Favorite Recipes
Penne Tomato and Basil
1box penne
1tbls basil oil
1tbls olive oil
3 cloves of garlic minced
grape tomatoes
1c shredded pepper jack cheese
1c mozz cheese
1/4grated cheese
1tbls fresh basil
Cook pasta.Heat basil in oils in lg.pan.Cook garlic in oil until soft.Add tomatoes reduce heat.Stir in pepper jack cheese and mozz. and parm.cheese.When cheese begins to melt add to pasta.Top with fresh basil. its taste great.
patrici DannyC I do my stuffed cabbage with rice chopmeat garlic onion salt pepper and the sauce.Sometimes I use brown rice.I also trie it instead of rice using mashed potato.I like the stuffed peppers to i like to melt mozz on top of sauce to.Also for the stuffing inside use fresh mushrooms chopped up with some veggies
patricia -
Thanks for starting another cooking thread. A few questions: How do you prepare your cabbage and peppers for your stuffed dishes? Cannot cook too much or too little. Also, what is your meat mix for the filling? Beef of course (what cut, what % fat), but pork as well? Perhaps a 3/1 ratio? And what are your recommended veggies and mushroom types, baby portabellas? The cheese combo sounds great. Thanks for your advice.
DannyC As far as cooking the cabbage take knife remove core.I always look for a cabbage that is not so tightly packed.When trying to take leaves off the looser they are to begin with the easier it will be.When the water is boiled the leaves slowly soften I start pulling them off with tongs.Then the next layer softens and do the same.
As far as peppers when I stuff the with veggies I wrap them in foil and put them in oven for about 15mins until tender but not falling apart.
2c wild rice
1white onion chopped
1csliced mushrooms
2tsp chopped fresh garlic 1 zucchini chopped
1 yellow squash chopped
some chopped red and green pepper chopped
1c spinach chopped
some grated cheese on top mozz if you want
Make sure peppers are cooled before stuffing them
Sometimes I have left over stuffing but thats ok Ill pick on it
But I also like stuffing them with the meat and rice onoin and garlic of course salt and pepper
As far as meat and pork if I use it 1pd.lean ground beef and 1/4pd.pork casing removed
As far as mushrooms really any fresh mushroom button portabella.Dont forget your sauce
patricia,
Wow! Thanks for the details, especially on how to cook cabbage. Made a huge batch of stuffed cabbage today using of all your ingredients, both with and without meat. Plus San Marzano tomato sauce and parmesiano reggiano on top. Great dishes!
Saturday I'll try stuffed peppers.
Zucchini patties
I was looking for zucchini recipes last year had so much of it.This one was so easy.
2c grated zucchini
2eggs beaten 1/4c chopped onion
1/2c flour
1/2 grated cheese
1/2shredde mozz.
salt pepper
In bowl combine all ingredients mix well.Heat small amount of oil.drop mixture in tbls fulls and cook for a few mins. on each side till golden brown.
Or better yet fry all together warm up tortilla wraps and stuff them.Serve with sour cream or tomato sauce.
Any Easter Italian meat pie recipes.
I like using italian cold cut no sausage
Lemongrass beef banh mi sandwiches:
1 tbsp finely chopped lemongrass stalk
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbl sesame oil
teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
s/p
1 lb thin sliced sirloin or ribeye steak
mix marinade ingredients and marinate steak in fridge for 30 min
cook beef on high heat , using peanut or sesame oil. pour leftover marinade in too
I make the sandwiches using french baguettes, slices of cucumber, cilantro sprigs, and marinated red cabbage and carrots (marinated in rice wine vinegar, soy, ginger, sugar).
So good. One of my favorite sandwiches lately. I usually pair it with spicy lemongrass shrimp and mushroom soup. William Sonoma has a great recipe for that.
MeisterNJ Pizzagaina - My grandma's traditional Italian "Easter Pie" recipe. I cannot explain it better than this guy, who makes it exactly the way my grandma did, but with a video:
https://youtu.be/PXNZt2-dhoc.
Danny - what do you put in your meatless stuffed cabbage? I sautee onions & mushrooms and mix into the rice with some chopped tomatoes from a can of whole tomatoes, with some herbs like chopped parsley & thyme.
What mixture do you use?
happiest girlhappiest girl,
I made my latest stuffed cabbage batch with the veggies that patricia suggested: sautéed onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, spinach, chopped garlic, parsley, basil and thyme, with browned brown rice. Very tasty! For the meat version, I added chopped rosemary. Even more tasty! San Marzano tomato sauce and parmesiano reggiano cheese on top gave both dishes a kick. Sounds like we are all on the same page.
DannyC.
I been watching that video out of all of them that was the one I liked.Now u mentioned it thats the one Im going to use.Just crossing my fingers I never made it before.It was grandmas job.
I never thought to put spinach in stuffed cabbage - but that sounds good, Danny.
Will try next time -- which might be soon as the big cabbage sale for Patty's Day begins next week -- 17c lb.
happiest girl -
Taking my lead from everyone on this thread, and it is working well. Made stuffed peppers as per patricia's recommendations, baking with veggies in foil until soft, melding all the flavors, not boiling them separately as I used to do. Great veggie dish, but to add meat, just scoop out the filling, add meat, mix and re-stuff. Good tomato sauce, panko breadcrumbs and cheese on top, crisped in the broiler a few minutes.
Got to try MeisterNJ's lemon grass dish with steak and marinade.
Thank you all for great ideas. This is one helluva resource.
happiest girl,
Spinach and zucchini are the best additions to vegetarian dishes, tart and sweet tastes, respectively. Frozen spinach works as well as fresh. You don't meat to get flavor, but as a non-vegetarian, I just like it.
Instead of doing stuff cabbage rolls Im going to make it as a pie.Cook the cabbage as ussual and do your stuffing.Got a spring round pan lay down cabbage leaves on bottom and sides then layer with the mixture then put cabbage on top layer again so on.Then the last iayer will be cabbage on top add your sauce and cheese.Let it sit after you take it out of ovren.
patricia,
Just thinking that your cabbage casserole might be a bit wet, and you may want to coat the bottom and top with buttered filo dough to absorb water from the cabbage and veggies. But I could be wrong. I made your cabbage rolls and they came out great! Cabbage rolls have a higher surface area than a casserole to evaporate excess water from cabbage and veggies during baking, concentrating the flavors. Cabbage rolls can also be simmered in tomato sauce to finish, so I am a big fan of them. Just a thought.. Please tell me how your casserole turns out.
Since we been talking about cabbage I seen an article about it.If you put the cabbage in the freezer for a day or 2 cut the core put it in a lg.zip lock baggie and when you take it out to defrost supposenly the leaves will just fall.Thats what they say.
I always simmer the stuffed cabbage or peppers in sauce cover with foil in oven.
I thought the cabbage pie would be different .I seen the article it comes out beautiful.
patrici,
That cabbage pie looks incredible!
Can't wait to try it ---- so much less work too, not having to make each individual cabbage roll.
Made the German Mac n cheese tonight, paired with jäger schnitzel. Wow. Better than I thought it would be. Mac and cheese made with spätzle instead of macaroni, add caramelized onions. And bacon. Top with slices of Swiss and broil. Next level Mac n Cheese. Jäger schnitzel was very good as well, hadn't made that before either. Home office approved.
ianimal Pork loin chops. Used Guy Fieri's recipe. Very tasty. Bacon onion and red wine gravy.
When you do the cabbage pie brush the sides and put parchment paper on bottom of pan.Last layer of cabbage on top tuck leaves in.When I seen the pic of the pie I just thought wow.Making mine this week hope it comes out just like it.Make sure its cooled off before releasing it.Have extra sauce on side.
Pounded pork loin coated with a mixture of panko and cracker crumbs and deep fried make the most amazing cutlets. Put it on a toasted long roll with lettuce tomato and mayo... you'll never eat chicken cutlet sandwiches again.
MeisterNJ,
I made your "next level" German mac-n-cheese,.even with home-made spaetzel (new for me). I paired it with Wiener Schnitzel a la Holstein, splurging on some fine leg of veal, which I thinly sliced myself, coated with Locatelli Romano cheese, egg wash, breadcrumbs, quick fried in olive oil and drained on paper towels. Then added the toppings of anchovies, capers and a poached egg. I also made a side of baked apples, pears and cherries to sweeten things up.
And I finally figured out how to make Black Forest cake, using the same filling as the fruit side, but mostly cherries, two rich dark chocolate cakes, sliced into four 1 inch layers, slathered with fruit filling and real whipped cream, building the cake in layers, and covering with cream on the sides and fruit on the top.
Fantastic dinner!
Haven't got to your lemon grass dish with steak and marinade yet. That's next.
I will definitely be trying that, ianimal. The recipe I used had a mustard/egg/milk wash for the breading. What a great idea to add the mustard into the eggwash. Next time I might add a little hot sauce in there as well and see if that turns it up another notch. Not enough to add heat, just to enhance flavor.
DannyC, glad you liked it. The German Mac n' Cheese is definitely a winner. Krauts aren't known for their cuisine, but that is definitely a keeper. You won't be disappointed with the lemongrass banh mi. That's in regular rotation.
Tonight I'm making a simple clean out the fridge meal: chicken sausage, spinach and penne dish. Lots of olive oil and garlic. Maybe some pecorino romano tossed in there.
Strangerdanger Depends on what it is, but I rarely deep fry, mostly just pan fry. Once in awhile we treat ourselves and break out the deep fryer. Guacamole wontons are a real treat. Those are deep fry only.
Really deep frying? Not super deep, but deep enough. I have a Waring Pro that's pretty sweet... not exactly commercial size but plenty big enough for my needs.
If I'm doing fried chicken or schnitzel, I'll bust it out. French fries? Probably not. Cleanup isn't that big a deal, I've got a quality funnel/strainer and about 1,000 filters. Straining the oil back into the bottle takes about an hour and it's not like it needs to be constantly monitored. Fill the funnel, walk away... come back 15 minutes later, fill it again. Rinse and repeat.
I have a roto fryer that's really convenient.
http://www.amazon.com/DeLonghi-D28313UXBK-Fryer-Black-Silver/dp/B003ZDNKVA
Has a handy drain tube. Doesn't use as much oil because the basket/well is on an angle. Works well. Cleanup is a breeze. This was my 5 year anniversary work gift that I chose out of a catalog. It's not really big enough for doing a large batch of fried chicken, but works great for everything else.
Only a liter of oil? Mine uses a gallon. I'm not sure I like the concept of the rotating basket that keeps putting things in and taking it out of the oil. But if it works...
The drain tube sounds like a great idea but when doing a batch of flour-coated fried chicken, I have a feeling it would get clogged with the detritus that invariably winds up on the bottom of my fryer. Mine has an easily removable oil reservoir with a small notch that acts as a weir for no-mess draining. Not ideal, but functional.
http://www.amazon.com/Waring-DF280-Professional-Brushed-Stainless/dp/B005Z4935O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457474515&sr=8-1&keywords=waring+pro+deep+fryer
MeisterNJ and ianimal -
This is why I only use frying pans for my dishes: You have total control over the type and amount of olive oil and/or butter used, and if you pay close attention, it usually comes out right, especially with pans that can be put in the oven or under the broiler. Other gadgets have not worked for me yet. Old school, but I could be wrong.
Balsamic Bruschetta appetizer
8roma plum tomatoes diced
1/3cchopped fresh basil
1/4c shredded parm. cheese
2 cloves garlic,minced
1tbls balsamic vinegar
1tsp olive oil
1/4 kosher salt
1/4 fresh ground pepper
French bread
In bowl toss together tomatoes basil parm cheese and garlic.Mix in balsamic vinegar olive oil salt pepper.
Serve on toasted bread
patricia,
My family's favorite appetizer: bruschetta. I make it exactly the same way, splurging on Parmigiano Reggiano or Locatelli Romano cheese, except I light-fry home-made French bread in a little butter and EVOO, two minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Delish!
Thanks guys. Filters, tubes, bottles of used oil, liters. Talked me into continuing to pan fry and enjoying deep fry when dining out. Have enough problems cleaning the meat slicer.
A certain favorite, if you ever want to make Tuna Casserole from scratch....
Ingredients
10 oz. mushrooms, sliced (about 4 cups)
4 ½ tbsp. Butter
2 tsp. Soy Sauce
¼ cup Sherry. I have used Masala, Red, frankly you name it.
¼ cup flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or 1 can
1 cup milk
2 tsp. lemon juice
3 tbsp. butter
¼ tsp. salt
1 can tuna, in water, drained (you can use two cans as well, I do)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 oz. dried egg noodles, about 3 ¼ cups (half a bag works)
1 ½ cups course fresh bread (3 slices), 4 oz. grated Cheddar, 1 tbsp. vegetable oil for topping (I use far less than 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs and olive oil to add flavor)
Pre heat oven 375, butter or spray a 2-qt baking dish
Cook onion in 1 ½ tbsp. butter, pinch of salt in pan or skillet, on low about 5 minutes. I use a sauce pan for this. Translucent not browned. Increase heat, add mushrooms, cook 2 minutes until watery, add soy sauce, cook until water evaporated or add Sherry right away. Then boil until evaporated. Can lower heat and let simmer while you do the other stuff. Stir, remove from heat
Melt remaining 3 tbsp. butter in sauce pan over low heat, whisk in flour, cook 3 minutes. Might be a bit lumpy, you'll fix that by adding broth, boil, whisk in milk and simmer 5 minutes. Don't not let boil. Stir in mushrooms, lemon and salt. Add tuna. Watch you don't scald/stick. Turn heat lower if you see boiling starting. Turn lower and then off when it starts thickening a bit. It is done when it thickens, it is ruined if it is stickens (heh heh). I end up whisking in pretty fast and never cook the full 3 minutes and probably don't go the 5 but I have a hot stove.
You can add noodles to the pan or put noodles in casserole and add pan sauce to that. I do this in a 12-inch fry pan.
In separate bowl, toss bread n cheese, drizzle with oil and toss again. I do this earlier while other stuff is cooking.
Cook noodles, drain, combine, put in baking dish, add tuna mixture, add topping. I start the water before I start anything else. In a perfect world, the mushrooms, noodles, and tuna concoction all finish at the same time, I combine the mushrooms with the tuna, and then add the noodles on top in the pan, stir and put in casserole.
Bake 20 to 30 minutes, I go 30 and remove cover for last 10. Longer is OK. Let stand close to 10 minutes to set.
This is a fun one with lots of pots n pans and bowls n stuff. You will have the oven and three burners going at once so prepare to work up a sweat...... Much better than the ole Campbell's soup variety though. And the more wine the better :>)
patricia,
I also add chopped, fresh Italian flat leaf parsley. BTW, taking advantage of the spring weather to plant my herb garden. Any herbs and spices which you might recommend?
MeisterNJ,
Thinking of growing lemon grass this year. But of course I should first learn how to cook with it. Making all of your dish suggestions today.
DannyC.Theres tarragon fennel coriander mint dill chives cilantro sage parslley basil thyme rosemary.
My friend cooks with lemon grass.Look for stalks that are firm if its soft or rubbery its old.Sometimes you can find it in the freezer isle.
Butternut Squash Bake
1 butternut squash about 4 pds.
1/3 yellow onion minced
1/4c evoo
1/2c italian bread crumbs
1tbls minced fresh thyme
6 ounces of blue cheese
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/4 italian bread crumbs
Toss the squash onion olive oil 1/2c italian bread crumbs thyme and blue cheese in lg.bowl.Season salt pepper.Pour mix in lg. baking dish.Sprinkle 1/4 bread crumbs over squash.
Bake at 425.In preheated oven until lightly brown on top 35 to 40 min.
I have a few days off from kitchen duty while on vacation in the islands. Enjoying it thoroughly. Had some incredible ceviche last night.
Let me know how lemongrass night turned out DannyC. As far as growing it I probably wouldn't try. Don't use it enough. Couple stalks is good for two meals and its cheap.
Healthy Variation of Irish Soda Bread
I came across this article
Cooking spray
About 21/2c of whole wheat flour
About 1/2c all purpose flour
1/2c steelcut oats
2tbls brown sugar
1tbls wheat germ
1tsp baking soda
1tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
2c low fat buttermilk
2tbls molasses
1 lg,egg slightly beaten
Preheat oven 325
Coat a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.Line the pan with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups and level with knife.Combine flours and next 6 ingredients(through salt)Combine buttermilk molasses and egg add to flour mixture.Stir just combined.Spoon the mixture into prepared pan.Bake at 325 for 1hour and 5mins or until a wooden pick inserted in middle comes clean.Invert bread onto a wire rack cool completely.Remove parchment paper and slice.
Just thought if someone wanted to eat something a little more healthier than
Irish Soda Bread.
MeisterNJ -
Can't find lemon grass at Weis or Shoprite in Mansfield. Where do you buy it? I can buy plants and put them in now, rather than make long runs to Asian groceries.
patricia -
Irish soda bread for the season! Don't see how it is more healthy, with buttermilk and molasses, but it sounds delicious, more rich, tasty and authentic than what my Welsh mother used to make. Will try it. Thanks. You are cooking and baking your butt off, yes?
If you cant find the lemon grass I know it comes as a paste also.
DannyC. Im always cooking and baking.I think its my therapy.Since its Saturday I usually slack off with cooking Im gonna make pepperoni rolls they are easy enough.I know not exactly healthy but once in a while it dont hurt.Tomorrow Im making stuffed cabbage . All favorite foods this weekend.
patricia,
Planted parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, dill, cilantro, chives, scallions, lemon grass, plus several varieties of basil and mint. Weather reports are predicting above freezing temps, even at night, for at least two weeks. Turned soil, fertilized, watered, and all the plants look very happy. Any other herbs to suggest? Perhaps flower/herbs like lavender? Also thinking about veggies, but there are deer in the area, and my little cat does not do a good job at chasing them away.
I got lemongrass at whole foods in Morristown. Wow, garden planting already. I have to get going when I get back. Those are the herbs I go with DannyC. Rosemary, thyme, and chives usually winter over and come back strong. I plant Italian and curled parsley along with basil and cilantro. Time to get radish and carrot seeds in the ground.
MeisterNJ -
Will deer attack radishes and carrots? Great if they don't, and I'll put them in, along with any other veggies that deer will not destroy. At least 50 square feet of garden space left, and motivated to plant it all, preferably veggies, but flowers if necessary. Thanks.
I don't know about radishes but I do know that deer love carrots. Planting oregano, cilantro anything spicy and/or bitter along the border will help deter rabbits and possibly other furry guys, but I'm not sure about deer since it seems like their adaption is rapidly increasing.
Meister would probably have good advice concerning deer.
positive MeisterNJ,
Made spaetzel by pushing dough through a colander with 1/4 inch holes, so easy. Like to lightly brown in a little butter, EVOO, salt and pepper, being nicely shaped before hand, and with no boiling.
positive,
Well, there is always the fence option. Really want to grow great herbs and veggies this season, and to cook with them! You are more than welcome to take advantage of any harvests as they happen.
Thanks Danny, you're a sweetie.
This spring I'm going to venture growing tomatoes from seed rather than pots. If it works out there will be plenty of tomatoes for you. All different types.
Did you ever have a yellow? They are amazing.
positive,
Heirlooms of all colors, and those big Jersey beefsteaks...the best! Now I must put up that fence next week, because I just must have them.
Späzl with EVOO?? Perish the thought of less than butter. The only thing worse would be margarine. ;-)
Deer feast on the tops of carrots. Not as good as either hydrangea or hostas, but still tasty. Radish is not far behind to the point where some are used to attract deer to then shoot. My theory is to plant habeneros. When the deer knock on your door and demand ice cream immediately, you know you caught them red handed. I like to pause on purpose, and then ask if there is any particular reason they need something cold and acid absorbent. ;-)
GC I have a nice pvc picket fence around my garden, so deer can't get to my radishes, arugula, lettuce, and carrots, but I assume they would love them. Think I have mutant deer though. They eat eveything including squash, pepper, and tomato plants. They never used to do that.
Go to tractor supply. Buy those white step in electric fence posts, some plastic ties to lash them to your fence so you can stretch the wire tight without the poles bending, a little fence wire, a solar fencer and a ground bar. Some leftover single strand electric to the fence and the ground and you are done. Should barely be able to see it. I don't electrify the gate and no problems after a decade.
Should be $100 with fencer being the lion's share.
I dont have to worry about deer.My problem is groundhogs.The squirrels keep digging them up.
DannyC. you say your little cat dont do anything I have a 140lb rotweiller.the only thing she does is gets up and wags the tail that she has.
I was gonna try to grow strawberries.I was gonna make it a hanging basket.I have wheel barrel to put my annuals in I like them cause they spread out and fills the whole barrel.They come in so many bright colors and a easy flower to keep up.My rose bushes came up real nice last year.
Growing up we had a German Short Haired Pointer and had very few problems with garden critters. That dog was amazing. He could sneak up on groundhog and have it in his jaws before you knew it. He would even catch the occasional rabbit.
French Toast Bake
8 eggs
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnomon
1/2 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbls vanilla
1 loaf sour dough bread (I used Pepp.Farm)
1/2c cold cube butter
1/2 c heavy cream
2 c milk
Cut loaf into cubes place evenly in greased pan 9x13.In bowl mix eggs milk h.cream sugar vanilla.Pour evenly over bread.Cover your pan with seran wrap and refridgerate over night.
Mix together flour brown sugar cinn. and salt in bowl.Cut in butter with mixture until crumbly and place in ziplock bag refrigerate over night.
Take pan and ziplock out when ready to bake.Sprinkle crumbly mixture evenly over bread.
Bake at 350 for 45mins. to hour. depending how soft you like it.
Thanks for the gardening advice, all -
Going with a PVC fence, not electrified. I installed an electrified fence last year at my daughter's place, but that was to protect goats from bears and other predators, very high voltage and afraid that it might zap pets, and not worth it to protect a few veggies. There is a large partition to hang plants, and will use that too. Spending a small fortune on plants, though.
patricia,
French Toast Bake sounds delicious, but a bit excessive in calories and sugar, so just doing omelets, some as simple as peppers, onions, cheese and eggs. My schedule is savory Irish dishes this week, slow cooked corned beef and cabbage with all of the fixings, suitable for great hash breakfasts. German for next week, with sauerbraten, weiner schnitzel, spaetzel, potato pancakes, red cabbage, baked fruit, Black Forest cake, and then in a few weeks, Italian, hopefully using fresh herbs from the garden, which are growing nicely. Every week is a new adventure.
Wait a minute! It's Easter. Got to make grandma's Italian Easter pie - Pizzagaina. Sweet AND savory, it goes with everything at breakfast.
Easter on its way.I will be making Italian pie which will be my first.I also will be making lasagna the kids favorite .Making a big pot of gravy with boneless pork meatballs and sausage.I also have a turkey breast that I have had in freezer with sweet potatoes.Deviled eggs make them the night before Peter Cottontail likes it when we leave him some with his carrots.
Last night I made stuffed cabbage I had rice left over so I made a quick rice pudding.Chocolate cupcakes mini cheesecakes and a quick Boston creme pie.
What is everyone making for Easter.
Parmesan Zucchini Omlete
1/2c sliced zucchini
2 slices onions seperated into rings
2 tbls butter
3 eggs
3 tbls water
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp salt
dash pepper
1/4c chopped seeded tomato
3tbls shredded parm.
In a broiler proof skillet saute zucchini onion in butter until crisp and tender.Small bowl lightly beat eggs water thyme salt pepper pour over veggies.Cook over med. heat as eggs set and lift edges letting uncooked flow under neath.When edges are completely set top with tomato and cheese.Broil 1 to 2 min.until cheese is melted and lightly brown .
Add mushrooms or what ever vegies to it.
patricia;
No matter what else you make, please try my grandma's pizzagaina, and there is a video on this thread for preparing it. Easter dinner will probably be an eclectic feast, with Italian dishes (from me) as mere appetizers, plus spiral ham, turkey and God knows what else. My daughter's in-laws are a huge Irish family, 60+ people, and everyone cooks...well! Deviled eggs, other sides and deserts will be contributed by others. So much fun.
lobster or crab bisque
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
1 large chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
3 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 bay leaf
8 oz tomato sauce
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 pint heavy cream
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 lb. crab meat or lobster meat or even fake crab or lobster if you like
salt,pepper hot sauce or Tabasco to taste
saute butter & flour, add onion & garlic. cook until soft. slowly stir in chicken stock, Worcester sauce, tomato sauce and bay leaf. cook for 1 hour on slow simmer. Remove bay leaf. Add crab, cream and sherry season w/salt & pepper raise the heat but do not allow it to boil. Serve when everything is hot.
Garnish with chopped chives
Daizy I am going to do the easter pie you told me about I been watching the video it really does not look difficult.We have alot of food to lots of appetizers also.Make sure you take picture of your easter pie and send it I will put mine up as long as it comes out.I hope theres left overs after cooking all day Im going to be exhausted.As far as deserts I will be making some cream puffs my fav. and cheese cake and kids love jello pie.
The cold cut for easter pie can I get from ShopRite or do I have to go to Italian deli?
Old Gent patricia - Weis has all the meat ingredients for this savory version. There is also a sweet version, same crust and cheeses, but with meats replaced by candied fruits, lemon and orange juice/zest, sugar, but grandma never made this, me neither.
Old Gent - What's up with "jawohl"? Meaning you want to help cook German food?
I'm going to use my leftover Easter ham to make the pizzagaina and make pasta fascilli. Now I remember having it when I was a kid, but somehow forgot about it. Thanks for bringing it back Danny.
It's so nice to read all these recipes! So here's the deal, almost all green vegetables taste bitter to me and I just bought some kale because it's supposedly a super food. I've been looking up recipes online but figured I would ask here for real people's help; how can I cook it so I can at least tolerate it? I did make kale chips once and they were okay. I saw a recipe for adding maple syrup to the olive oil to coat them with so I might try that. But I'm really looking for a recipe as a side dish. Thanks
RAS Try just stir frying with some olive oil. Both my husband and grandson will eat it that way and say it's not bitter. I throw it in all my slow cooker meals also.
Dansker Sauteed Kale
1 lg.bunch kale washed coarsley chopped
2-3 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed pepper flakes more or less what you like
2 cloves garlic minced
2-3 shallots sliced into rings
1/2c chicken or veg. stock
kosher salt and black pepper
Heat olive oil lg.skillet.Add shallots and allow them to cook 2-3 min, until translucent.Add garlic red pepper flakes and cook for 1 min. stirring often to prevent burnning.Add kale and broth,salt pepper mix well.Cover and cook 5 min. tossing occasionally.Remove the cover and continue cooking until most of broth has cooked away.
Maple Dill Carrots
3c peeled and sliced carrots
2tbls butter
2tbls brown sugar
11/2 tbls chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Place carrots in skillet and pour in just enough water to cover.Bring to a boil simmer until water has evaporated and carrots are tender.Stir in butter brown sugar dill salt pepper.
Thanks to all for the kale recipes! I will let you know how it came out when I try them. Warning! Don't hold your breath as it might take me a while!
Kale kills, Okra wounds :>) OK, patrici, where's the maple cuz maple-dill sounds weirdly good but no maple.....
Here's a kid friendly one. Very tasty, but I have slightly lowered many of the spices, Worchester and ketchup, especially the oregano. Can't have too much Basil IMO though. Not that it's bad, but the flavor can be overpowering. Can be made in 12" skillet, just be careful on the first stir of ingredients. Also you can use almost any kind of tomatoes, diced, sauce, crushed, and pretty hard to have too much. Mac seems to make all the liquid go away pretty fast.
2 cups uncooked macaroni
Some olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 pepper or less, diced
Some diced celery or spice
2 tsp. chopped garlic
½ tbsp. oregano
2 tbsp. basil
¼ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. Worcestershire
Start pasta.
Sauté chopped onion and pepper in a little olive oil, add garlic, brown beef, drain if necessary.
Add pasta et all to beef
Simmer awhile, may want to add a bit of water if thick, but wait a bit
Sounds a lot like "American Chop Suey" as served in New England diners, strangerdanger.
http://www.afamilyfeast.com/american-chop-suey/
ianimal - Go north of the border to Chinese restaurants in Quebec or New Brunswick. You'll get something there called TV Macaroni. Chop suey only with hamburger and elbow macaroni.
Not sure I understand... ACS is already made with hamburger and elbow macaroni.
Or do you mean Chinese-American Chop Suey with the eggs and cabbage only with hamburger and macaroni instead of pork (or chicken) and rice?
strangerdanger, ianimal and GC,
You have got to be kidding about "American Chop Suey" and "TV Macaroni". All of them sound like "hamburger helper" junk. You can do better than this, can't you?
I did make Daizy's bisque with lobster, crab, cream, sherry, Worcestershire, chives and home-made crispy rye croutons. Fabulous soup dish. Thanks, Daizy.
GC - Not about to travel to Canada to try a dish that my wife used to make before I learned how to cook. Hamburger and elbow macaroni is not interesting at all. Then again, my kids used to say that they knew mom was done cooking when the smoke alarms went off, so this was one of the few dishes she could safely make (usually).
Shrimp, tomato, and spinach pasta in garlic butter sauce
1 pound fresh shrimp, uncooked, shelled and deveined
5 medium tomatoes, fresh, chopped into large cubes
1 cup cooked spinach
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 or 4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 small lemon
salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more)
paprika
10 oz fettuccine pasta
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil until melted. Add fresh shrimp and half the minced garlic. Make sure shrimp is not crowded. Cook for 1 minute on one side until pink on that side. While it's cooking, generously sprinkle paprika and salt over uncooked side of the shrimp. Flip the shrimp over and cook for another 1 or 2 minutes until pink on the other side.
To the skillet with shrimp, add chopped fresh tomatoes, cooked spinach, and remaining amount of minced garlic. Add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more). Mix everything well, remove from heat while you cook pasta.
In the mean time cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent pasta from cooking and getting mushy.
Add pasta to the skillet with shrimp and vegetables with 1 or 2 tablespoons of butter. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice (depending on the juiciness of your lemon, it could be 1/4 of small lemon or 1/2 lemon). Don't add too much lemon juice. Season with salt and more crushed red pepper. Warm it up on medium heat until shrimp is cooked through, and all ingredients are heated through.
To serve, top with grated Parmesan cheese.
"Hamburger and elbow macaroni is not interesting at all."
Maybe not to you, or someone who can't cook. But why knock someone else's tastes?
You also need to visit Park & Orchard for Ants on a Stick if you think some Asian food like that can't be "interesting".
GC -
Do you mean Park & Orchard in East Rutherford? Please tell me more about your Asian food favorites. I obviously have much more to taste and learn. Thanks.
patricia -
The way I make shrimp scampi. BTW, "scampi" is Italian for "shrimp", so is it "shrimp shrimp" or "scampi scampi"? Garlic, lemon and herb sauce, so good with home-made fettuccini. Spinach is something that I had not thought of adding, but it sounds even better. Thanks.
Tomato Eggplant Zucchini Bake with Garlic and Parmesan
Ingredients:
3 medium zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 small/medium eggplant (about 3/4 pound)
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
Directions:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a deep 9x9-inch baking dish or similar 3 1/2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
Quarter the zucchini then cut into 1/2-inch slices and place in a large mixing bowl (each piece of zucchini should be roughly 1/2-3/4 inches in size). Next, slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch rounds, then stack the rounds and cut into roughly 3/4-inch pieces. Add to the bowl with the zucchini. Half the cherry tomatoes and add to the bowl. Drizzle the cut vegetables with the olive oil, then add the garlic, salt, pepper, 1/3 cup of the Parmesan cheese, and half of the basil and parsley. Toss gently to combine.
Transfer the vegetables to the prepared baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes, cover the pan with aluminum foil, then continue baking for 10-20 additional minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese, basil, and parsley. Serve warm.
ianimal -
Thanks for the translation correction. Been a long time since speaking broken Italian. Might be the early onset of dementia, or maybe the late stages...I forget.
Now enjoying the recipe ideas on this thread, at least while fresh in my mind.
DannyC - Yes, that's the restaurant in East Rutherford. Some time ago at our company sponsored sports outings, someone suggested going there afterwards. Have been going back ever since. A very health conscious local sourced organic place that happens to have different, including Asian, cuisine. Something for everyone. One of my wacky cousins ordered that ants dish and it turned out to be fantastic - who would know?
Would be happy to go over Asian things I love. When I was younger, I lived in a place where over half the population has Indian ancestry. The best food available was home style curry. I've grown to love Thai, some Vietnamese, and Chinese through that experience.
I've commented on Indian things I cook before, I'm a sucker for chicken tikka masala which you can buy British based sauces the same as spaghetti sauce, but also Jalfrezi and Makhani and other styles of cooking. Northern Indian and southern is as different as Italian and Spanish food. Nothing wrong with either, but very different. I've eaten at 50 Indian places in NJ and love them all, but each has it's strengths. Something as simple as an egg curry which is scrambled with a touch of curry powder isn't on 95% of the places menu. Yet when I went to one in Somerset that had it I told the owners that and my Indian companion said "you must be the only non-Indian I know that would even know we have that at home all the time".
As for Thai food, there are definitely more than one style just as Chinese had quite a variety. The "color" curries like Green, Red, and Yellow curries are classic, all done with slow cooking in coconut milk. Different vegetables and spices with each but the basic idea is the same. Masaman curry is my own favorite which has peanuts but also spicy peppers together with the meat of your choice and the coconut milk. It's not found very often but food from Sri Lanka is often similar - very heavy in the curry done with coconut milk.
Vietnamese can be subtle with noodle soups and delicate garlic, ginger (or galangal), and cilantro, but also spicy as crap BBQ style "meat on a stick".
Both Pandan and TOPO locally are great places to experience some different Asian choices that aren't typical Chinese. Slow done Malaysian beef Randang is a favorite of mine at Pandan, and Vietnamese "shaking beef" at TOPO. I've had Indonesian dishes in Amsterdam that will knock your socks off as well. Look into the "reijstaffel" served in Holland as well as "bami rames" that comes from Dutch interaction with Indonesia.
It's all REALLY, REALLY good. So much variety in Asian food, just as in European, that anyone can find something to their taste. Different style of Chinese are also another discussion. Many good resources on the net, just pick something that sounds interesting to you personally and explore. ;-)
I been looking for a good toasted coconut cream pie.I remember growing up in Livingston there was a place called Dons they made the best.The pie was shaped like a dome and it had toasted coconut all over it most delicious pie.Today cakes pies just arent the same anymore.DannyC I think the cake you talk about the black forest Mazurs bakery made it they called it Brown Derbie in Lyndhurst they switched over new owners was never the same.If anyone has a recipe .Wanted to make for Easter.
DannyC - I've heard too that P & O is being renovated and will re-open soon. It really isn't an Asian place. It's more like Cafe Metro in Denville, it's healthy first and then just where ever that takes you next.
You don't have to go far to explore good Asian food - both Pandan and TOPO will give you lots of Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian, and Vietnamese choices. Red/Green/Yellow curries at Pandan are very classic Thai as is Masaman. Beef Rendang at Pandan is Malaysian and one of the best things they make. At TOPO try the Pho and the shaking beef. Pho is a very delicate subtle soup with very strong elements like cilantro leaves or a hot pepper slice mixed in that hit you a bit at a time.
There are previous about Indian restaurants. Edison and Iselin next door are loaded with them. They can give you a great education in multiple styles of cooking. Try a place like Dosa Express for various pancakes with fillings. Then maybe Hoysala in Somerset. That's south Indian food which is totally different from typical northern Indian food that most places serve. For that northern food, go to Flanders and Taste of India for their buffet which is a good introduction. Or in Parsippany do Chand Palace which is a long standing respected restaurant doing vegetarian food. At least at one point they opened their catering facility next door once a week to do a non-veg buffet at night. Not too far, and very worth it.
Go to the HL search function and look for Edison and Indian food. There are previous discussions about where to go and what to try.
HTH.
GC -
Park & Orchard will be re-opening on April 1. Any other good Asian restaurants to recommend without an extensive search on HL? Have car, will travel (within 50 miles). Thanks.
patricia -
Not skilled in making high dome toasted coconut cream pie, but found this recipe:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/11/coconut-cream-pie-sweet-auburn-desserts-recipe.html.
Looks good, and trying it myself during this Holy Week.
Spinach Burgers
1 bag of thawed and well drained chopped spinach
2 egg whits
1 whole egg
1/4 c of diced onion
1/2 c of shredded cheese
1/2 c bread crumbs
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Mix all in lg.bowl mix well.Shape into patties spray pan cook over med.heat.Patties are done when golden brown and firm.Serve on roll or on plate.My son had it with ranch dressing..Didnt know what to do with spinach had extra bags.I seen this recipe it was easy enough.
GC -
Thanks. I just contacted a former co-worker, Indian (legal) immigrant, for a dinner date with both of our families in Edison, where he lives and knows where to go for the best Asian cuisine. One memorable dish is a spicy chick pea casserole made by my former boss, another Indian immigrant and a published (I wrote his papers and ran his lab) solid state physicist and director of Phillips Labs in Briarcliff Manor, NY. Hope the food is as good. Will give you a review.
patricia -
Spinach burgers are great. I make them often, even using just frozen spinach, with parmigiano reggiano cheese, freshly chopped sautéed garlic and onions, sometimes with finely chopped zucchini, red, orange or yellow peppers and cherry tomatoes. Very nice vegetarian dish. Hot sauce AND ranch dressing with thinly sliced celery on top for me.
MeisterNJ - In my follow up post, I mentioned it by name. Yes, Hoysala is the only restaurant I've ever seen serve egg curry. There are at least two other Indian places in Somerset that I can think of, but both of them are very straight forward Northern Indian food. Hoysala is quite unique.
GC -
iJay on Venting Thread 12th Edition is asking for a good Chinese restaurant in the area. You seem like the most knowledgeable authority to answer the question. I would like to know as well, not being a fan of Chinese food, but willing to sample new unique tastes, perhaps even learning how to prepare them. Thanks
Spicy New England Pot Roast
Yield: Eight servings
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons sal1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 pounds bottom round beef
1 pound bacon (for drippings)
1/2 cup freshly grated horseradish
1 cup whole cranberry sauce
1 stick cinnamon, broken in two
4 whole cloves
1 cup beef broth
16 small white onions
1 bunch carrots, cut into three inch lengths
Mix flout salt and pepper and dredge beef in mixture, rub on all surfaces. Heat bacon to yield at least 4 tablespoons of drippings. Brown beef in Dutch oven in drippings on all sides over high heat. Pour off drippings into a skillet and reserve. Mix horseradish, cranberry sauce, cinnamon, cloves and broth, and add to the beef. Bring mixture to a boil, cover tightly and simmer gently on low heat for two hours. Meanwhile, brown onions and carrots using reserved drippings in the skillet until caramelized and soft. Drain off the fat and add to the meat and broth. Cover and cook 30 to 45 minutes longer, or until vegetables and meat are tender.
Serve with twice-baked potatoes, noodles or spaetzle
Beef with Broccoli
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs flank steak, sliced into thin strips
1. Whisk together the baking soda, sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, water, and vegetable oil in a large bowl. Toss the steak with the marinade to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, then proceed below.
1/2 c low-sodium soy sauce (Do NOT use regular. The final product will be way too salty)
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp sherry
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 heads broccoli, crowns only
1. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, flour and sherry until smooth. Set aside.
2. In a large wok or saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil over high heat until shimmering. Add broccoli and saute 3 minutes, stirring often. Transfer broccoli to a plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium-high. Carefully add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the hot pan. Add the marinated meat and half of the sauce mixture and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Stir in the broccoli and remaining sauce. Saute 1 minute more. Serve.
I made brown fried rice with it.I also had used egg noodles when I had no rice.Next Im doing egg rolls.
Remember to slice meat against the grain.
DannyC - There are 20 previous threads on Chinese restaurants in the area and updates on each of them and what their best dishes are. Anyone can just do a Forum Search to find those. (same as how there is a really, really long thread about Indian places that I mentioned) Frankly, iJay was just venting.
From my input on those threads you'll see I believe Szechuan and Hong Kong are the best local places, and Denville's Hunan Taste is the best place close enough to travel.
patricia -
Wow, you make everything! Beef with broccoli is close to my American taste and must try it. Awaiting GC's recommendations on more exotic flavors, at least while still feeling adventurous. Otherwise, sticking to meat-and-potatoes. You do know how to make twice-baked potatoes with cheddar and broccoli, don't you?
GC -
I have spent hours searching for previous threads on Chinese and Asian food and restaurants you referred to, most of them snippets of conversations with others, and having to backtrack to other posts in order to get the context. HL does not have the greatest search capability. I am sure that you know what you are talking about, since you did write all of that good stuff, but I just can't find it. If it is not too much trouble, could you "cut and paste" some of your previous thoughts so as to specifically address the current questions, even at the risk of being redundant? Call it "refresh". Or at least post links, eliminating the frustrating HL search. Thanks.
Twice baked sweet potato
1 tsp garlic powder
1 parsley
1 tsp rosemary dried
3 sweet potatoes
1 onion
11/2 tbsp balsamic vinegear
2 tbsp balsamic glaze
sea salt and pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp goat cheese
1/4c parm.cheese
Preheat oven to 350
Poke holes in potatoes rub olive oil and sprinkle with salt.Put in oven for 1 hr on pan till fork tender.Dice onion and saute until carmelized in pan.Add balsamic vinegar and mix.Cook till vinegar is absorbed.Take potatoes out of oven and scoop out the inside.Add balsamic vinegar onion garlic powder and some goat cheese to sweet potatoes leave a little glaze on side to pour over potatoes at the end.Mix well.Put mix into the skins top with extra goat cheese parm.cheese and sprinkle of rosemary.Back in oven 15 to 20 min.When done drizzle balsamic glaze over top and garnish with some parsley.
DannyC - Cut & paste? Duplication when it's not needed. But links to what you need, no problem.
Here are the discussions of Indian food:
http://www.hackettstownlife.com/forum/244154#t244287
http://www.hackettstownlife.com/forum/184100
patricia -
Oh yeah, your twice baked sweet potatoes will work for me. Funny you mentioned poking holes in them before baking. How many times have potatoes exploded in your oven? Balsamic vinegar and glaze...yes! It looks like you prefer goat cheese in your dishes. Tell me why. I ask this because my daughter raises goats, mostly females, just kids now, but almost a year old and soon to give milk. I better learn how to use it, make fresh goat cheese from it, and cook with it.
GC -
Thanks for the first link. The second link blew up my browser. These are from several years ago, but valid today? Also, still looking for the Chinese food and restaurant recommendations that you mentioned ("20 previous threads"). Thanks for your time.
DannyC - I wouldn't have suggested those thread if they weren't still valid. As for Chinese, I just said "I believe Szechuan and Hong Kong are the best local places, and Denville's Hunan Taste is the best place close enough to travel"
If you want more threads on Chinese, try:
http://www.hackettstownlife.com/forum/389072
http://www.hackettstownlife.com/forum/274393
http://www.hackettstownlife.com/forum/13583
http://www.hackettstownlife.com/forum/84589
http://www.hackettstownlife.com/forum/135834
How lucky are you.all the goat milk you want.Plus very good for you.There are so many cheeses you can make even your own ricotta cheese and did you know you can even make your own soap with it.Making cheeses from it is not difficult.I had a neighbor who had goats,I would learn all kinds of recipes from her.
Home made goat cheese
1qt.goats milk
juice of 2 lemons
coarse salt
finely chopped herbs
Med. sauce pan heat milk until it reaches 180 use thermometer.Remove from heat and stir lemon juice.Let stand about 15 sec.If milk dont set add a little more lemon juice.Line colander several layers of cheese cloths.Laddle milk into colander tie 4 corners of cloth together.Get a wooden spoon and hang cloth on the handle of spoon over a bowl so it drains.When its done it should look like dry cottage cheese 1 to 2hrs,Take out of cloth put in a bowl add some salt and herbs.Make some nice toasted bread or pitas.
GC -
I have no reason to believe that you don't have good knowledge about Asian and Chinese food. But relying on searches and old links on HL does not cut it. Five links, none yielding direct answers. "Page Not Found" tells me nothing, and the four other links that keep the wheel spinning, possibly in an endless search loop, are equally useless. My gripe is not with you or your culinary skills, but with your constant references to "just search on HL". It simply does not work well. If you have something to say that is valuable and relevant, just say it, please. Others on this thread take the time to document and detail recipes for everyone to enjoy.
DannyC.When you make your twice baked potatoe have you ever put an egg over your filling.After you stuff your potato put it in oven for a while then take out get a spoon use the back of it to make well deep enough to hold egg.Crack your egg its ok if the white part hangs out put back in oven when its done it will look like a nice dip egg.I put bacon cheese in mine then fork the yolk so good.All in one.
patricia - Mmmm...fine breakfast! How good would that be with corned beef hash? Even better, with grilled NY strip steak for lunch? Sautéed green beans on the side.
Zucchini and Sweet Potato pie
2tbsp butter
8 eggs
1 lg.sweet potato peeled and cut into slices
zucchini sliced
1 sliced red pepper
2tbsp fresh parsley
salt pepper
Heat pan over med. heat add oil and sweet pot. slices and cook till soft.Add zucchini and red pepper slices and cook.While it cooks whisk eggs in bowl.
season egg mix,add to the cooking veggies.Cook on low heat until just set.Finish in broiler.Garnish with parsley.
The simplest side dish ever:
FRIED POTATOES
6 Idaho russet potatoes
1 cup olive oil (light, not extra virgin)
1 tablespoon salt
Peel, cut in half lengthwise and slice potatoes to 1/4 in thick. Fry until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle lightly with salt and toss.
A big hit with the kids. Daughters called them "daddy fries". Grandsons now call them "grandpa fries". Can't seem to make enough.
lemon butter garlic shrimp with angle hair pasta
8 ounces angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions (half of a 1-pound box)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, de-veined, and cleaned with tails off (I prefer 12-15 count shrimp)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional
DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
To a large skillet, add the butter and heat over medium-high heat to melt.
Stir in the garlic powder.
Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes total, or until just pink and cooked through. Flip shrimp halfway through cooking. Cooking time will vary based on size of shrimp and pan used; don't overcook or shrimp will become rubbery and tough.
Add the lemon juice, optional lemon zest, and stir briefly to combine.
Turn the heat to low, add the pasta to skillet with the shrimp, and toss to combine and coat. Taste, check for seasoning balance, and make any desired tweaks (add more salt, pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice, etc.). Serve immediately.
I love fried potatoes I can just eat them for dinner.I poke holes in potatoes put them in microwave.When done I slice them down the middle scoop potatoe out.Make sure they are evenly in pan flatten then add salt pepper and papricka.I love the color it gives them.Push down with spactula once in while turn till nice and crispy.Add parsley for garnish.I like adding onion to them and peppers sometimes.
patricia -
We MUST get together for a cooking "throw down", with several other competitors from this thread. Doubtful of winning, but sure to learn a lot.
With the nice weather coming I will have to start a new thread.Recipes and drink recipes.Its nice to be sitting by the pool with a nice refreshing drink and having somebody else cooking by the grill .Or better yet sitting on my floating chair just sunning.Im always looking for new summer recipes.And better yet not having to clean the kitchen after dinner.
Looking for an outdoor grill with a cover and as many cooking features as possible, maybe even a smoker option. Is Weber the best?
I like baked wedges where you wash potatoes, don't peal, cut into mouth-sized chunks. Spray tin foil on baking pan so you don't get sticking, put wedge skin side down, brush with olive oil and then sprinkle whatever spices you like. I often use spice blends, even used "salad dressing" spices, meat rubs, literally whatever sounds good.
Bake at 400 till crisp, I go at least an hour, maybe longer. May want to move around half way through or flip if oven prone to burning bottoms.
Make a lot, they reheat in either toaster oven or micro pretty good.
strangerdanger -
Potatoes...YES! Like your ideas about dressings, spices and rubs, and especially baking instead of frying. Any ideas about a good outdoor grill? Thanks.
One of my favorites I like to wrap bacon around them I like using center cut less fat wrap around wedges then wait till golden brown and crispy.Add some parsley for garnish and dip in ranch dressing.
Nah, I use propane. I grill a lot and don't like to wait... Figure most of the taste is from the grease creating smoke and favor convenience over any additional flavor from the brickettes. I would look for reviews via google, that's what I did to buy my middle-of-road propaner. Can't go wrong with a Weber probably.
Another tater one I do is twice bakes. Bake potatoes, carefully scoop them out into a bowl without breaking the skin. Add cheese, more for kids and cheeseaholics, less for lactose intolerant :>). Bake for 15 minutes more. If you have kids, make a lot, they go fast and nuke well.
OK, DannyC has noted these kid friendly ones are really not cooking and, well, with kids time and kid-friendly taste is everything. So here's one for you Danny; there's broiling involved :>)
The key is to do the broiling and don't substitute for the fresh stuff. You can skip the broil, probably tastes pretty much the same, but will never be as picture perfect as adding a little browning on the edges from the broiler....
Stuffed Shells
20 shells (about half a box)
1 jar or 24oz pasta sauce
15 oz. ricotta
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
2 tbsp. Fresh basil, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
½ cup parmesan (2 oz.)
Salt and Pepper to taste
½ cup mozzarella (4 oz.)
Cook pasta, drain under cold water and cool, pre-heat oven to 400
In bowl, mix ricotta, spinach, basil, mushrooms, ½ the parmesan, salt, pepper
Add sauce to 9x13 dish
Fill shells with spoon or use sealed plastic bag with one corner snipped to make a piping device. I like the bag trick. Sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining parmesan
Bake 10 to 12 minutes
Preheat broiler, broil for 2 – 5 minutes until just starting to brown, sometimes just the tips of the shells and the stuffing. Have to keep an eye on in while broiling.
I have cheated and put all the parmesan in the mix. This one looks as pretty as it tastes.
strangerdanger -
Nice stuffed shells idea. No eggs in the filling, no need with the three cheeses. Broiling is the best finish, but as you said, you must carefully watch it. Thanks!
One Pan Balsamic Chicken and Veggies
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp Italian salad dressing
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
1 1/4 lbs chicken breast tenderloins
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed of tough ends, chopped into 2-inch pieces (look for thinner stalks. Green beans are another good option)
1 1/2 cups matchstick carrots
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
In a mixing bowl whisk together salad dressing, balsamic vinegar, honey and red pepper flakes, set aside.
Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then place chicken evenly in skillet. Cook about 6 - 7 minutes, rotating once halfway through cooking, until chicken has cooked through (meanwhile, chop asparagus and tomatoes). Add half the dressing mixture to skillet and rotate chicken to evenly coat. Transfer chicken to a large plate or a serving platter while leaving sauce in skillet. Add asparagus and carrots to skillet, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer veggies to plate or platter with chicken.
Add remaining dressing mixture to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes to chicken and veggies and drizzle dressing mixture in pan over top (or return chicken and veggies to pan and toss to coat)
Top o' the food chain, baby....
12-oz filets from Wegmans smothered in bleu cheese and accompanied by asparagus bundles wrapped in bacon.
Spinach and Zucchini Lasagna
Ingredients
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
half onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsps tomato paste
1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes with the juice or 1 ¾ pound of fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
3 cups spinach
15 oz part-skim ricotta
1 large egg
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 medium zucchini, sliced ⅛" thick
16 oz part-skin mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ tsp parsley, chopped
In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add onions and cook 4-5 minutes until they are soft and golden.
Add garlic and sauté, being careful not to burn.
Add tomato paste and stir well. Add crushed tomatoes, including the juice in case you are using tomato cans.
Add salt and pepper.
Cover and bring to a low simmer for 25-30 minutes.
Finally remove from the heat and add fresh basil, spinach and stir well.
Adjust the seasoning if you think it is necessary.
Preheat oven to 375°.
In a medium bowl mix ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and an egg. Stir well.
In a 9x12 casserole spread some tomato sauce on the bottom.
Layer 5 or 6 zucchini slices to cover.
Place some of the ricotta cheese mixture and top with the mozzarella cheese.
Repeat the layers until all your ingredients are all used up.
Top with sauce and mozzarella.
Bake 30 minutes covered and 10 minutes uncovered.
Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.
Garnish with parley.
I don't know that I'm making this an all time favorite, but it sure did turn out good.
Mexi-Pinoy Lasagna
Layer of lasagne noodle
Layer of ricotta, thick Sicilian style tomato sauce, and a few jalapenos
Layer of lasagne noodle
Layer of ricotta, longanisa fried and diced, and pepper jack cheese
Layer of lasagna noodle
Top with tomato salsa, drained, some black olives sliced, and a couple of cilantro sprigs
Bake at 350 for 45 mins until cheese is 100% gooey goodness. ;-)
ianimal - I don't know if I've had that, but isn't that similar to chorizo. The longanisa I get from the store in Parsippany is fairly sweet tasting. A bit strong on other spices, and somewhat dry when all done, but not a lot of peppery heat.
Hormel Black Label, it's all I buy... aside from the occasional splurge for slab bacon at the butcher shop. It's usually $8 a pound, but SR frequently has it BOGO so I buy 20 pounds at a time.
Then I always have some on hand when I need it...
If my Portuguese coworker were here, I would be able to tell you definitively the difference between linguica and chourico... I believe that chourico has a lot more heat, whereas linguica doesn't have anything hotter than paprika in it.
Give Wegman's Applewood smoked uncured bacon a try. Good stuff.
Making Cuban sandwiches tonight. Pork shoulder is in the slow cooker. Black Forest ham, swiss, dijon, and pickles and into the griddler to finish it off. Will pair it with some black bean soup.
I cook the pork shoulder with onions, garlic, fresh squeezed OJ, lime juice, cumin, garlic, paprika, oregano, S/P.
Love Cuban sandwiches... Hackettstown Sandwich Shoppe made a great one, once upon a time. Fatheads in Pittsburgh has "The Bay of Pigs" headwich that is pretty rocking, too. We're heading out there first weekend in August to catch Steelers training camp as well as a Buccos game. Hopefully, I'll have time for Fatheads...
They came out great. Paired them with black bean soup. Soup came out particularly well tonight. Used some smoky bacon from Fresh Market in Bedminster. It really added something. Used this recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/black-bean-soup-recipe.html
I will be in the 'burgh in 10 days. I'll try and hit Fatheads. There's also a meatball place near my SiL's that's pretty good: http://emporioameatballjoint.com/
I'm almost out of Bell's Two hearted, so good timing.
If you wanna try some real-deal German food while you're out there, don't forget Max's Allegheny Tavern... I think I mentioned it to you on opening Day, but I'm not sure...
http://www.maxsalleghenytavern.com/
Sucks that the Bucs will be in Chicago the weekend you're there. They're home against the Bravos on Monday the 16th if you're staying for an extended period...
I think you did mention it. I'll see if there's time. Damn, one of these days I'll get to a game.
Wanted to make a pot roast today but my husband came home with a 6lb bone in pork shoulder instead of beef. I never cooked a pork shoulder before so I kind of winged it.
I marinated it overnight in Italian dressing, pepper, oregano, basil, garlic and squezzed lemon.
Dipped the pork into an herb breading, added seasoned potatoes, carrots and onions.
Baked at 350 for 2 hours uncovered and an additional 20 minutes at 450.
Right now it's resting..crossing my fingers.
It would be great to see some other pork shoulder recipes.
My picky husband is pretty happy right now, from his own mouth "it's real good". Lol
Made Caprese chicken along with prosciutto wrapped asparagus. Grilled the chicken and the wrapped asparagus. Both were spritzed with olive oil and balsamic, seasoned with s/p. Great summertime meal.
Nothing beats cold salads in weather like this.
To your cooked pasta or grain of any type ----- add your favorites........
chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced & quartered cucumbers, black olives, cooked beans, corn, etc. Lots of parsley or scallions ..... dress in cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and the vinegar of your choice.
Chill until cold.
Yum!
Caprese, as in tomato, mozzarella and basil? Is the chicken topped with raw tomato and basil, or are they grilled, roasted or sautéed and mixed into some sort of sauce and then topped with the mozz?
Either way, It sounds like a winner and I'd like to work some lighter chicken dishes into the rotation... although, as a Jersey tomato snob, I typically never eat them in June (-;
Ian.. I'm a tomato snob as well, but since I can't do without tomatoes..Holland tomatoes on the vine keep me at bay until Jersey tomatoes come out.
Grilled chicken, raw tomato. Tomatoes from Alstede (Morristown farmer's market) weren't bad, actually. Wherever they came from. Basil straight from the garden.
Last night was Carolina style pulled pork sandwiches and 'fake' fries. Pork shoulder, apple cider vinegar (my own), mustard powder, garlic, Worcester sauce, onion slices, cayenne, diced red pepper, paprika, brown sugar and 8 hours in the slow cooker. Took some of the liquid, added some more of the same spices from above, added a little ketchup and reduced it by half to make a sauce. Little fresh slaw and you have a great sandwich.
Fake fries are made by steaming thick cut potato wedges, tossing with them with a couple tbs olive oil and then baking on high heat for about 8-10 min. Tossed with fresh herbs and s/p. They come out great and they're not terrible for you.
How about grilling? All kinds of veggies, seafood, steak, sliced thin and cooked quickly on a very hot grill. Make savory sauces to match in frying pans. Can't go wrong in the summertime. If you are ambitious, baked macaroni, potato or macaroni salad, and spicy baked beans always work as sides. Happy BBQ!
So, basically, you just layer a Caprese salad on top of grilled chicken breast? Do you melt the cheese?
I think I'm going to try diced tomato with chopped basil and a little red onion (maybe a few capers for that briny goodness) mixed with balsamic and olive oil. Pile that on the grilled chicken, top with thin slices of fresh mozzarella and put it under the broiler for 60 seconds.
Didn't melt the cheese. We got some good mozz which is good as is.
Another summertime treat: wrap mozzarella balls in prosciutto and touch them to the grill for a few seconds on all sides (any longer and the mozz will really melt and ooze out too much). Drizzle with balsamic.
happiest,
I make a couscous salad from time to time that is similar. Couscous, cucumber, celery, onion, tomato, lemon, garlic, olive oil, balsamic, lots of fresh parsley, some cumin, and pomegranate seeds. Add/subract based upon what you have.
ianimal - If you're going the capers route then try capers + mustard + mayo for a more Dijon style than Italian. The capers and mustard are a match.
MeisterNJ -
Sounds good -- but I never understood the allure of pomegranate seeds. When I was a kid my mom sometimes bought pomegranates -- and we would suck the juice off of a bunch of seeds, and then spit the seeds out!
They are so hard -- do you chew them or just swallow? What am I missing?
This is an old thread, but I must share this salad dressing recipe. It's the best salad dressing I've ever tasted, and is so easy.
All measurements are approximate. Customize as you like. Adapted from a Blue Apron recipe.
Mix well in medium bowl:
2 tbs. Mascarpone cheese
3-4 tbs. grated Parm
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Drizzle about 2 tbs. olive oil over the mix, add salt and pepper to taste, and stir.
Right before serving, mix in your greens.
Makes about enough for 2 servings.
Great with romaine or green leaf lettuce, and probably many other greens.
Even DH who normally tells me to "save the greens for the rabbits" will eat a big salad with this dressing on it. Trust me, you need to try this! ;-)
Rebecka BLT PASTA SALAD....
~~~~~INGREDIENTS~~~~~
2-1/2 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
6 cups torn romaine lettuce
1 medium tomato, diced
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 Tablespoon barbecue sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
~~~~~~~INSTRUCTIONS~~~~~
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Then rinse pasta under cold water.
In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, tomato, bacon and pasta.
Drizzle the ranch dressing and barbecue sauce over the top. Gently toss to coat evenly. Season with pepper. Serve immediately and enjoy!
patrici Just made a Hummingbird Cake.* I had never even heard of the dessert until a recent Martha Stewart mag. It's insane. So easy and probably the best homemade cake I've ever made.
There are a few variations, but basically the recipe is this:
https://www.google.com/amp/amp.timeinc.net/myrecipes/recipe/hummingbird-cake-0%3Fsource%3Ddam
Anyone else never hear of it? I think it's popular in the South mostly.
* not made with actual hummingbirds.
Summer party - Marinated thin sliced hanger steak, grilled with Jersey tomatoes and red onions on toasted sub rolls with melted cheese...cheese steaks. Grilled corn, asparagus, string beans or other veggies, plus potato salad, macaroni salad, baked beans, baked mac and cheese, and arugula, tomato and mozzarella salad on the side. Guests bring the desserts. Since this is a relatively inexpensive party, can afford to serve shrimp cocktails with spicy horseradish, hot sauce, ketchup and lemon juice as an appetizer.
Hey Danny C. nice to see your back on recipes any new ones.Today Im making pizza for fathers day thats what hubby wants,big salad cheese platter.Send pic of pizzas later. Happy fathers day
patrici - Thanks. Doing the grilling thing for three dads and their families today. The kids forced me to add hot dogs and hamburgers to the menu, but that's OK.
You got a beautiful day for grilling.I need air conditioning today.Next week we ll be grilling my son is graduating Wednsday.Got any grilling recipes let me know.P.S.Where does the time go kids are all grown up now. Im looking for some new marinades
patrici - Grilling marinade? My brother in NC sends me sauces from here:
http://www.rockstorebarbq.com/
Be warned, that's NC where the main ingredient is vinegar so the marinades are sour. The one I think is best is the thickest one, their Carolina Gold. That's got a strong mustard component to it first, backed up with tomato second and vinegar third. Their other sauces will have ketchup or vinegar first. You can search on line for other similar type recipes and make your own if you'd like. I made some boneless pork chops last week with the Carolina Gold as a marinade. It came out just fantastic. A bit tart, definitely savory, but not overwhelming.
patrici - If you are marinating a relatively lean steak like hanger steak, you need two steps: first a rub, second a liquid. For the rub, put peppercorns, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, juniper berries, hot pepper flakes, onion powder, garlic powder in a standard pepper mill and chop everything up. For the liquid, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Worchester sauce, melted unsalted butter, lemon zest and lemon juice. Rub the meat with the dry ingredients, put in a plastic bag, add the liquid, seal, shake and leave in the refridgerator for 24 hours. To cook, do not slice first. Grill the whole steak to rare but with a nice sear on both sides, turning only once, then let rest for 15 minutes, cut to 1/4 inch slices, pour on half of the marinade, flip once after about 2 minutes, then pour on the remaining marinade. Yum!
For cheese steaks, I like to use Sargento real cheese products, a combo of American, cheddar and Colby jack. The best onions for me are sweet Vidalias, and the best tomatoes are big Jersey beefsteaks.
As for the rest of the protein, used Applegate hot dogs, the supposedly healthiest brand, plus a mix of 80-20 beef for 70% and pork for 30% of the burgers. Kids loved them, especially with sautéed onions. Thinking that I could have put the onions in the burger mix, like White Manna does.
Will follow up with the rest of the sides.
patrici - You can buy all the sides if you are in a hurry: Potato and macaroni salads from the Sub Shack are home made, delicious and inexpensive. Nothing wrong with Bush's baked beans right out of the can, with a little honey and brown sugar. Also you can't go wrong with Kraft mac and cheese, but after prep, put in a casserole dish, coat top with panko breadcrumbs, dot with unsalted butter and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Arugula, tomato and mozzarella can be bought from Weis or Shoprite. Your only job is to attractively arrange a salad presentation and provide a variety of dressings (I like Ken's Caesar). Also, put out some dill pickles, pitted black, calamata and stuffed green olives, early with your shrimp and spicy dipping sauce. Grilling vegies is pretty straightforward: just coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper (and/or the rub used for the steak) and grill until very llightly browned on all sides, keeping a sharp eye on them. Easy.
patrici - BTW - You may want to make extra of the steak rub, keep it in a pepper mill and use it for everything savory.
I don't think it's advised to use the marinade from the RAW meat to then pour over and serve with the COOKED meat. It's called cross contamination.
Tracy You got that one right Tracey.
The vinegar brine softens the meat making the end result more tender and tasty than just putting sauce on top. We find getting those double London broils for like a few bucks a pound than SRite sales every few weeks or so in the summer excellent for this. Cheap cut that I beat the heck out of, my wife marinates with oil/vinegar and basically Italian spices, and it comes out like Sirloin.
Personally marinating a great steak seems wrong to me. I mean it's already great, who needs to marinate. But marinating a good steak can uplift it to great status!
For roasted or grilled vegetables, I have used almost every spice concoction there is. From salad spices to chicken spices, whatever. Almost any spice blend works great. I also have just sprayed em, sprinkled em, and grilled. Just spray the grill, put em down, spray em (watch that fire), sprinkle em, flip em right away and repeat the spray/sprinkle so both side are coated now ---- continue flipping till done.
Tracy - Did you notice that the marinade is cooked with the steak slices? If you are still so worried about it, then just leave out this step...the steak will still taste great.
Not a grill recipe, but trying to sneak more veggies into my kids' lives in a tasty way, and they love Chinese food. Tried this recipe over the weekend and it was a hit. Didn't have Avocado oil so I used Olive oil.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/food-and-friends/veggie-stuffed-fried-rice/
hktownie "Rub the meat with the dry ingredients, put in a plastic bag, add the liquid, seal, shake and leave in the refridgerator for 24 hours. To cook, do not slice first. Grill the whole steak to rare but with a nice sear on both sides, turning only once, then let rest for 15 minutes, cut to 1/4 inch slices, pour on half of the marinade, flip once after about 2 minutes, then pour on the remaining marinade. Yum!"
Actually, no, I did not notice that the marinade was cooked with the steak. How exactly is that so? I assumed after the "let it rest" instruction, the cooking process was over.
If we were talking chicken, it's a definite no-no... steak, it's definitely less of an issue, but I would probably make extra and "reserve" some marinade if i was going to pour it over the final product.
Tracy - Again, the steak slices are grilled again with the marinade which cooks...can you read? And again, if you are so worried about this, leave out this step. Why dwell on it?
DannyC, not to be overly critical, but "recipes" aren't much help without actual measurements. How would patrici even begin to try to reproduce your rub or your marinade?
Can't read what's not there, Danny. Please show me where it says you are re-cooking the sliced meat. Maybe you could just admit your instructions are not clear instead of taking offense to everything and being nasty.
"Grill the whole steak to rare but with a nice sear on both sides, turning only once, then let rest for 15 minutes, cut to 1/4 inch slices, pour on half of the marinade, flip once after about 2 minutes, then pour on the remaining marinade. Yum!"
Who would want to take your advice on anything when you are screaming obscenities for no reason?
ianimal - You are right. Here are the measurements:
The rub - This will make some extra for use in other savory dishes:
1/4 cup peppercorns
1/4 cup coriander seeds
1/4 cup mustard seeds
1/4 cup juniper berries
1/4 cup onion powder
1/4 cup garlic powder
Grind in a standard pepper mill to fine and pourable.
The marinade liquid -
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Worchester sauce
1/2 lb. melted unsalted butter
Zest and juice of two lemons
Wisk well. Reheat after refrigeration to re-melt the butter, then wisk again.
I agree with ianimal - when I use a marinade and then want to add it at cooking time, I just keep some of it separate in the fridge. I throw out what ever was in the bag marinating, then throw the reserved part on at cooking time.
I buy the Shoprite "London Broil" specials too. But I mostly put that in the crock pot where the slow cooking is perfect for the cuts you're getting. I have a three-in-one so I can cut up the meat and make three smaller variations out of it instead of one big meal.
My favorites for that are beef bourgeon, Thai curry, and BBQ beef.
"it's definitely less of an issue" he says to the man on the john for hours..... Still not advisable even for beef. 99 out of 100 you will be OK, but that 100th.....
I have never a reason to grill the slices after grilling the meat: it's plenty "sauced," especially if you're using a oil/vinegar mix.
Now for my red sauce I liberally apply the liberal's best friend on my Lady Birds: that's right LBJ's Great Society BBQ sauce. It's a tax and spend vinegar/ketchup base with over a dozen spice entitlements. Good it isn't ---- it's a greaaaaaaat society.
How you doing Danny C?Im glad this topic has picked up again.Youre right with the side dishes like the salads thats exactly what im doing im making them though I love to cook so I dont mind making salads and iam doing bush beans easy stuff .Making salads night before.If my spelling is off cant find my reading glasses so Im sure my dog took them.Doing sausage peppers onions love the different colors of peppers together.Also grilling alot of veggies together.The best is gonna be spareribs.Hope itss gonna be nice got the pool opened making some tropical drinks now thats the life.lol.Best part no dishes to wash.
HERES ONE OF MY FAVORITE SALADS BY THE POOL..ENJOY!!
LAYERED COBB SALAD (:
Ingredients
1 head iceburg lettuce, roughly chopped
4 roma tomatoes, diced
1 red onion, minced
2 (15 ounce) cans corn, drained
12 hardboiled eggs, peeled and diced
12 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 avocados, diced
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Preferred salad dressing
HERES HOW I DO IT:
Use a large glass bowl or trifle bowl and place chopped lettuce in the bottom.
Layer with tomatoes, onion, corn, eggs, bacon, avocado, and cheddar cheese.
Serve with your favorite salad dressing.
Commenting is no longer available.