable oil
diced onions
1 clove of garlic peeled only
water
tomato paste
salt

Brown the rice in a hot pan with oil over medium heat, be sure to keep stiriing as it cooks or it will burn. When the rice is a golden brown add diced onions and garlic, sautee until the onions turn transparent, be sure to keep stiriing as it cooks or it will burn. Carefully add enough water to fill the pan, add about a little salt, and about a tablespoon or two of tomato paste and mix around so that the tomato past dissolves, it will turn the water kind of orange. Lower heat and cover, simmer until rice is soft and water has evaporated (about 15 minutes). Taste before serving, if there is not enough salt add a little more, and remove garlic clove before serving. You can add a couple of sliced jalapenos from the can when simmiering for a different flavor if you'd like.

Well I hope that anyone who tries it likes it.

[Uterope]

I always add red and green peppers to my spanish rice for some colour.

[lilbittv]

Does anyone have a good eggnog recipe? I have been using the TGI Fridays Eggnog (contains alcohol), but I can't find any in the stores this year, so I thought I would try to make some this year.

[EmilyRose]

Amazing Pumpkin pie--I know you may raise your eyebrows at the very thin chocolate layer, but it goes surprisingly well, and creates a very smooth flavor. If you have a better crust recipe, use it. This one is fairly standard.

This becomes easier the second time you make it, once you've gotten the hang of it. But it was amazing even the first time--it was a keeper recipe from Thanksgiving, and now it's requested every holiday. Thought I might share it for those of you planning deserts on Christmas.

Crust

1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ stick (4 tablespoons) cold, unsalted butter
2/3 cup Crisco
2 2/3 cups (11 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

Place all ingredients except water in a mixer with a dough hook. Blend until coarse and lumpy. With machine running, slowly add water until dough holds together (you may not need all the water). Form dough into a ball, flatten into a disk about 5 inches in diameter, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour to firm up.



Pumpkin Filling
¾ cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch ground ginger
1 can (appx 15 ounces) or 2 cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin-pie filling)
2 large eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
1/8 teaspoon vanilla

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and spices. Wisk in pumpkin and eggs, one at a time. Stir in evaporated milk and vanilla. NOTE: Spice to taste, feel free to add more of the spices as desired.

Black Bottom Filling
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
8 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped to size of chocolate chips

In a saucepan over high heat, bring cream and ginger to a boil. Immediately remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes. Put chocolate in a mixing bowl. Bring cream and ginger to a boil again, and strain cream into bowl of chocolate (discard ginger). Stir mixture until smooth.

Five-Spice Pecans
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
¾ cup pecan halves

Bring a cup of water to a boil. Measure out 2 tablespoons into a bowl, dissolve sugar in it, then whisk in five-spice powder. Toss pecans with mixture and pit in a sieve to drain.


To Assemble:

Place a cookie sheet in the over and preheat over to 350 degrees. Roll out crust, place in a 9-inch metal pie pan, and pour in black-bottom filling. Freeze for 10 minutes to firm up, then fill the remainder of the pie shell with pumpkin mixture. Decorate by arranging 2 concentric circles of spiced pecan halves around the edge of the pie. Bake on the preheated cookie sheet until crust is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cool before serving (recommended 2 hours).