How many of you guys here really, really enjoy cooking and planning meals?

[2LaneCruzer]

Missed dinner at the Elks last night; car club meeting, and being the President, I am sorta expected to attend. Cruised by the Elks and they had saved me a take-out...Corned Beef & Cabbage, Potato & Leak Soup; Irish Soda Bread. Sampled the Corned Beef last night and it is awesome...but it's what I expected from a cook named O'Riley! Maybe I can persuade him to give me the recipe...I know it wasn't from WalMart.

 

[tcreeley]

-Speaking of zucchini- I dehydrated most of ours and vacuum packed them. As we cook quiche, stew, cabbage stew, etc. we shred up the dried zucchini and toss it in. It does not alter the taste, but adds some "green/white matter -aka vegetable" to the mix! Besides- it gives me a reason to plant zucchini that grows so wonderfully! - I am still wondering about uses for the cucumbers that I dehydrated as well!

- the other day my wife stopped in front of the corned beef in the super market, thinking it would go with our cabbage in the freezer. Then we checked the sodium content on the label. Back it went into the case. Corned beef is delicious, but with my bp and her bone density concerns and salt intake - it wasn't worth it!

 

[DFB]

This is my favorite Zucchini EVER!

Costata-romanesco

Has such a distinct flavor and pan fry it or grill oven bake breaded slices just like breaded eggplant.

I especially like the ridges..looks cool when its cut!





I have tried a lot of different zucchini's...even grew a GMO one once

Had to sign and file a permit to get the seeds too

 

[tractorgp]

My wife and I share the cooking for the most part but when we have people over I do most of the cooking with the wife with me all the way as sous chef. Had some family over last night and wanted to try a couple of different ideas and also to recognize St. Patricks Day (early).
Here's what we had:
Moose stew with pastry made from Irish soda bread recipe
Corned beef and cabbage rolls... a new idea that everyone liked. Boiled corned beef in water with pickling spices, steamed cabbage leaves, cut corned beef in small pieces and wrapped in cabbage leaves (held together with toothpicks)- mustard dipping sauce
Cod au gratin but with salt cod fish. Soaked and boiled the cod fish and then used it in a more or less standard cod au gratin recipe (white sauce, onions, grated cheese)
Teriyaki skinless chicken strips (just fried strips of chicken breasts in olive oil with the teriyaki sauce added near the end of the frying)
Blueberry pudding
A reasonable supply Guinness draft

(Moose, salt cod, and blueberries are local favourites)

 

[DFB]

Corned beef and cabbage rolls... a new idea that everyone liked. Boiled corned beef in water with pickling spices, steamed cabbage leaves, cut corned beef in small pieces and wrapped in cabbage leaves (held together with toothpicks)- mustard dipping sauce

(Moose, salt cod, and blueberries are local favourites)

Wow what a novel idea...I like it.

And all the rest sounds pretty darn good too!

 

[DFB]

Wow this "Green" recipe just came my way.

Sounds pretty wild and has most all the favorites anyone could want!

Bacon
Sweet Potatoes
Garlic
Kale

Sweet Potato And Kale Colcannon Recipe - Food.com

 

[jrclark]

Just stumbled on this thread. When my wife and I decided to get married, we each took a primary role - she would clean and I would cook. As a result, cooking has become something that I truly enjoy.

Earlier today I made a sweet potato chili. Basically seasoned and roasted sweet potatoes, onions and garlic while making the base from black beans, salsa, veggie stock, cilantro and a spicy concoction. Threw it all together and topped it off with a whole smoked jalapeño and let it simmer down. The wife took half to her friends that just had a baby, we kept the other half for tomorrow's dinner. Chili is always better the next day, in my opinion.

For tonight, we had locally sourced, Szechuan flavored bacon to use as a key ingredient in an Asian-inspired dish. I prepped a sauce featuring soy sauce, powdered ginger, cayenne, dry mustard, brown sugar and a few other things I can't remember. Sautéed the mushroom medley with the sauce and topped the bacon and noodle dish with them. Turned out really well.

Anyone venture into Indian cuisine? I love to eat it, especially curried dishes, but have never really attempted to make anything authentic. I've stolen some spice techniques and used them in a few dishes, but that's about it.

 

[sodamo]

?... In my day, men didn't cook and the food was terrible...

Just curious as to when was your day???

I'm 68. My Dad cooked, but not that often, mostly grill.
His brother was a professional cook.
My wife's father was an Army mess sgt and I don't remember seeing many female army cooks until the 80's. He also cooked at home and according to my wife better than her Mom.
Both my grandmothers were awesome in the kitchen, my Mom cooked and baked and none was terrible.

My mother taught me to cook. Much like any other survival skill, she raised us to be able to take care of ourselves. No doubt in my mind that I out cook any of my three sisters.

Here at home I cook more than my wife, but she has some things I wouldn't begin to challenge, like her lasagna. She bakes more than I, but I will do bread from time to time and she never has.

We have a number of gatherings throughout the year, sometimes just a dinner for 8-12 of us, other times a potluck with anywhere from 40 to 100. I will do whatever "meat" and she will some sort of salad or potato salad, or maybe something in the crockpot like meatballs. The major holiday meals I usually do the majority.

Cooking is a major pleasure in life. I really do NOT like doing the dishes.

David Sent from my iPad Air using TractorByNet

 

[sodamo]

As a serious consumer of Franzia and Vella, I resemble that remark. A retiree's budget rarely allows for Asti and the related stuff. And didn't you mean "short"?

As are we Vintage box wine is all we proudly serve at our gatherings. Now we do have friends who make claims and they do bring bottles of various reds or whites, but I've never had to dispose of a box with anything left. Having lived in Germany 6 years and my best German friend a true wine buff who would take us on wine tasting tours that would result in bringing cases home we have consumed plenty of the really good stuff.

David Sent from my iPad Air using TractorByNet

 

[OldMcDonald]

McDonald you do know you can add to or edit a Wiki article. Share your own experiences and especially if there is something you see that may need correction.

Yes. I know a little about a great many agricultural and horticultural things, having had 5 farms of my own in 4 different countries (plus brought up on my father's smallholding) and always had a kitchen garden too; but I know a lot about very few things, so, whilst willing to express an opinion and offer suggestions, including writing a book, I am not prepared to TELL people what is right.

As an example - Zucchini. To me, and most other folks who call the fruit Courgette, Zucchini is a variety developed in Italy, and sold under that name in the UK. Some varieties are not suited to use when small, and grow to a large size. These are known as Marrows, or Vegetable Marrows, although they are a fruit. Easy to put that on here, but I would not put it on Wiki because it does not apply universally.

Perhaps I should have added to my previous post that we carved the swedes for Guy Fawkes' Night (5 Nov) not Hallow'een. Fawkes and fellow plotters had intended to blow up the Houses of Parliament, specifically the House of Lords, but he was discovered on 5 Nov 1605.

 

[DFB]

Another good type of summer squash tasty like the Italian "Zucchino" is that mid-eastern heritage Cousa (sometimes spelled Kusa)

A traditional recipe using the Cousa is hollowed and stuffed with meat and seasoned rice, tomatoes etc.


A similar if not the same is called Grey Squash


I've never had a Mexican Calabacita dish. But I will have to mention it to mi amigos at work and maybe they will bring me some this summer when the garden is ready

When I have an abundance of summer squash both the yellow and green usually and need to do something with it pronto, I often put up a big pot of fresh cut tomatoes, onions, both types of squash, maybe add a little garlic and diced green pepper and season (for me) with traditional itailan spices. After its cooked I can just freeze it...then nothing goes to waste.

I have never heard of Tatume squash before anyone grow it?

'Tatume': The Squash of Many Names | HortUpdate - June 2010 | Aggie Horticulture

 

[tcreeley]

Chickens also like zucchini. I cut them lengthwise in two pieces and the chickens do the rest. Great way to dispose of the ones that are past.

Last night I ran out of currants so I substituted dried cranberries in my no knead bread, along with the walnuts, ceylon cinnamon, demara sugar, flour and water. Later I will discover the outcome - but it should be ok. I am getting a new perspective on sweet/nut breads. I have always thought of banana bread as a cake gone wrong, so it is nice to do this with real bread!

 

[DFB]

Chickens also like zucchini. I cut them lengthwise in two pieces and the chickens do the rest. Great way to dispose of the ones that are past.

Ahh chicken with zucchini..another great recipe!

 

[sodamo]

Ahh chicken with zucchini..another great recipe!

Especially if both are grilled.
Drizzle some Olive oil on the zucchini, season with some garlic salt and pepper.
My favorite way to grill chicken is to split down the Breast, season and grill flat. I also like of the rotisserie which takes less minding if I turn at low temp, about 200°F until down then flash at high heat 5 minutes or so until crispy.

David Sent from my iPad Air using TractorByNet

 

[OldMcDonald]

As are we Vintage box wine is all we proudly serve at our gatherings.

Nothing wrong with that. To me, wine is now a necessary complement to food. I have had at least a bottle a day of table wine since 1979 when we moved to Australia and I discovered wine was almost free. Less than a bottle a week was our previous intake in the UK - purely because of price. Most of that wine has been Chateau Cardboard as I call the boxes. I do not recall seeing them before moving to Australia. I know they were invented there, by a Hungarian immigrant I think, but not certain. Despite bottled wine being very cheap here too, I still buy the boxes and that is what I will be drinking tonight with roast chicken breasts. I always follow with Port & cheeses and Moscatel & almonds.

I do buy bottles of table wine, and will maybe have two a week, but not at fancy prices. It all comes down to value for money as far as I am concerned. Price per bottle in boxes is about €1 to €2. Some of the lower priced ones are quite good most of the time, but not always. Almost always drinkable, but occasionally they end up being used in cooking - Coq au vin mostly. I look for wines to cellar if I buy bottles. I have an enormous one as part of the lower level of the split level house - a former olive mill. I try one before buying a quantity. My criteria is that I have to obtain more enjoyment if I pay more money. I would not pay €20 for a bottle of wine for myself. I might as a present for someone. There is a huge range of very good wine here at under €5 but I have paid a little more for something I think might be really good in 10 years or more.

 

[OldMcDonald]

I was sowing tomato seeds and my wife reminded me we have quite a quantity of tomatoes still in the freezer. We freeze them whole and usually heat them in one pan and fry bacon in another. Anyway, a recipe my wife developed to use a quantity, either fresh or frozen, is as follows:-

TOMATO SOUCE.

No, not a spelling mistake. This is a cross between sauce and soup and can be used as either. The result is a consistency very similar to a condensed soup as bought in tins. On a hot summer's day I like it chilled as is for lunch, but in winter it is best diluted slightly and heated up. Lots of bread, made into ham or cream cheese sandwiches if you like, and a hard cheese grated on top results in a very pleasant glow inside on a cold day. We also use it as an emergency pasta sauce, although prefer our version of tomato paste or sauce.

For each 7 pounds of tomatoes of any variety, you will need 2 pounds each of carrots and onions, 2 bulbs of garlic, say about 20 cloves; 3 heaped teaspoons each of dried Oregano and Basil and about 5 tablespoons of sugar. We like a dark brown, like Muscavado, and the amount needed does depend a wee bit on the acidity level of the tomatoes used. Extra sugar can be added later if necessary, and it sometimes is. If the consumers are meat eaters, then half a pound of bacon and a beef stock cube add that extra flavour.

Slice the carrots and onions into a big pan and sweat them as you go. Roughly chop the tomatoes and add them, as they are prepared. Raise the heat. Put the other ingredients in and remove from heat as soon as the carrots and onions are soft. If done in the above order this will only be a matter of minutes after you have finished the tomatoes. Bung the lot through a blender or some form of food processor, divide into whatever serving sizes you like bearing in mind the possible alternative uses, and freeze.

.......................

The above is an extract from my book, and that is the style I use in the recipe section. It is assumed the reader is already a reasonable cook and can follow the instructions without the need to go into detail.

 

[IslandTractor]

Has anyone here tried sous vide cooking yet? I haven't but am rather fascinated at the descriptions of its advantages, especially for cooking meats to get both perfect internal temp and nice sear (the sear is applied after the cooking). Sous vide is a technique used extensively in restaurants and in preparation of things like the ready to eat pot roasts at Costco etc. For those who have never heard of the method, it is essentially using in a precisely (and I do mean precisely) controlled water bath to cook food that is either sealed in vacuum bags or just put in ziplock bags. The major advantage is that you can control the "doneness" precisely. If you like your steak medium rare then you set the water bath to (I'm guessing) 132 degrees F and "cook" the steaks for at least 90 minutes (timing not critical if you want to leave it in longer as it will never go above 132 degrees). You then remove the steak and throw it on a very hot grill for just long enough to put the sear you like on the surface. Can also use a very hot saute pan or griddle. You can even use a butane torch to apply the sear if you like!

A traditionally grilled steak will have a seared outside with then a layer of well done then a layer of medium and finally (hopefully) a middle that is medium rare. A sous vide cooked steak will have a seared outside, virtually no well done or medium and almost the entire steak very uniformly cooked medium rare. And, once you find the exact temperature you prefer, you can reproduce that exact degree of doneness every single time. Virtually all the commercial photographs of juicy steaks these days have been cooked sous vide. Also, rather than nervously watching the grill while your steaks are cooking, you can prepare the sous vide portion of cooking hours in advance and leave just a very simple two or three minute sear task just before eating.

I have been reading about sous vide cooking and assumed it was expensive to get the equipment. Turns out that was true until a year or two ago when a couple of US companies started making highly accurate water heaters that can simply be clamped to the side of virtually any stock pot or even a beer cooler. These things are no less accurate than the fancy machines the restaurants use, they just cannot cook the volume of food simultaneously. Still, the home oriented heaters can easily cook half a dozen steaks at once and can also be used for fish, eggs, veggies etc. Poached eggs can be done so that the whites are done and the yolk is runny all while the egg is still in the shell so they come out perfectly.

I haven't jumped in the sous vide pond yet but I might soon. Will probably get one of the stick heaters from a Texas company called Anova for under $180-200. Anova Culinary | Sous Vide Immersion Circulators and Precision Cookers by Anova Here is a review of several different types: We Test the Anova, Sansaire, and Nomiku Sous-Vide Circulators | Serious Eats These things are really just repurposed laboratory water bath heaters so the technology is very mature and highly accurate down to a fraction of a degree. The darn things even talk to your iphone and can be controlled from the iphone!

 

[TomSeller]

Has anyone here tried sous vide cooking yet?

I have heard a little about it, but have never tried it. Isn't it sort of like a water oven? Then you finish off meats as you like.

 

[IslandTractor]

I have heard a little about it, but have never tried it. Isn't it sort of like a water oven? Then you finish off meats as you like.

Water bath= water oven yes.

 

[SPIKER]

Just got a homemade pizza into the regular oven,

Lots of variations but we always raise our dough & pre-bake it to a brown crust on top (only a few min on medium high 400F or so) pull it out when top browns. Add all the goodies, one thing is we usually add Parmesan Cheese to the crust top & use either Olive Oil or Bacon grease (from the fried bacon) to coat pan & hands when spreading. We dont store our dough overnight in fridge but letting it raise up is needed. The pan spreading and into hot oven lets it rise just enough to make it fluffy crust with crispness on outside. Shoving fork into it makes a crunch when done way we like it.

add 3 or 4 pounds of fixings on top to taste (most fixings are pre-cooked other than some veggies we like crispy like onions) then layer it all up. We top w two layers of cheese (different types) with layer of 40 second microwaved pepperoni in between or bacon that stays crispy too...

5 min and counting & it will be in my hands for eating...
one from a while back




Mark