Chefs and Fellow Cooks

[theroes]

So im deff new here and idk if posting a new thread is allowed.... if it isnt please dont be to harsh on me considering i dont know the rules and i should =/ but if you like to cook for hobby and for a job post here since this is one of the things im good at =)

[Squidbot]

Yes, posting new threads is allowed. Here's a tip, though not a hard rule as such: Intentionally butchering the English language will win you few friends around here.

Just a friendly piece of advice.

[Khrymsyn]

Looks great! But... who are the Chefs?

Great googily moogily...



I bring nothing to the table...

[theroes]

Well that would be whoever has a job off of the colony as an executive chef, sous chef. I just wanted to make a place where we could maybe share recipes and just talk about cooking in general =), oh and thanks a lot squid -_-

[MrBibbz]

Lol that was squid's way of saying welcome to the colony. We're a sarcastic bunch so it might take you a bit to get used to the humor.

Though I bring nothing to the thread yet, I'd love to hear some of your recipes ... (reciepes?) ... I can never that right.

[theroes]

ah well, ok...well then ill start. Have you ever made homemade cranberry sauce? its simple and not that complicated. Would you like to know?

[rein]

Yes, posting new threads is allowed. Here's a tip, though not a hard rule as such: Intentionally butchering the English language will win you few friends around here.

Just a friendly piece of advice.

Yet... I have survived. :D



I'm not that much into cooking anymore. Single life leaves little need for it. I do make a lot of quick and simple things that I like.

Aside from my addiction to Lean Cuisine I try eat healthy snacks and foods. One of my favorite so-freakin-easy lunches lately has been tortilla, black beans and melted shredded cheese. It takes about 30 seconds to make (once you have the beans) and it taste a lot better than burritos from Taco Bell.

I guess my quick lunch ideas hardly qualify as cooking.

[theroes]

Actually it does =). Any form of cooking, quick and simple, Gourmet, or any other form (lean cuisine, or easy mac, or whatever) but yeah that sounds pretty good I might have to try that out sometime. Thank you.

[shunoshi]

We did have a Great Eats thread that lasted a whopping two weeks because of lack of participation. :(

Good luck at getting the chefs on this site to congregate. It won't be easy. ;)

Here are the two threads from days of yore:

Great Eats Week 1 (http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/showthread.php?t=25)
Great Eats Week 2 (http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/showthread.php?t=1381)

[theroes]

It shall be done! At least I'm hoping...I'm gonna get some of my recipes together and then post them up here...hopefully that will get things started...I've got some great Japanese, and Chinese recipes i used to to..plus I'll get some from where I work. This thread will survive!!!

[pronounconnoun]

Looks great! But... who are the Chefs?

Great googily moogily...



I bring nothing to the table...

Wow, I haven't seen that commercial in a long time. Brings back fond memories.

[J Arcane]

Chef/cook/etc. here.

Frankly getting kind of frustrated with the life. I love food, and I love cooking, but some days it seems like that is the absolute worst trait for a working chef to have. Plus, the compensation is pathetic, as is the job security. You're lucky if you manage $9 an hour, and good luck squeezing decent hours out of the penny-pinching assholes that run foodservice establishments these days. And to top it all off, you're real lucky if you manage to go 6 months before your employer either goes tits up, or cans you and replaces you with some ignorant teenager to save cash to try and prevent going tits up.

All these conspired to lead me to finally take the last way out I have left and join the Air Force. I just have the small matter of a case of identity theft to wrap up before I can get to the next step in the enlistment process.

[DaedalusFolly]

Aside from my addiction to Lean Cuisine I try eat healthy snacks and foods. One of my favorite so-freakin-easy lunches lately has been tortilla, black beans and melted shredded cheese. It takes about 30 seconds to make (once you have the beans) and it taste a lot better than burritos from Taco Bell.
That doesn't sound especially healthy, rein. I assume you meant "[whole grain] tortilla, [reduced fat or whole] black beans and melted shredded [low fat] cheese". Does sound good though, but I've been eating brown rice for lunch the last two weeks... the bar isn't set very high.

As for the OP, I worked as an expediter for several years in college. This has blessed me with immaculate knowledge on food prep, but conversely little actual experience or technical skill. I feel like I'm all thumbs in the kitchen, but I love experimenting.

[rein]

That doesn't sound especially healthy, rein. I assume you meant "[whole grain] tortilla, [reduced fat or whole] black beans and melted shredded [low fat] cheese". Does sound good though, but I've been eating brown rice for lunch the last two weeks... the bar isn't set very high.

I really do use a multigrain tortilla, a low fat shredded cheese blend and whole beans. It's like you peeked into my kitchen. :)

I have a friend that makes fun of my grocery shopping. Something about eating like a girl and being afraid of food. :o

[Spectre-7]

Yet... I have survived. :D

Would you be offended if I said that your writing is better than you make it out to be?

Aside from my addiction to Lean Cuisine I try eat healthy snacks and foods. One of my favorite so-freakin-easy lunches lately has been tortilla, black beans and melted shredded cheese. It takes about 30 seconds to make (once you have the beans) and it taste a lot better than burritos from Taco Bell.

Not a bad snack, and more than reasonably healthy... especially if you're vegetarian, or on another low-protein diet. You've got a pretty complete protein profile there, in addition to a good collection of minerals and dietary fiber. Besides... black beans are just fuckin' delicious. :)

[theroes]

As for the OP, I worked as an expediter for several years in college. This has blessed me with immaculate knowledge on food prep, but conversely little actual experience or technical skill. I feel like I'm all thumbs in the kitchen, but I love experimenting.

Ah very nice. Also, honestly I'm not really that skilled in the technicalities of cooking yet, but I am learning a lot. Thanks to a sous chef named Steven. He has to be the coolest and nicest guy I've ever met, also keep experimenting, thats how a lot of chefs and famous cooks started. They took something they love to cook and experimented with it until they found something that stood out about the dish. Like for me, after being banned from eating what i wanted at my job (story about that later) We were only allowed a few things to eat and we have to pay for it. One of these being grilled cheese. I experimented with it until i made the ultimate grilled cheese that Tyler from the Ultimate dish show would like. With that being said i will get up the recipe later and post it on here so you can try it. So without further a do. Let the recipes flow in ^^

[Wackman3000]

Used to do some entry level cooking at a local restaurant, but quickly hated the pressure and constantly evolving kitchen staff. Now I just cook at home for fun without any of the pressure or stresses of a working kitchen.

Haven't shot any pictures of what I've been making lately, but Sunday nights dinner was an amazing Prime Rib Roast that I prepared, with potatoes, onions, celery and carrots all in the crock pot with the roast. Used Emeril's "creole" seasoning as a rub for the roast and sprinkled a little over the veggies with some olive oil.

Overall, I believe it's the only way I will ever prepare a roast from now on... The veggies all had fantastic flavor from the juices running off the roast, and since I used a rack inside the crock pot, I still had enough juice/moisture to make a nice gravy with as well.

And just because, here's an old shot of a steak dinner with onion soup that I made last year:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y71/Accordman/dinersserved.jpg

[theroes]

Thats sounds amazing. Also you did an excellent job cooking and marking the steak it looks good and delicious. Also a very nice plating design for the picture. When the old chef was a my work, he loved to us asparagus for the veg of the day every time. But overall everything looks really good, and thank you for sharing about your roast. I must try it some time. So did anyone cook anything special for easter?

[Bingley Joe]

mmmmm French onion soup! Here's my recipe -- super easy to make, and never fails to satisfy:

Soup:

~2lbs onions, halved and sliced (any kind will do. A mix of types gives great flavour)


2 cloves garlic, smashed and roughly chopped with a small pinch of salt


~3 tablespoons butter


~1 tablespoon sugar


2 sprigs fresh thyme


2 bay leaves


1 large sprig parsley


1 1/2 cups dry whine wine or vermouth**


4 - 5 cups stock. Beef stock is traditional, but chicken and vegetable work just fine


Garlic toasts:

3 tablespoons olive oil


3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed


Fresh ground black pepper, to taste


Some kind of nice, crusty bread, doesn't even have to be fresh, in fact slightly stale (dry, not moldy) might be best. 1 thick slice per serving. Alternatively, croissants are unbelievably good here if you're not one of those diet-nazis :)


Topping:

Grated cheese. Lots of it. A nice, sharp Gruyere is best, but in a pinch almost anything will do.



The recipe:

- Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan or soup pot over medium(ish) heat. Add the onions and garlic, and toss to coat with the butter. Continue to stir until they begin to look a bit soft and translucent, maybe 6 - 8 minutes, depending.. Heat-wise, you're not trying to sautée them, just cook them through until they're tender, so don't let it get too high. Cover and let cook on very low heat for about 20 - 25 minutes.

- Sprinkle the sugar over the onions, raise the heat a bit (but keep things on the low side), and stir gently, but continuously for about 15 - 20 minutes, until the onions are incredibly soft. They should get so soft, they'll look more like a porridge at this stage than onions, with a thick, sticky, sauce forming all throughout. This is the secret to a really great onion soup.

- Raise the heat a bit more and add the wine or vermouth (** for a really nice twist, substitute 1/2 cup of hard cider and a nice splash of brandy or Calvados here instead of just wine). Let it simmer and sizzle for a minute or two.

- Add the thyme, bay leaves and parsley, and stir for another minute. If you want to really do this right, put them into a piece of cheesecloth and tie them into a little pouch to make a bouquet garni, which you can then remove before serving. A nice touch, but totally optional. Your house is now going to smell better than anything else on earth.

- Add the soup stock, give everything a stir, cover, and simmer gently for at least 45 minutes.

- Preheat the oven to 375 and make the garlic toasts while the soup is cooking: Mix the olive oil, garlic, and black pepper on a plate, and press the bread into the mixture until properly coated (dry bread will obviously need to sit a bit). Put the slices on a cookie sheet and into the oven until crisp and golden-brown, about 10 minutes (probably a bit less if using croissants). Set aside until the soup is ready.

- Remove the bouquet garni from the soup if you made one, and ladle the soup into oven-proof bowls (nearly anything ceramic qualifies), leaving enough room for the garlic toasts and cheese to float no top.

- Float the garlic toasts on top of the soup, being careful not to submerge them. Depending on your bowls and the bread you're using, you might need to cut the slices to get them to fit properly.

- Gently mound up the cheese on top of the toasts, trying to keep everything floating as much as possible, while also trying to cover the entire top of the bowl with delicious cheesy goodness. It's a delicate balance ;)

- Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Easily serves 4, makes great left-overs for 2


Enjoy! There is simply nothing better on a chilly night than a molten bowl of this stuff :D

[cassiusregicide]

My cooking mostly consists of marinating some meat and cooking fresh vegetables. One of the chicken marinates I'm working on is:
-1/2 parts worcestershire sauce
-1/2 parts soy sauce
- fresh garlic
- fresh ginger

I'm always looking to expand on current recipes and add new ones so keep em coming.

[pronounconnoun]

And just because, here's an old shot of a steak dinner with onion soup that I made last year:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y71/Accordman/dinersserved.jpg

That looks delicious. I wish I knew how to cook things that are appetizing to other people.

[Wackman3000]

Thanks for the complements. French Onion soup is easily my favorite soup to eat/make and your recipe is pretty much identical to what I do. The trick is to get the onions to caramelize, which is what the added sugar helps to do.

I have a feeling I'll be making onion soup tonight or tomorrow, the urge is building.

[Kenturion]

First things first:
( An awesome steak dinner)
That looks incredibly tasty, and the presentation is also very nice for extra points :)

I'm not a chef by any means but I've always enjoyed cooking as a hobby, and I spent the last two summers working as a staff cook at a scout camp in northern New Mexico (pay wasn't great, but the scenery is incredible out there).
Cooking 3 meals a day for a staff of 15-20 (by myself in '07, with another cook last year) for 3 months meant that most of the food tended to be fairly simple and filling; lots of casseroles, sandwiches, chili and pasta, etc., and we avoided fancy presentation in favor of just having vast quantities. It was a ton of fun, though.

Fast forward to this year - graduated, job searching not going very well; ended up signing up for another summer contract at the camp, cooking again. I'm really looking forward to it, and it's got me thinking about recipes again.
I'll try to find some of the favorites from last summer and post them in here, and I'll probably check back during the summer to see if there's anything I can use; and if I can, I'll see about posting some pictures of the stuff I make. :D

[BlackPete]

I'm going through an experimental phase with my cooking these days. Buying ingredients I've never used before (or in some cases never seen before). I recently had a chance to make some candied Buddha's hand. It turned out to be super yummy! :D

Also made some homemade ginger ale. That stuff rocks. Just make sure you don't accidentally make the bottle explode.

I'm also trying to use more fruit in savory cooking. Habanero peppers + pear makes for an amazing sweet 'n' sour sauce...

[Ghostbear]

That doesn't sound especially healthy, rein. I assume you meant "[whole grain] tortilla, [reduced fat or whole] black beans and melted shredded [low fat] cheese". Does sound good though, but I've been eating brown rice for lunch the last two weeks... the bar isn't set very high.



Jeez, its like you hate food.

[theroes]

Haha. Well looks like you guys have been busy while i was gone! Great job contributing. Here is one of my reicpes for an awesome Chicken Tempura!

Ingredients:

4 chicken breast
1 egg
3 tbsp cold water
1/3 cup flour
vegetable oil for frying
salt and pepper to season
Preparation:

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Heat water in a pan and boil the chicken in the pan. Drain well and season the chicken with salt and pepper. Mix egg yolk and water in a bowl and add flour and mix lightly. Whip egg white firmly in another bowl and add into the batter. Heat oil in 350 F. Dip chicken pieces into the batter and fry until crisp.
*Makes 4 servings

I usually marinate them over night in soy sauce mixed with a little sugar and chopped green onion. Also serve with fried or steamed rice and steamed veggies and you are good to go! Oops almost forgot don't forget the sake! =)

[Bad Buddha]

I made an amazing leg of lamb with roast Yukon Gold potatoes for Easter.

The night before Easter I unwrapped it and rubbed it with kosher salt and pepper. Put it in a covered pan and put it in the fridge overnight.

The next day I stripped and chopped about 7 sprigs of rosemary, mixed it with 6 cloves of chopped garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil. Plopped it in a mortar and beat it to a paste with the pestle. after rubbing the roast with olive oil, I rubbed the garlic/rosemary paste all over it, put it back in the pan and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Pulled it out of the refrigerator and tossed it in the oven at 325 on a rack in a 12x16 pan with a temp probe in the meaty part of the roast. While this was making the house smell wonderful, I cut the potatoes into 1/8 wedges. After the roast had been in for an hour, I dumped the potatoes around it, drizzled olive oil over them and seasoned with salt. Back into the oven; every 1/2 hour stir the potatoes so they get covered in the meat juices.

When the internal temp reached 135, I pulled it out of the oven and put an aluminum foil tent over it and let it sit for a half hour.

Carve, serve, enjoy!

[Ghostbear]

I made an amazing leg of lamb with roast Yukon Gold potatoes for Easter.

The night before Easter I unwrapped it and rubbed it with kosher salt and pepper. Put it in a covered pan and put it in the fridge overnight.

The next day I stripped and chopped about 7 sprigs of rosemary, mixed it with 6 cloves of chopped garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil. Plopped it in a mortar and beat it to a paste with the pestle. after rubbing the roast with olive oil, I rubbed the garlic/rosemary paste all over it, put it back in the pan and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Pulled it out of the refrigerator and tossed it in the oven at 325 on a rack in a 12x16 pan with a temp probe in the meaty part of the roast. While this was making the house smell wonderful, I cut the potatoes into 1/8 wedges. After the roast had been in for an hour, I dumped the potatoes around it, drizzled olive oil over them and seasoned with salt. Back into the oven; every 1/2 hour stir the potatoes so they get covered in the meat juices.

When the internal temp reached 135, I pulled it out of the oven and put an aluminum foil tent over it and let it sit for a half hour.

Carve, serve, enjoy!

I am so coming over to your house for dinner.

[Wackman3000]

Sounds great Buddha, but if I could make one suggestion, I would stay away from putting raw salt on a meat product until you are about to cook it, since it tends to bring the moisture OUT of the meat.

[Bad Buddha]

Sounds great Buddha, but if I could make one suggestion, I would stay away from putting raw salt on a meat product until you are about to cook it, since it tends to bring the moisture OUT of the meat.
A leg of lamb has a coating of fat over most it. I trimmed some of the fat off, then I rubbed the salt over the fatty area. I don't worry too much if the moisture is pulled out of the fat layer. Since lamb is rather lean, you leave some of the fat on it to help keep the meat moist and succulent and mouth-watering!.

[Wackman3000]

A leg of lamb has a coating of fat over most it. I trimmed some of the fat off, then I rubbed the salt over the fatty area. I don't worry too much if the moisture is pulled out of the fat layer. Since lamb is rather lean, you leave some of the fat on it to help keep the meat moist and succulent and mouth-watering!.

Sounds good to me. I was just going off of what I've read and experienced in regards to cooking beef roasts, since I've never actually worked with lamb before.

Eitherway, your method of preparing the roast sounds fantastic and I will probably steal a couple ideas for my next prime rib... I usually just cut little slits into the roast and put whole garlic cloves in the roast directly, (my father LOVES eating garlic, even raw) but the method of mashing them into a paste and applying as a rub sounds even better.

Here's the spice blend I use on my beef roasts:

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

* 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
* 2 tablespoons salt
* 2 tablespoons garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon black pepper
* 1 tablespoon onion powder
* 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
* 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
* 1 tablespoon dried thyme


It should last for a few roasts, so be sure to store in a spice jar or something similar. Just sprinkle some olive oil on the roast and massage it into the roast, and begin applying the seasoning. I like to coat the entire roast, and even sprinkle some on the veggies, before tossing it all into the oven.

[pronounconnoun]

I hate this thread. It makes me want to eat food that I cant make and is too expensive to buy. You guys suck.

[Wackman3000]

I hate this thread. It makes me want to eat food that I cant make and is too expensive to buy. You guys suck.

Tell you what, I'll try and remember to snap pictures of dinner on a regular basis and update this thread with the recipes and such. I do alot of cooking that is fairly inexpensive as well that still yields tasty results. Things from homemade stir fry's to simple spring rolls, from quesadillas to meatballs.

Everything can be done at a reasonable price so long as you shop for savings and plan out your meals accordingly.

[pronounconnoun]

Tell you what, I'll try and remember to snap pictures of dinner on a regular basis and update this thread with the recipes and such. I do alot of cooking that is fairly inexpensive as well that still yields tasty results. Things from homemade stir fry's to simple spring rolls, from quesadillas to meatballs.

Everything can be done at a reasonable price so long as you shop for savings and plan out your meals accordingly.

Sounds good. I'll keep this thread close to my heart.

P.S. I think I know how to make quesadillas. I don't think I fail in life enough to not know how to melt cheese on a tortilla. :p

[Xerxes]

My signature move is to wash my hands, then I peel a large clean orange. Then my hands are covered in orange oil/juice. I then prepare meals with my hands basically zested so everything has a sweet citrusy flavor.

Ok, that's all a lie. But I thought about yesterday when have to clean all that orange gunk off my hands after I peeled a orange. I'll probably try it one of these days. :D

[Wackman3000]

Sounds good. I'll keep this thread close to my heart.

P.S. I think I know how to make quesadillas. I don't think I fail in life enough to not know how to melt cheese on a tortilla. :p

There can be ALOT more to a quesadiller than just cheese and tortilla, but I'm glad you got SOME kitchen experience. ;)

[x Returner x]

I don't eat red meat any more but I use to love marinating a steak for 2 days in Italian dressing. I would always broil a steak with bell peppers and black pepper.

[theroes]

no meat....i couldn't do it..ah and very awesome reicpes guys i love it aqnd will have to try them out. When i have more time i will post more but right now im pretty busy.

[Bingley Joe]

Here's an incredibly easy marinade for chicken that people always absolutely love every time I make it. The recipe is from Africa, and there's not much to it, but something about this particular combination of spices really works, and you'll find you just can't stop eating this stuff :)

I use chicken thighs because they're so much more tender and flavourful than breasts, but you can do any bits of chicken you have on hand, including a whole chicken (in which case you'd cut it in half with some kitchen shears and lay it out flat in the marinade/on the grill).



6 large/8 medium sized skinless, boneless chicken thighs (ie: one package)


2 lemons, washed, juiced, and the peels cut up


2 tablespoons black pepper corns, coarsely ground
(measure the 2tbs of whole peppercorns, then grind them up coarsely)


1 tablespoon fennel or anise seeds, coarsely ground


1 stick cinnamon (or ~1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon bark), coarsely ground/smashed

1 small clove garlic, smashed


1 nice pinch coarse salt


1 nice splash olive oil


- Put everything except the chicken into a large ziplock freezer bag and swirl around until nicely mixed. Don't worry about getting everything all evenly and finely ground, either -- keeping things on the coarse side is fine.

When you're juicing the lemons, be sure to bruise the peels before you chop them (give them a few good twists, etc) to release the citrus oils, as they'll really add a lot of great flavour.

- Add the chicken, close the top, and swirl, mix, and toss to thoroughly coat the meat.

- Settle all the meat evenly across the bottom of the bag, open the bag at one corner and proceed to roll the package up carefully to squeeze out any extra air.

- Let marinade for as long as you can manage -- at least 15 minutes though (and a short marinade like that is absolutely fine with this)

- Cook the meat somehow. I usually just broil the chicken thighs for ~4 minutes a side until they look nicely cooked and a bit crispy/charred in places, but this is completely brilliant done on the barbecue (especially if you go the whole chicken route).


It's so quick and simple, and just utterly delicious. This is a great accompaniment to some rice and veg., and the leftovers make the best sandwiches ever. :D

[shunoshi]

I know this may not look like much. Spaghetti looks like spaghetti, right? Well, this is anything but, flavor-wise (I also suck at photography).

http://shunoshi.fathomthat.org/misc/red_clam_sauce.jpg

Linguine with Red Clam Sauce

2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 TBSP olive oil
1 can (28 oz) Italian tomatoes, undrained, coarsely chopped
2 TSP dried oregano leaves
1 lb. shucked baby clams or 2 cans (6.5-7.5 oz) baby clams, undrained
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/8-1/4 TSP cayenne pepper
1/4 TSP black pepper
1 TBSP freshly shredded parmesan
8 oz linguine, cooked

Saute garlic in olive oil in medium saucepan until tender. Stir in tomatoes with liquid and oregano; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until mixture is medium sauce consistency, about 10 minutes.

Stir in undrained clams, wine, lemon juice, cayenne, and black pepper. Simmer, covered, until clams are cooked, 10-15 minutes. Serve over warm linguine and top with parmesan.


This is a great recipe and I've made it a few times. Those who aren't big fans of seafood may still like this recipe as the garlic, tomato, and cayenne carry the main flavor with the clams holding the foundation. I tend to up the cayenne to 1/2 TSP as it's my favorite spice and this recipe holds heat well.

I served it with a Schneider-Weisse Hopfen Weisse, which is basically a hoppy version of a German hefeweizen. Delicious beer, goes great with the sauce.

Enjoy. :D

[pronounconnoun]

There can be ALOT more to a quesadiller than just cheese and tortilla, but I'm glad you got SOME kitchen experience. ;)

I try.:)

Sometimes if I have extra carnitas or ground beef I use it in my quesadillas. Also chopped onions and olives if I have them.

[Camel]

Chicken recipe
Going to try this tonight! Thanks for sharing! :D

[Bingley Joe]

Going to try this tonight! Thanks for sharing! :D

You're welcome! Let me know what you think (although I'll honestly be surprised if you don't love it).

[theroes]

Nice presentation with the pasta. Also nice add on with the beer. =)

[Spectre-7]

I always do something a little special for my birthday, and I'm busy prepping for tomorrow night. The planned menu is:

Starter -- Caldo de Primavera (spring soup) with chile-cheese tamales
Main -- Grilled Turkey Enchiladas
Desert -- Cocada Pudding

I broke down a whole turkey earlier (fun and slimey!), and am roasting the bones right now. Those are going into a stock pot with a sofrito (onions, garlic, anaheim chiles), and will be boiling down for 6-8 hours.

The soup is going to be the turkey broth with red chard, cabbage and hominy, finished with cilantro and a slice of lime. It's being served with scratch-made tamales on the side, stuffed with colby-jack and anaheim chile slices.

Half the turkey meat is going to marinate in a chile/lime/cilantro mixture... I call it Yucatek Guajolote. The other half is going to be seasoned more traditionally in salt, pepper and garlic, for the folks in my family with less adventurous palates.

That'll be served with a pretty standard enchilada sauce (roux, chile powder, tomato sauce, voila), pickled onions, frijoles (both pintos refritos and whole black beans), some shredded jack cheese, and corn tortillas of course.

The pudding is a vanilla pudding base, with a bit of cinnamon, and topped with browned coconut. It's basically the same stuff you get in a Mexican Hungry Man dinner except home-made. Still not sure whether I'm going to use corn-starch as a thickener or do a custard instead. I've still got a few hours to decide.

If I have any time left over tomorrow, I'll also put together a Sopa de Arroz. It makes a nice accompaniment but it's not absolutely essential.

And back to the kitchen I go...

[Camel]

You're welcome! Let me know what you think (although I'll honestly be surprised if you don't love it).
It turned out great, but I think I added too much lemon (the lemons we got from the store were HUGE, almost twice the size of lemons you would get in a bag). Next time I think I will add a little more cinnamon, and a little less fennel, since I think I messed up those proportions as well. The marinade smelled AWESOME, and unfortunately I don't have any chicken left for sandwiches since it was all eaten up. :D

[theroes]

Hey spectre that sounds amazing..where do you live i need to come for your birthday next time =)) ill bring the homemade guacamole, and some homemade tortillas! Ill maybe even throw in a chocolate mole if you like. Also thats quite a spread you got there! I know how it feels to do alot of prepping i work in a semi gourmet restaurant. Its alot of work but the results are super satisfying.

Oh and happy early birthday amigo.

[OldeWolf]

Here's an old thread I started some time ago about mine and others own homemade cooking:

http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/showthread.php?t=3235

Hope you enjoy it and get something out of it.

[DoctorFinger]

A little something I made for my Dad and I last week. Mussels in white wine sauce.

1 bag mussels, cleaned
1 shallot, diced,
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups white wine
pinch red pepper flakes
herbes de provence (French herb blend, mostly basil, oregano, thyme, taragon and lavender)

In a large pot (preferably with a steamer basket) sweat the shallots and garlic in olive oil. When soft and fragrant, add pepper flakes, herbs and wine. Turn the heat to high, put the mussels in the pot and cover. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until mussels open. Remove mussels and reduce sauce until it begins to tighten. Spoon sauce over mussels and serve with bread.

[theroes]

Ahh mussels, delicious dish you have cooked there. My favorite thing to do if you have an open fire available is to pop them open and season them with salt pepper and a little garlic, and then pop some cheese of your choice on them and then roast them over the fire. Simple, easy and delicious.

[OldeWolf]

Polish dish; "How to make pierogies in 30 minutes"

Need:
1-2 boxes of Mrs. T Potato & cheddar pierogies
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/44/163318552_8beaa7cc40_o.jpg
Garlic powder
Half stick of butter (or full stick for 2 boxes)
Onion
Sour cream

Step one: put the pierogies into a pot of boiling water. Boil until it defrosts and floats. Boil too long, it becomes soggy and runny. Make sure to keep your eyes on them and make sure it's not sticking to bottom.

Step two: While pierogies are boiling, chop the Onions into finger nail size pieces (or however you wish it to be sized as).

Step three: melt the half or so stick of butter in pan, once evenly spread, put however much garlic you wish (just make sure it has a garlic-y taste in the end), put the chopped onion into pan.

Step four: cook the onions until it is light to medium golden brown.

Step five: by the time the onions are turning light golden brown, the pierogies should be slightly soft and floating. Drain the pierogies and put it back into the pot.

Make sure you don't leave the pierogies out in the air too long or it will become hard and chewy. Once drained, quickly put the butter mix in with the pierogies in the pot. Stir/flip the pierogies every once in a while to even out the butter over all the pierogies as well as cooking all sides of all the pierogies evenly.

Step six: pour the whole of the pan, butter/onions and all, into the pot. Cook until pierogies becomes light golden brown. (Onions by this time will be well cooked and the flavor of the garlic/onion will be a part of the pierogies).
http://www.mollybglutenfree.com/Pierogies.jpg

Voilà, the food is ready!
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NkP2-RUxgWQ/SLXR8h4vPhI/AAAAAAAAAtE/1o0uiyDZs7M/s1600/perogi.jpg

How to eat:
This dish is normally it's own dish with no need for any side dish (you will get full). When you eat the pierogies, make sure you cut one piece at a time, fork a bit of sour cream then fork up the piece of pierogies and you're well on your way to trying your best not to over drool while chewing. :D

If you want, you can add your own seasonings (I have made Mexican, Italian, Greek, etc flavoring seasonings). Pierogies are an all around flexible food to cook with into anything you want from adding polish style sausage to baking it to frying it to whatever you want.

Enjoy!

By the way, that recipe above that I typed out, has been in my family for over 100 years. Although I didn't add the part where we have to make it from scratch. But the end result has been in my family for those 100 of years.

[Bingley Joe]

Mmmmm mussels and perogies.. two of my favourite things to eat.


It turned out great, but I think I added too much lemon (the lemons we got from the store were HUGE, almost twice the size of lemons you would get in a bag). Next time I think I will add a little more cinnamon, and a little less fennel, since I think I messed up those proportions as well. The marinade smelled AWESOME, and unfortunately I don't have any chicken left for sandwiches since it was all eaten up. :D

Yeah, sounds like you probably could have gone with just one of those bruisers, rather than two -- the marinade should be liquid enough to slosh around and coat things, but still kinda thick with the grit from the spices if that makes sense.. That said, it's one of those dishes where the proportions don't need to be exact at all for it to succeed, so just tinker around until you get something you're happy with.

Glad to hear it's a keeper though! :)

[Gwinny]

Does anyone have suggestions for topping turkey burgers? (Sorry, not exactly a gourmet question. :o) My aunt has requested a couple for her family for Memorial Day, and I have no idea what to put on them. I've had a turkey burger once in my life and it tasted pretty awful with the standard ketchup-mustard combination.

[Wackman3000]

I've used pesto, spinach, red onions, tomatoes and some mayo on turkey burgers before. Throw in a slice of gouda or swiss cheese and you are good to go, maybe some mustard too.

[Gwinny]

That all sounds tasty. Thank you! I'll take your advice when I head to the store.

[alienmastermind]

Sliced red peppers as well. :)