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During Innari's show the 18th, we started talking about food and recipes. So why not a thread for it?

Yay food!

I'm DJ Innari, and I approve of this message!

Someone posted this and I think it looks to delicious not to share:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1255 ... cheesecake

Cooking is fun for me.

I make an amazing chili, myself... and ooooh! I just realized: it is not chili season!

....

It's....funny. Because... its now....chilly... and I like to make chili...

Okay, going to crawl under a rock now.



....

To the recipe... or rather, a description of what I do, because I don't do recipes for chili. I just make amazingness happen.

I like to include a variety of beans: dark red and light red kidney beans, northern beans, and black beans. I like to use a good source of ground beef which I brown first with sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and granulated garlic. This ensures that the meat has flavor. I don't make the chunks of meat ridiculously small so that you can't tell if you are eating meat. I like for my chili to be hearty and thick. I dump in the tomato sauce. The garden mix flavor works great, as it gives it more flavor. I usually add in a can or two of diced tomatoes (the garlic/onion variety works well)... if I have them on hand, I'll dice the tomatoes myself. After that? I take bell peppers and chunk them to give the chili more body and an unique flare. I usually add in a valdallia onion because it also adds a great flavor into the mix. And then, I add in my spices... usually more pepper, a tad more salt, more garlic (bonus points if it is fresh minced), cumin, and finally.... chili pepper.

Then I make a pan of cornbread.

....now I really want to make chili. Nom.

I like to document anything new and interesting I try on my blog under the tag Behold the Meal. That said I've been slacking. I did make bacon fried rice recently though....

Ok ummm I'm bad at recipes. I just add stuff until it looks/tastes right. But this one has at least some actual measurements so we'll see how this works:

Southwest Chicken and Rice (or beef if you prefer).

1 pound boneless chicken cut into bite-sized pieces (can be white or dark meat or a combination of both. Can also be substituted for one pound ground beef).
1 box Zatarain's Spanish Rice (I'm sure other brands will work as well but this is my preference. Just use a brand that does not call for you to saute the rice first)
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
2 cups water
1 8 oz package shredded cheese (I go with a cheddar jack blend but you can certainly use whatever you like)
1 jar of black beans and corn salsa (any brand or heat. I haven't tried fresh yet, but I'm sure that would be tasty)
Salt and pepper
Package of taco seasoning

Now...my sorta secret ingredient which has given me a ton of trouble. When I first started making this I would use Philly Cooking Cream Santa Fe Blend. Only thing is, I can no longer find it at my local stores. The website says they still make that flavor so if you can find it, I would use that. It has a really nice blend of mexican seasoning and also you get the creaminess of the cheese. If you can't find that, then I have been substituing the original flavor cooking cream with a little taco seasoning mixed in (maybe 1/3 to half a package. A little of that goes a long way and those packets are high in sodium so you want to be careful).

Optional: Flour tortillas, extra salsa, taco sauce, sour cream, extra cheese, diced onion, guacamole, anything else you might like to dress a burrito with.

-Preheat oven to 350 (f)
-On the stovetop Brown meat in cast iron dutch oven with a tablespoon or 2 of olive oil.
-salt and pepper to taste (but go easy on the salt pending the next step)
-add about half a packet of taco seasoning and 1/4 cup of the water. Stir until meat is well coated.
-once cooked add in the box of Spanish Rice, Can of diced Tomatoes, and remaining water. Stir to combine.
-add maybe half the jar of salsa and stir.
-add ... ummm a good dallop of cooking cream and stir
-put into the oven, uncovered, for approximately 35 minutes or until the rice is soft. You need to check occasionally and stir to see if you need to add more water.
-When the rice is soft remove from the oven and stir in another spoon of cooking cream.
-top with shredded cheese (a good handful is enough. You just want to cover the top)
-put the lid on the dutch oven and let stand for 5 minutes (just enough to melt the cheese)

It is basically ready to eat at this point. However, you can also serve it burrito style with the optional ingredients listed.

I like to put cinnamon and sugar (lightly sprinkled!) on my scrambled eggs. Goes well with (and on, the cinnamon, not the eggs) toast too
I've been told this is odd, but I grew up with it >.>

This is the cupcake recipe I used for those cupcakes I mentioned at Innari's show last night:
I got the recipe for the cake here:
http://www.annies-eats.com/2010/07/07/d ... -cupcakes/

For the Raspberry mousse, I did the following:
12 oz frozen raspberries
1 cup sugar (I used about 3/4 cup; depends upon how sweet the raspberries are and how sweet you want the mousse)
1 packet (0.25 oz / 7grams) gelatin
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
Heat the raspberries and sugar in a sauce pan until the raspberries are broken down into a puree and the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Strain the puree to remove the seeds, and add the back to the saucepan. Add the gelatin and heat until the gelatin is thoroughly dissolved.
Let the puree cool. Whip up the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold the raspberry puree into the whipped heavy cream.

For the Chocolate ganache topping:
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
Melt the above in a double boiler until smooth. (You can just put a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Pyrex or a metal bowl works).

For assembling the cupcakes, fill a pastry bag with a wide tip with the raspberry mousse. Stick the tip into the middle of a cupcake and apply gentle pressure until a couple tablespoons of mousse has been filled into the cupcake.

Then I dipped the tops of the cupcakes in the ganache (pretty quickly after it was melted so it didn't have the opportunity to harden back up before making it onto the cupcakes). The amount of ganache I made wasn't quite enough for all of the cupcakes.

Sorry for all the volumetric / American units... If I were using my own recipes I'd try to do all gram weights It helps that I have gram scales I can use at work

Unfortunately I don't have a picture of these cupcakes. They were a big hit though

Caliana wrote:I like to put cinnamon and sugar (lightly sprinkled!) on my scrambled eggs. Goes well with (and on, the cinnamon, not the eggs) toast too
I've been told this is odd, but I grew up with it >.>

Not all that weird. French toast is bread covered in eggs mixed with a dash of cream, some cinnamon, sugar, and a pinch of salt. At least, that's how I make it.

Mariposita wrote:

Caliana wrote:I like to put cinnamon and sugar (lightly sprinkled!) on my scrambled eggs. Goes well with (and on, the cinnamon, not the eggs) toast too
I've been told this is odd, but I grew up with it >.>

Not all that weird. French toast is bread covered in eggs mixed with a dash of cream, some cinnamon, sugar, and a pinch of salt. At least, that's how I make it.

*drool* That's it, I'm having breakfast at your house.

Another killer recipe for cupcakes that I plan on making when it's summer again (or at least spring):

http://www.cakespy.com/blog/2010/6/5/pu ... -cake.html

This one I did snap some pictures of... here's one that actually shows it cut open so you can see the lemon curd filling (would have liked to get more filling in these too) :


I used a butane torch to caramelize the meringue on top

omg you don't know how much I love cupcakes. That picture is going to make me . It looks sooo good! Thanks for sharing!

oh God... Man vs Food Nation is on.. and they're doing breakfast (when it's noon, I've just woken up, and haven't eaten).. and they have waffles that have bacon IN them

Sounds like they're following my first rule of cooking: "If it tastes good on its own, it tastes good together." I long a go added exceptions to that rule though. Sweet food, cake, bakeries...

But hey, I know a guy who puts wieners in his beer glass so he "can drink and eat without stopping" as he says

Ment to post this a while back. I used this recipe for thanksgiving. Found it online. Stuffed the bird with a corn bread stuffing with pork sausage and apple. It came out fantastic.

2 cups apple cider
1/3 cup real maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram
2 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3/4 cup butter
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
14 pound whole turkey, neck and giblets reserved
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
2 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons apple brandy (optional)

Directions

1. Boil apple cider and maple syrup in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and mix in 1/2 of the thyme and marjoram and all of the lemon zest. Add the butter, and whisk until melted. Add salt and ground pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until cold (syrup can be made up to 2 days ahead).

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place oven rack in the lowest third of oven.

3. Wash and dry turkey, and place in a large roasting pan. Slide hand under skin of the breast to loosen. Rub 1/2 cup of the maple butter mix under the breast skin. If planning on stuffing turkey, do so now. Rub 1/4 cup of the maple butter mixture over the outside of the turkey. With kitchen string, tie legs of turkey together loosely.

4. Arrange the chopped onion, chopped celery, and chopped carrot around the turkey in the roasting pan. If desired, the neck and giblets may be added to the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining thyme and marjoram over the vegetables, and pour the chicken stock into the pan.

5. Roast turkey 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and cover turkey loosely with foil. Continue to roast, about 3 to 4 hours unstuffed or 4 to 5 hours stuffed, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C) and stuffing reaches 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Transfer turkey to a platter, and cover with foil. Reserve pan mixture for gravy. Allow turkey to sit about 25 minutes before removing stuffing and carving.

6. To Make Gravy: Strain pan juices into a measuring cup. Spoon fat from juices. Add enough chicken stock to make 3 cups. Transfer liquid to a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, mix reserved maple butter mixture with flour to form a paste, and whisk into the broth. Stir in thyme, bay leaf, and apple brandy. Boil until reduced and slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Caliana wrote:oh God... Man vs Food Nation is on.. and they're doing breakfast (when it's noon, I've just woken up, and haven't eaten).. and they have waffles that have bacon IN them

If you'd like to see food combinations (and quantities) that at the same time disgust and entice you, check out Epic Meal Time. I plan on making a bacon lattice at some point this month, possibly on my xmas break from work. Now I need to decide what to have with it.

Okay ... waffles with bacon in them. I am doing this.

Innari wrote:Okay ... waffles with bacon in them. I am doing this.

ERHMAGERD. Send me some

This recipe is for the masochists out there. *evil grin*
I may try it again with caned Fava beans, assuming they are skinned, but otherwise…NEVER AGAIN…ROFL. I used dried ones. Soak overnight, cook for hours, pop beans out of skin one at a time!!??...argh!! Just finished this part and added to the sauce.

The sauce however is fantastic and I can see using it with chicken.

Fava Beans with Tomato Garlic Sauce

2 (19 ounce) cans fava beans (use fresh if you have them, take off the pods and boil them until tender, cool and then slip off the skin)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons hot red pepper flakes
1/4 cup tomato sauce
3/4 cup hot water
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan& over medium heat sauté the onions & garlic until golden.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients except the beans.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes (add a bit more water if it reduces too much).
4. Gently stir in the fava beans and let stand for a few minutes so the beans absorb some of the flavor from the sauce.

Serve over rice.

Oh, and while I am thinking about it, for those of you that like fluffy dumplings in your home made soups, this recipe has never failed me.

Flour Dumplings

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup milk

1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in mixing bowl. Make a well in the center.
2. Combine egg and milk, mixing well. Pour into well in flour mixture and stir with a fork until just blended.
3. Drop by tablespoonful’s into boiling broth. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pot and cook another 10 to 12 minutes.

It will make about 16 dumplings.